How to Save Items that Fall into the Drain
The second an item slips down the drain, turn the water off. If the homeowner acts quickly, they may be able to prevent the item from leaving the trap under the sink/
All too often, we lose valuable items down the drain. Whether a wedding ring slides off while doing the dishes or an earring slips from someone’s hand while they are removing it, many have experienced losing a treasured item down the drain.
Luckily, with a bit of finesse and basic knowledge of plumbing, those items aren’t necessarily lost forever.
Read on to learn how to retrieve a valuable item if it falls down the drain.
Turn off the water
The second an item slips down the drain, turn the water off. If the homeowner acts quickly, they may be able to prevent the item from leaving the trap under the sink. However, if the water isn’t turned off in time, the item may travel through the home’s plumbing to the drain stack, where it will meet the sewer.
Open the trap under the sink
Although designed to prevent stinky sewer odors from entering a home, the sink trap equally comes in handy when someone is trying to retrieve items that fell down the sink. The process for opening the sink trap varies on the home’s plumbing, but the process, in general, isn’t too tricky.
To get started, place a bucket or pot to collect any water that spills from the trap. Then, use pliers or a wrench to remove the “J” portion of the trap from the rest of the plumbing. If the system uses plastic piping, the homeowner may be able to unscrew the slip nuts by hand.
Once the pipe is removed, the homeowner should shake it to remove their lost item.
Put the trap back together correctly
Once a homeowner has removed their item from the trap, it’s time to put the pipes back together the same way they were removed. They must be put back together correctly and tightly to avoid future problems such as leaks or mold and mildew growth.
If the homeowner is still determining how the pipes go back together or are unsure if they have performed the task correctly, it is time to contact a professional plumber for help.
Solace Plumbing is a licensed commercial and residential plumber with 26 years of experience in Gilbert, Az. We provide the East Valley with a wide range of plumbing services, including 24-hour emergency service. Some of our specialties include plumbing installation and repair, remodeling, natural gas and propane piping, slab leak detection, and full-service repiping. Commercial work includes restaurants, school districts, and tenant improvements. Call Solace Plumbing at 480-630-0224.
