How to Use a Snake to Unclog a Drain

Before you begin using a snake to unclog a drain, it’s important to make sure you have protective gear such as rubber gloves, goggles, and a bucket on hand. Once you’ve assembled all of your supplies, insert the snake into the drain and begin feeding it down the pipe. It may take a few tries to get it going, but once it’s working, simply crank the handle to let the auger descend the pipe. With the cable attached to the snake, insert it into the drain. Make sure the end of the snake is aligned with the pipe, and then turn the handle clockwise to send it down the drain. Then, rotate the snake so that it grabs the blockage and breaks it up. Once the snake has reached the blockage, turn the handle again to pull it up. Then, retry if you find yourself having trouble pushing the snake. If you’re impatient, you may try working at full speed right away, but this could cause more damage. Before you proceed with the entire process, test the drain by removing the blade halfway through the clog. Then, try to thread the snake head into the cleanout at an angle that makes turning corners easy. Then, if you still can’t get the clog out, use the other half of the blade to feed the snake into the cleanout. The next time you want to clear a clog, use a heavy-duty drain snake. These snakes are designed to tackle the biggest blockages. Choose a snake with a cable no smaller than 5/8 inch and 75-100 feet. Heavy-duty snakes are designed to clean out large, deep drains and clean outs into the street. You can also use them for lawn irrigation systems. A power-driven snake is a great option if you’re tackling a drain blockage. When the plunger has failed to unclog a drain or a toilet, you may need to hire a plumber to unclog it. Even if the clog is a few inches or feet deep, a plunger can’t reach it. You’ll need the leverage that a plumbing snake offers to get into even the tightest drain or pipe. If the snake can’t get into the clog, it won’t work. If you’ve tried a plunger and it didn’t work, consider using a snake. Once you’ve successfully removed the obstruction, you should uncoil the snake and inspect it for debris. You should never jam the auger in a pipe, but if the auger scrapes the wall, you’ve got an issue. If it does, uncoil the snake and try again. Once you’ve cleaned the auger head, you can reinstall the p-trap and trap arm. Click here to learn more about gas boiler engineer derby.