No one likes a clogged anything. Whether it be the bathroom sink, toilet, shower, or kitchen sink, clogs are always a dreadful but necessary thing to take care of. But when you do need to unclog something, how do you know which plunger to use? With multiple shapes and sizes, making the right decision can be difficult without the proper knowledge.
Here are some of the most common plungers you can buy from the store, and when you should use them:
- Accordion Plunger -- These plungers look exactly like they sound, like an accordion. Usually made from some kind of durable plastic, accordion plungers are designed for specifically unclogging toilets. Due to their size, they won’t work on most other drain systems. Although the accordion plunger isn’t the most powerful plunger, it’s extremely effective when it comes to toilets because the size of its smallest cup fits directly inside the toilet bowl.
- Sink Plunger -- The sink plunger is the “classic” plunger that always comes to mind – the pink, rubber head with the long, wooden handle. Usually mistaken as the proper plunger to use for toilet clogs, this plunger works best when it’s used on flat surfaces due to the shape of its wide rubber head. In effect, you should only be using this type of plunger to unclog things like kitchen sinks, bathtubs, and some showers.
- Toilet Plunger -- In addition to the accordion plunger, there is also a specific toilet plunger. What makes this different from the prior plungers is that this plunger’s cup has a soft rubber flap that can mold and hold onto different shaped drains, meaning that it can be used on a number of different drains, not only toilets. Because the cup is also made out of rubber, it has more suction power than the accordion plunger, making it ideal for tougher clogs you might have to take care of.
- Plumbing Snake/Auger -- Popularly known as the “snake” due to its curves and lengths, this plumping tool takes care of nearly all deep toilet clogs. In effect, the snake has a flexible wire coil that is inserted into the toilet bowl for however far the wire will reach, and breaks down whatever is causing the initial clog through twisting and turning the wire in a rotating fashion.
Whatever your plumbing needs might be, a Parker & Sons professional is just a call away to assist. If you believe that you have a clog that needs to be taken care of by a professional, do not hesitate to call us today!
