If you’ve dropped something valuable down the drain, don’t panic! Follow these easy steps to quickly and safely retrieve your jewelry without causing damage or leaks to your pipes.
Video Transcript
Dropping a piece of jewelry down the drain can be heartbreaking. But if you know what to do, there’s a good chance you can get it back yourself. Hi, I’m Miriam Johnson, co-host of the tv series Hometime. Come on, I’ll show ya!
First, you want to shut the water off and leave it off. You don’t want to push the jewelry farther down the drain. Next, you want to open the cabinet beneath the sink. Well, if the jewelry hasn’t completely washed away this is where it will be. This is the p-trap. Every sink has one, even pedestal sinks. And by design, it holds a little bit of water to keep sewer gas from entering back into your home, so don’t be alarmed if a little bit of water spills out. A bucket can be used to catch the water. When you remove the trap just place it directly below the u-shaped bend. Just loosen the to slip nuts on either side of the trap. Slowly lower the trap and then drain the water from the pipe. There could be some pretty nasty reside in here, but the p-trap may hold your jewelry so the mess is worth it. And while you’re there, clean out all the muck from the pipe. A clear pipe means a faster drain. Next, fit everything back together. The water may now be turned back on. Fill the bowl a few times to check the connections for leaks and move your jewelry away from the sink. If you can’t find your lost jewelry, there’s also video technology available that might be able to spot it. Give us a call, we’ll be happy to help!
