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How to Choose the Right Plunger

A plunger, force cup, plumber’s friend, or plumber’s helper is a tool used to clear blockages in drains and pipes. It consists of a rubber suction cup with an attached stick (shaft), usually made of wood or plastic.

plunger picture

For the common plunger, the cup is pushed down against the drain opening, either pressing hard into the drain to force air in, or pushing down until the rubber cup is flattened and then pulling out, creating a vacuum that attracts material. The intent is to loosen or break up a blockage caused by excessive material in the drain.

The cup of a kitchen plunger looks like a rubber ball cut in half with a flared edge, while the toilet plunger’s cup looks more like a distorted ball, tapered on one half, with a large hole on the bottom.

A plunger is much more effective with water in the pipe because water does not compress and will thus transmit more of the applied force than air. When a plunger is ineffective, it is supplemented by a chemical drain cleaner (in the case of sinks and tubs) or a plumber’s snake (for stubborn clogs or clogs of the main line or toilet).

About Kaburu Mugambi

Kaburu Mugambi is a veteran of business reporting having worked with two national newspapers in Kenya. He is a graduate of economics from Kenyatta University. He started his journalism career in 2000 with The People Daily as a business reporter before becoming a business sub-editor. He joined Daily Nation in 2004 as a business writer. He holds a post-graduate diploma in mass communication from University of Nairobi's School of Journalism and an MBA in marketing from the same university. In 2016, he founded Water Tower, a media firm focused on water, energy and climate. Its content cuts across water, energy and climate with emphasis on adaptation and sustainability.

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