After removing your wedding ring to wash dishes, a mere moment later, it slipped through your fingers and vanished down the drain. This scenario can be quite distressing for many individuals, often leading to substantial expenses if you resort to hiring a plumber for retrieval—assuming the plumber can recover it successfully. In this article, we’ll guide you through a simple method to retrieve your ring from the drain.
The essential items required to extract your ring from the drain pipes
To recover a ring from the drain, you’ll require several items:
- A bucket.
- A rag.
- A wrench may be necessary.
- Gloves are recommended but not mandatory.
- Vac/wet/dry vacuum.
The optimal approach for retrieving a ring from a sink drain is as follows:
If your ring has slipped into the sink, the initial step is to turn off the water!
Avoid allowing any additional water to flow down the drain, as it could potentially displace your ring from the plumbing system.
If your ring escapes through the system, your chances of retrieval diminish significantly!
If your ring remains within the P-trap, follow these straightforward steps to recover it:
- Turn off the water supply.
- Position a bucket beneath the sink, directly under the P-trap.
- Unscrew both sides of the P-trap to open it.
- Retrieve the ring.
- Reassemble the P-trap.
- Turn the water supply back on.
- Run the water to verify that no leaks occur from the pipe into the bucket.
The most effective method for retrieving a ring from a shower drain
Shower drains pose a greater challenge compared to sink drains. Regrettably, convenient access to the P-trap is likely unavailable.
A recommended starting point is to take out the shower drain strainer, set your shop vac to water vacuum mode, activate the vacuum, and insert the hose into the drain.
If fortunate, one could retrieve the ring without having to resort to damaging walls or ceilings.
However, if this method proves unsuccessful, the next step is to locate the P-trap beneath the shower and follow the same protocol as you would for retrieving a ring from a sink drain.
The challenge lies in the likelihood of having to cut into your walls or ceiling. Furthermore, unless someone inserts a drain camera, there’s no way to verify if the ring is within the P-trap.
If you cannot find the ring within the P-traps, it’s likely that it is be lost. At this juncture, engaging a drain service company equipped with a camera to inspect the drains might be your best course of action.
Need a Plumber?
Feel free to connect with Ability by filling out the form on our website, giving us a call at (+44) 01892 514495, or sending a message to info@ability.uk.com. We prioritise rapid responses and will promptly attend to your inquiries. Our aim is to offer you the assistance and guidance you need without any unnecessary delay.
