The Key To Unclogging Household Drains (NAPSA)—There’s no needto let a clogged drain gum up the works at your house. That’s good news considering it’s been estimated 90 percent of American homes have had problems with clogged drains TOE Cy most cases, the tool doesn’t even require homeowners to remove the drain cover before use. The DrainStick works on all types of at one point or another. The key to waving goodbye to standing water or slow moving drains? Master plumberssayit’s all in your approach. The most common solution homeowners use—the plunger—is often ineffective and difficult to employ. Homeowners frequently don’t use the plunger properly and they sometimes damage plumbing fixtures because they apply too muchforce. A second technique—the snake—often falls short because it is not long or flexible enough to reach a clog that is far down in a pipe. In addition, snakes can sometimes damage and even loosen pipes when used improperly. Another drain unclogging tool, liquid cleaners, can be more problematic than some might think. The caustic chemicals can actually with 56 small barbs that “grab” at clogging material. The barbs either pull clogs out or tear them apart so running waterwill rinse them through the plumbing. In drains—sinks, 2 SY Down The Drain—Newtypesof tools help homeowners unclog stopped drains. eat through pipe over time, causing greater problems than those originally being experienced. Plumbers recommend homeowners use tools such as the DrainStick before trying a snake or drain cleaner. The Stick is 24 inches long (long enough to get to the second turn in 90 percent of drain pipes) and it is flexible enough to be easily maneuvered through turns. Thetool has a small, angled tip bathtubs and showers. The tool, which is marketed under the Superior Tool and Stanley brands, was awarded Do-ItYourself Retailing magazine’s “Retailer’s Choice” award in 2001 and earned the “Member-Tested Seal of Approval” from the Handyman Club of America. In addition, it received the 2002 NorTech Innovation Award. The tool is available at all Lowes, most True Value and Do-ItBest hardware stores, and under the Stanley brand at Ace Hardware stores and Sutherlands Home Improvement Centers. For more information, visit www.Drain Stick.com.
