Can a Plumber Help You Recover Your Lost Ring That Went Down the Drain?
Losing your wedding ring or any other important item down the drain can be a nightmare. When this happens, most people immediately think that their ring is lost forever. However, the truth is that there is a good chance that a professional plumber can recover your ring as long as you act immediately.
What to Do If You Lose a Ring Down the Drain
If you do drop your ring down the drain, it is important not to panic. Instead, you should immediately turn off the water and not use your plumbing again until you can get a plumber out to your house. The reason is that the ring should settle down into the bottom of the P-trap underneath the sink. However, if you do put more water down the drain, there is a good chance that your ring will be flushed out of the P-trap and potentially lost forever.
What Is a P-Trap?
The P-trap is a special type of pipe that is installed underneath sinks and all other drains. Its primary purpose is to trap sewer gases inside the drain pipe so that they can’t waft up through the drain. Whenever water goes down the drain, some of it remains inside the bend at the bottom of the P-trap and creates an airtight seal.
The second purpose of the P-trap is to capture any solids that go down the drain and prevent them from being flushed further down into the drain system. If your ring or any other solid item goes down the drain, it will usually remain in the bend in the trap as long as you don’t run enough water to flush it out.
How a Plumber Can Help Recover Your Lost Ring
If you drop your ring down the drain, a professional plumbing company like Pipeworks Services can usually retrieve it by taking apart the P-trap. This is done by unscrewing the fittings at each end to disconnect the trap from both the sink and the drain line. Once the trap is apart, the plumber can dump it out and easily retrieve your ring.
However, if the ring goes further down into the drain system, it may end up in the sewer lateral that flows out into the main sewer line in the street. In this case, it will be necessary to access the lateral through your plumbing cleanout to see if the ring is still inside it and can be fished out. This is why it is essential that you don’t flush your toilet or otherwise use your plumbing or else the ring will most likely be carried out into the main sewer line and lost forever.
Losing your ring down the drain can be incredibly nerve-wracking. The good news is that as long as you are proactive and immediately call a plumber, there is a good chance that your ring can still be retrieved.
