If you vape dab pens regularly, the chances are that you have run into a situation where when you try to draw, nothing comes out, even if the indicator lights up. This happens quite often with vape oils and other concentrates, where a clog formulates and blocks the airflow within your cartridge.
If you are reading this, then the chances are that you have just experienced a clog—and now you cannot vape until you fix it! Fortunately, fixing a clogged cartridge is relatively easy, and there are many methods you can try out. Before we get into that, however, let us quickly go over how a cartridge gets blocked in the first place.
The Main Causes of Blocked Cartridges
There are many reasons a cartridge can end up being clogged. For example, if you are using an incredibly thick type of vape oil, a drop in temperature can cause the liquid to become even more viscous—thus increasing the chances of a clog.
Other factors can also affect this, such as pressure or even sunlight, all of which changes the viscosity of the oils within your cartridge. This sudden change can make it harder to take a hit or even create gunk within your system that will prevent it from firing your system.
Unclogging a Blocked Cartridge
Now that you know why your cartridge has clogged up, here are a few methods at which you can try to clear it out.
The first method you should try out is to blow gently through the mouthpiece. This will work well, primarily if the clog occurs around the mouthpiece. If there’s a small buildup of gunk or oil, then this can dislodge the blockage. After a few tries, try to take a draw. If this works, you are good to go! Otherwise, you will have to try another method.
The second method you can try out is to heat the liquid carefully, especially if you are vaping in a cold place. This is an attempt to make the liquid flow much more easily. To warm up the liquid, you can use anything from warm blast of a hairdryer to even submerging in a bowl of warm water. However, just be extremely careful when working with heat, as you want to heat your cartridge enough to make the oil less viscous, but not so much that it evaporates or breaks the cartridge entirely. After a few minutes, try to take another draw.
The third and final method to unclog your vape is to grab something long and pointed, like a sewing needle or a push pin, and try to poke through the mouthpiece. If there are any solid clogs there, then it should get pushed out, allowing air to flow properly once more. Be careful, however, as this can destroy your cartridge if done too forcefully—so take this approach at your own risk!
Conclusion
In most cases, one of the methods will help address the root cause of the problem, freeing up your cartridge and allowing for proper draws once more. However, if none of the above methods has worked so far, you may be better off buying a brand-new cartridge instead.
That said, if you do visit a vape store to purchase a cartridge, do not forget to consult with the staff too. They are quite knowledgeable about many different vape products and might be able to identify why your cartridge is not working as intended. Either way, with a new cartridge in your hands, you can continue vaping your favourite flavours as if nothing happened!
V8PR is a provider of premium vaping products in the UK, selling different vaping items with thousands of brands to choose from. If you are looking for an online vape store to buy new cartridges, check out what we have to offer today!