Obviously, you are in a bit of a panic right now because you are afraid that your treasured engagement ring is gone forever. But that is not necessarily the case. First, you need to step back and take a deep breath to calm down, then follow a few simple directions. With a couple of tools and a dash of good fortune, your engagement ring will soon be back on your finger. However, if you are not comfortable with hand tools and this minor plumbing project, please call (214) 388-8838 immediately. Our licensed plumber will arrive promptly to assist you in retrieving your engagement ring. So before you go shopping for an new engagement ring or call your engagement ring insurance policy provider to file a claim, read on to discover a few simple methods to safely retrieve your ring from the drain.
Simple Steps To Retrieve Your Engagement Ring From A Sink Drain
- DON’T run any more water down the sink. More water running down the drain could wash your engagement ring past the p-trap located in the sink drain. If the ring moves past this point, it will be substantially more challenging to recover.
- Place a bucket or large bowl under the p-trap. The p-trap is located under the sink in the drain piping. It is U-shaped and designed to trap a small amount of liquid to prevent gas or undesirable odor from entering your home. But it is also instrumental in catching items that are accidentally washed down a drain.
- Look for the access plug on the p-trap. If your plumbing is newer, there will be a plug to drain the trap. If you do not have a plug-style p-trap, please refer to the section below to learn how to remove your p-trap.
- Pull out the access plug to drain the p-trap into the bucket or bowl. As the water flows out of the trap, it should carry your ring out as well. Even if you do not see your ring flow out of the pipe, be sure to carefully inspect the contents of the bucket or bowl to search for your ring. Hopefully, you now have your engagement ring back and can complete one last step.
- One last important step- replace the plug into the p-trap and then turn on the water to make sure there are no leaks.
- If you did not locate your ring in the contents of the p-trap, do not give up hope! Call (214) 388-8838 to schedule an emergency appointment with a Flow Plumbing licensed plumber. Our team uses special tools to help customers avoid the heartache of a lost engagement ring or other treasure that might have accidentally slipped down a sink drain.
How To Remove A P-Trap
Most homeowners would never think about dismantling their sink drain. But in an emergency, removing a p-trap is an excellent way to recover an engagement ring that has been washed down a sink drain. All you need for this job is a large pair of pliers or a pair of channel locks to grip the fitting on this small section of the pipe.
- Remove the p-trap using pliers or channel locks. There is a nut at each end of the p-trap that can be loosened to remove the pipe’s U-shaped section. Carefully loosen one nut at a time while supporting the p-trap. With both nuts loose, gently lower the trap section of the pipe away from the drain pipes.
- Carefully pour the contents of the p-trap into the bucket or bowl. Ideally, your ring will appear as you begin to pour out the contents. And the weight of the world will lift from your shoulders.
- Next, place the p-trap back in line with the pipes and secure the nuts to reseal it in place. You can begin to thread the nuts back into place by hand and then finish tightening them with the pliers or channel locks. But be careful not to over tighten the nuts and damage them or the surrounding drain pipes.
If you were unable to retrieve your ring in the p-trap under your sink, please don’t give up hope. Call in the pros from Flow Plumbing at (214) 388-8838. Our team understands the urgency you are feeling and will do everything possible to get your special ring back on your finger as soon as possible.
