GringoCArlos
Jun 11, 2012, 9:22 PM
Post #10 of 10
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I've tried baking soda and vinegar, drain cleaner, denture cleaning tablets (don't laugh), boiling water and a few other things. None worked for long.
Here's your Mexican Plumbing Lesson of the Day:
MX plumbing is definitely different than NOB. Sink drainpipes are typically 1" instead of 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" pipe. As part of any drain, there should be a trap that holds water to keep any gases or critters from coming up into the drain from wherever below that trap. Don't be shocked if there is just a 90º bend in the pipe under the sink with no drain trap. If you find there is no trap, then call a plumber to come and put one in. You NEED a trap, and it's usually better/easier to have a plumber put it in for you. Probable cost is 100-200 pesos including the parts.
Instead of P-traps or S-traps, I see these types of drain traps instead:
Under sinks:
there is a 90º turn. At the bend is a plastic cup/cylinder that serves as the trap. There is a removable cap on the bottom of this cylinder. You can CAREFULLY unscrew this cup downward by hand (no wrenches! you don't want to snap off the drainpipe going into the wall or muck up the other glued connections) from the drain. In your other hand, bring a bucket or old plastic container to catch any falling water here. There will sometimes be some gunk there in the cup - hair, mung, scraps of bar soap, things that dropped into the drain,etc that is impeding the drainage. Clean the cup out and put it back on to hand tightness.
You don't have to use teflon tape or anything else when you put this cap back on, it is self sealing. If you have a drip after cleaning this, tighten the cap up just a bit more. If there is any lime scale inside, you can follow up by pouring a cup of vinegar into the drain and let it sit overnight to remove the scale.
In shower drains:
the drain goes from the shower floor down into a plastic cup set in the concrete floor, and there is a plastic cone inserted into this cup, small end down. On the side of the drain outside of the plastic cone, there will typically be a 3/4" drain pipe for the shower water to drain out of the house. Take the slotted drain cover off, typically three screws holding it in place on the shower floor, and then gently pull out the plastic cone. The cone just sits inside of the drain cup, and is not fastened to anything.
Using your fingers, clean out the gunk, soap scum, hair, etc in the drain cup under this cone, Stick your finger into the 3/4" drain pipe to make sure there isn't a big glob of something in there preventing drainage. Scrub up the plastic cone and replace it inside the shower drain cup, and then replace the drain cover.
In shower drains, I typically have to do this about every 6 months. Less frequently if you live alone and are bald, more frequently if you have a household of long-haired women taking showers. They shed. It's time to clean out the drain cup if you are taking a shower and there is any standing water in the shower. Good as new.
(This post was edited by GringoCArlos on Jun 11, 2012, 9:48 PM)
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