HVAC Maintenance and Design Tips for Swimming Pools and Gyms

If you are washing your hands and all of a sudden notice that your ring has slid from your finger and down the drain, you will want to work quickly in retrieving it before it becomes pushed further through the piping due to continued water use. Retrieving a ring from the piping system under your sink not that difficult if you have the correct tools and a bit of patience. Here are some instructions for you to use in getting your ring out and back on your finger.

Turn Off The Water

The first step in retrieving your ring is to turn off the water supply to the sink where the incident occurred. You do not want someone to accidentally turn on the water while you have the piping underneath disassembled, or you will end up with a huge water spill to deal with. Find the water supply valve underneath your sink and turn it to the right to shut the water off completely.

Remove The P-Trap

Underneath your sink is a curved pipe where your ring is most likely hiding. This is called a P-Trap. On each side of this pipe are nuts that need loosening to remove the pipe from the area. Before you remove it, place a large bucket underneath. Use a wrench to loosen the nuts and slowly move the pipe towards you. At this time, water may start trickling from the space, so do your best to redirect the pipe end over the bucket to catch spilling water. 

Clean Out The Pipe

When the pipe is free, pull it out from under your sink and shake one end over a clean, dry bucket. Anything inside the P-Trap will spill out, allowing you to sift through it to search for your ring. 

Put It Back Together

After you have found your ring, rinse out the P-Trap in another sink to remove any dirt build-up. Reassemble the piping by sliding the P-Trap back between the two nuts and tighten them on each end of the pipe. Turn your water supply back on by turning the valve to the left. Test the water by turning on a faucet slightly so there is minimal water pressure. Watch the P-Trap for any leaking to make sure you had placed the nuts back on properly. When the water runs through without leaking, you can remove the bucket from underneath the sink.

To learn more, contact a plumbing service company like Bowman's Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc.