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Interesting Plumbing Video
How to Use a Plumber’s Snake
A plumber’s snake, or drain auger, is a tool that reaches down into pipes to remove clog-causing blockage. Snakes make up the middle ground between common household plungers and the really big guns. If you’re dealing with a clog too stubborn for your plunger, then a snake is your best chance to clear it out yourself.
Snakes are much more powerful drain-clearers than plungers, but they’re also slightly riskier to use. If you use your plumber’s snake improperly, then you might tear up your pipes or even create leaks. To avoid doing that, it’s important to know how your snake works and how to use it correctly. Here’s everything you should know about using a plumber’s snake.
How does a plumber’s snake work?
what is a plumber's snake?A plumber’s snake is a long, flexible metal cable with a small auger or uncoiled spring on one end and a handle on the other. The auger on the snake looks like a drill bit or a corkscrew. Home plumber’s snakes are usually around 50 feet long. The cable coils up when you’re not using it. Most home plumber’s snakes are hand-operated, and probably have a rotatable handle or even a crank.
Plumber’s snakes work by entering the drain directly to physically contact and then clear away the obstruction causing the clog. You manually insert the auger end of the snake into the drain and then begin uncoiling by rotating the handle. As the snake uncoils, the auger moves further through the drain pipe, until it breaks through the obstruction.
How do you use a plumber’s snake?
1. Put on some clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and lay some old towels beneath the pipes you’re working on. Depending on the nature of the clog, your snaking procedure could get messy. This is especially important if you end up removing the p-trap.
2. (Optional) Consider removing the p-trap. The p-trap, or p-bend, is the curving piece of pipe beneath the sink. It connects the sink to the greater drain pipe system in your home. The reason it’s curved is to prevent sewer gases from rising through the sink and into the home. P-traps are often made of PVC pipe, though they can also be metal.
You can manually remove the p-trap, either with your hands or with the help of an adjustable wrench. Once you remove the p-trap, you should thoroughly inspect and clean it out. If you find your obstruction, then you won’t have to snake at all! Even if you don’t find anything, removing the trap could make snaking easier.
3. (Optional) Consider removing the trap arm. A trap arm is the part of the pipe between the p-trap and the actual wall pipe. It holds the p-trap in place and may curve again to reach the wall. Look for a plastic or metal nut connecting the trap arm to the wall. If you can find one, loosen it to remove the trap arm. If you can’t, then it’s possible the arm is glued in place; don’t attempt to remove it in that case. Make sure you clean out the trap arm like you did the p-trap once you remove it.
Removing the trap arm gets you as close to the drain pipe as possible. Look inside the drain pipe to look for any obstructions. If you can see the obstruction, try removing it from where you are. If you can’t, you should use your snake.
4. Manually thread the auger head of the snake into the pipe. Insert the head of the snake into either the drain (if you didn’t remove the trap), or the access point on the wall. If you didn’t remove the trap, consider running cold water while you snake.
Don’t force the auger into the drain too hard, or you could damage the drain entrance or pipe. Be patient and make sure the head and cable aren’t too long for the drain you’re trying to snake.
5. Begin uncoiling the snake using the handle. Keep the handle of the snake as close to the entrance of the pipe as possible. The more slack the auger had has, the less force you’re supplying it.
Rotate the handle at a consistent pace. Don’t try to rush it or rotate too slowly. If you feel pressure at any point while the cable moves through the pipe, you may have encountered the obstruction.
6. Upon reaching the obstruction, move the rotate the head back-and-forth and up-and-down. Try to break up the obstruction as thoroughly as possible. Don’t try to jam the auger into the walls of the pipe, however. If you hear scraping noises, then you should stop snaking and re-adjust.
If you think the auger might be stuck in the obstruction, consider pulling the snake out of the pipe. In some cases, the obstruction may come out with it. Continue snaking until you no longer feel resistance and the snake uncoils to its full length.
7. Pull the snake out and re-assemble the sink components. Check the auger head for remains of the obstruction and clean it off. If you removed the trap arm and p-trap, then you should re-install them at this point.
8. Check the sink. The snake should have successfully removed the obstruction and solved the clogging problem. If you still seem to have a clog, then you could try repeating your snaking process again. Just like plunging, however, snaking too much can harm your pipes or drains. If a thorough snaking really didn’t solve your problem, then you should consider calling in the pros.
Snaking is a surprisingly easy and accessible homeowner project. As long as you understand how to use your snake, you should solve your problem without creating new ones.
Sometimes, however, you may not be able to beat that clog, no matter what you try. Don’t despair! After your snake, the next step is to call Mike Diamond. We’ve got the tools and know how to find and break up any clog, no matter how stubborn.
plumbing company https://mikediamondservices.com/blog/plumbers-snake-use/
Somewhere around 1994, we had a son living with us and we had just had a new baby, and it was essential that we do something with our living space. We had to extend it somehow, and eventually we came to the conclusion that it might be best to have a home extension. My business was at the time doing good and the build was going to ended up costing close to $50,000. The priority was to uncover the best contractor possible. I thought I had got this in the bag since I used a member of my sports club. This was a huge mistake.
I was seriously let down because I failed to get what I expected. Nevertheless, a guy with a blow torch, a monkey wrench and a few bits of copper tubing appeared. In fact he saved the entire situation and the standard of his work was awesome. Not only that, he was also professional and very friendly.
If there's anything at all you are able to take away from this poor experience, it's to take the time to find an experienced plumber in your neighborhood. Lucky for you, there are three steps you can take to be sure you don't run into the problems I ran into.
For starters, never arrange all of it by yourself. This is particularly important in regards to plumbing contractors. Unless you have knowledge of hiring tradespeople and firing them, you should not do this bit by yourself.
Second, conduct the homework. In other words ask people where you live or perhaps in the pubs that you frequent. Remember to speak with family and co-workers too. They might inform you where to go to get a good work force.
Lastly, it is best to get a few quotes from potential plumbers. Don't jump aboard the lowest price since this isn't always the cleverest move to make. Additionally, it could possibly result in something disastrous. If you do your homework and get quotations, you should be ok.
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