Warning: my kitchen sink was draining slow for weeks and I almost called a plumber.

I saw a video where a guy in Austin said to pour a whole pot of boiling water down, wait five minutes, then follow it with a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar. Did it last night and it cleared right up, no chemicals. Has anyone else had luck with this method on really old pipes?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavin69222d ago

Ever think that could wreck old pipes?

bennett.nora22d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, the old pipes thing is real. I had a place with galvanized lines and the pressure spike from a sudden shutoff shook the whole wall. You can get a water hammer arrestor for like twenty bucks at any hardware store, it screws right into the washing machine valve. Saved me from what sounded like a pipe grenade going off every time the cycle ended.

elliot_thomas8221d ago

Actually, gavin692 has a point about old pipes, but the arrestor helps prevent the damage. That banging is the shockwave from water stopping too fast, and it can crack joints over time. The arrestor gives that pressure spike a place to go so it doesn't hit your pipes full force. It's more about stopping the problem before it causes a leak, not making it worse. For twenty bucks, it's cheaper than a plumber fixing a burst fitting.