As human beings, we make mistakes all the time. Most of the time they’re tiny and insignificant, but every once in a while we do something by accident that can make us want to pull our hair out in frustration. Maybe you accidentally forgot to turn the water off in the bathtub and it overflowed or maybe you left a batch of cookies in the oven for too long. What if you accidentally drop an earring, a ring, or something else equally as valuable and meaningful down the drain of a sink? Mistakes like dropping a valuable down the drain can happen to anyone and just because your valuables may be out of sight for now, that doesn’t mean that it’s gone for good or irretrievable. The next time you need to recover an item from your Renton plumbing system, here are some steps that you can follow.
Turn off the Water
The first and most important thing that you need to do is to turn off the water and don’t turn it on until the item has been retrieved from the drain. If the water is running, it could wash your valuables further down the drain pipe, making the item’s retrieval more difficult. If the water was already running when the item fell, turn it off as soon as possible.Â
Use a Tool or a Magnet
If the water wasn’t running when the item fell down the drain, that’s good news. Depending on the shape of your drain, the item could be lying in a spot that’s just out of reach for a finger or a hand, but with the right tool, you could easily grab it. Local hardware stores carry long and flexible tools with multiple prongs that are able to catch and release small items like rings or earrings. If there aren’t any useful tools readily available, try using a magnet instead. Many items of jewelry are made of magnetic metals and with a strong enough magnet, you might be able to pull it out. Try attaching the magnet to a piece of sting and lowering it into your drain. Remember though, that items that are made of gold and silver aren’t magnetic and you won’t be able to retrieve them using this method.Â
Check the P-Trap
Another method that you can try for retrieval is checking the sink P-trap. A P-trap is the curved pipe that is attached to a sink and it holds water in the bend of the pipe. This water pocket is meant to block and keep sewer gasses from traveling up through the drain. If you can’t see the fallen item, then checking the P-trap is your best option. Be mindful of the water inside and make sure to use a bucket to catch any water or debris that’s inside the pipe. Hopefully, your item is safely inside and can be retrieved quickly.
If you’re unable to retrieve your item from your drain yourself or if you’re unsure about removing any pipes or plumbing fixtures, that’s not a problem. Trusted Plumbing & Heating in Renton are available to assist you the next time you have a valuable fall down the sink drain. Simply call our number and schedule an appointment today!