The joys of a clogged drain

So, I recently inspected a home where the homeowner had ‘fixed’ a clogged drain with nearly an entire roll of duct tape and some spaghetti. It’s tempting to laugh, but it’s a reminder that the best jokes usually start with DIY plumbing disasters. Remember folks, when in doubt, call a professional before mixing kitchen supplies with plumbing repairs.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍‌‌⁠‍‍‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​⁠‌​‌⁠​‌‌‍​‌‌​​⁠‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

, I can relate! I once found an entire toy action figure stuck in a sink trap — talk about a DIY nightmare! Seriously, those quick fixes with duct tape rarely hold up; it’s usually more cost-effective to just call a pro from the start.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠‌​​⁠‌​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​⁠‍‌​‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‍⁠‌‌​‍⁠​⁠​‌‌‍‌‍‌‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍‍​‌​‌⁠‌​⁠‌‌​​‌‌​⁠​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

I once saw someone use a plunger and a hairdryer to clear a drain — didn’t go well! :joy: Seriously, a little patience goes a long way with plumbing. Have you ever seen anything weirder?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠‌​​⁠‌​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍‌‌⁠⁠​⁠‍​‌​‌​‌‌‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌​⁠‌⁠‌‍​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌‌​‌⁠‌‌​​‌​‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

It’s wild what people will use to try to fix plumbing issues. Once, I found a sock doing a better job at clogging a drain than any professional could imagine! Just remember, duct tape is great for many things, but not so much for pipes — unless you’re aiming for a slapstick comedy routine like we see here.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠‌​​⁠‌​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠‍‌‌⁠‌​‌‌​‌‌⁠​‌‌⁠​‍‌‌‍​‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‍​‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‍‌‌‍‍‍‌⁠‌‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​