Tub drains may clog from time to time, but unclogging them is an easy process with a few quick solutions.

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Don t let a drain clog slow you down; it s usually an easy fix. A partial clog can be cleared by cleaning out the drainpipe. Older plumbing can be damaged by using harsh drain chemicals, so opt for a naturally biodegrading drain cleaner or use this homemade solution: pour a half cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly add a cup of white vinegar. Cover the drain for five minutes, then flush with a gallon of boiling water. Some clogs call for a plunger. The key here is to create a vacuum. If you re working on the kitchen sink, you need to clamp off the dishwasher hose and seal the drain openings in the other sink basins. If it s the bathroom sink or tub, plug the overflow opening with a wet rag. With at least a couple inches of water in the basin, plunge rapidly several times, pulling up sharply at the end to move the clog. You may need to do this several times. If plunging doesn t clear the clog, use an auger. If your drain opening is obstructed, sometimes a coat hanger wire with a small hooked end will bring up the clog. You can also detach the trap under the sink with a plumber s wrench in order to get at the clog or to rescue anything you ve lost down the drain. If you don t see an improvement in drainage after all of that and especially if more than one drain is slow in your house you should consult a plumber since the problem could be caused by blocked or improper venting of the wastewater system. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Clearing a blocked sink drain requires only few basic tools and a little elbow grease.

Don Humphrey is spraying a cement and polymer mix from Innovative Concrete Technology called Texture-Krete 2000 onto the pool edge and deck in Punta Gorda, Florida. He moves in a circular motion to splat the cement mix onto the deck. As the gloss begins to leave the spots, a crewmember follows behind to knock it down with a trowel. This removes the pointy tops but leaves a 1/16-inch stucco pattern to the pool deck to make it easy to walk on. The deck is cleaned and scratched to remove any rough points before Humphrey and his crew apply an acrylic paint to the textured deck surface. The key to a well-sealed surface is to roll the paint firmly into all the nooks and dips in the surface. Bob talks about the embedded deck drain set in the concrete that is pitched slightly away from the pool. Excess water and dirty deck water drains away from the pool and is carried off to the sides of the pool deck by the deck drain. Humphrey applies two coats of paint and a topcoat for protection. The deck can be maintained with gentle soap-and-water washing to prevent any white spots from drying chlorine on the painted surface. Humphrey says the paint should last three to five years before it is redone. One key to maintaining the surface is to avoid abrasive cleaners or power washing. Should any mold or mildew attack the surface, Humphrey suggests using a mild bleach-and-water solution to kill the mold. The oyster color the homeowners have selected should wear well and stay cool in the hot Florida sun. Editor�s Note: The deck surface product with cooling properties used in this application was not Kool Deck from Mortex.

Larry Janesky of Basement Systems reviews the work being done to cut a drainage trench in the concrete around the perimeter of the basement floor. Water will be channelled through the trench to a sump, where it can be pumped out of the home. The sump hole was dug at the lowest spot in the basement as determined by laser level. CleanSpace is being installed over the walls as a vapor barrier to drain water from the walls to the drainage system. It is possible to install CleanSpace in crawlspaces as well as in basements to prevent water buildup in underground walls and eliminate rot and mildew. Janesky recommends taking these two steps in securing the drainage of a home and to secure against all outside air leaks. The final step is to dehumidify the crawlspace. Janesky points out a corner of the basement where the Thermal Dry Wall System has been installed. This product goes behind finished walls and drains water like CleanSpace but also reflects heat generated in the basement back into the basement. Janesky then shows a portion of the floor where the Water Guard Drainage System has been installed in the drainage trench and secured with cement.

Bob looks at the Toto one-piece, 1.6 gallon toilet that will be installed in the lavatory. Unlike other toilets, the Toto model hides all obvious workings within a sleek exterior. Installation is simple, with the special flange that is provided by Toto to reconfigure the traditional drain setup. The one-piece flange is set directly on the wax ring then pressed down to form the seal. It is then bolted to the floor and given bolts to receive the toilet that is simply dropped on top. The flange bolts fit into the toilet casing and the toilet is bolted to the floor to hold it securely in place. The interior flange changes where the toilet bowl drains, making the low-flow flush more powerful. The low-consumption tank adds to the sleek, low profile design of the toilet.

Bob joins Dan Gerry from Tranquility Plumbing as they punch holes in the metal studs for the CPVC tubing that will carry the hot and cold water through the house. Gerry admits that it is somewhat easier to install plumbing in metal studs, because it's faster to punch out the metal than to drill standard wood framing. Gerry also describes how drains, waste pipes, and flow pipes were set before the slab was poured. The CPVC pipe runs through the punched holes and is fitted with pipe tights to protect the pipe from puncture and eliminate noise from vibrating pipes against metal studs. Bob watches as a sink tie-in is cut, fitted, and installed with adhesive.

The side of the home has been fenced in with a white cedar fence from Architectural Fence. This fence has been designed with attached sheds to create a bin for garbage, a stall for gardening equipment, and an area for a potting bench. Recycled granite from the Danvers State Hospital was used here to provide some steps. The granite was cut into lengths of four feet using wet saws equipped with a water attachment and diamond blade. The cut ends of the granite block are given a rough finish with a torch and chisel. The pea stone used for the walkway is a good color match with the fence. Pea stone is easy to maintain because water drains right through. Three steps were constructed using the granite blocks, all of differing widths, which creates a pyramid effect.

Bob meets Bob Bevilacqua at the River Hill site in Mashpee, Massachusetts, where Bevilacqua and his crew have undertaken a mammoth job of earth moving as they cleared and prepared the site for eleven new homes. First they cleared the four-acre parcel of trees, stumps, and brush, before stripping, screening, and storing the top soil in a mound for later use. It will be used later in the project for road shoulders and finish landscaping. RJ Bevilacqua Construction has also cut in the road for blacktop, stripping the clay underneath and relocating it to the drainage basin they are preparing near the back of the development. A retention area is created to catch runoff from the road, where storm drains collect the water and send it through a sediment field to catch any oil or sediment from the water before before it passes to an overflow basin. About 3,000 yards of fill will be used to create the slope and basin for the retention and runoff area. The goal is to reuse all of the earth that has been moved on the site as fill once the finish work begins. The roadbed is another example of reuse, and is built of recycled concrete and asphalt from a demolished roadway.

Mike Goodrich from Tranquility Plumbing is in Punta Gorda for the installation of the Whirlpool dishwasher. Goodrich explains that he has cut holes through the cabinet for the drain line up top and the water line down low. The dishwasher itself is encased in insulation to keep it quiet during operation. Once the drain line has been fed through the hole and the water line attached, Goodrich slides the dishwasher into place. He adjusts the feet to get it level and checks for even spacing along the sides and top. Goodrich will use short screws to attach the clips on the dishwasher to the wood countertop substrate. This will prevent the dishwasher from moving or rocking forward when the door is open.