A drain snake used with too much force being can scratch a zinc pipe and damage the coating. This can lead to cracks or rusting in the pipes opening the door to a major problem in the future. A drain snake has a coiled wire, which harnesses a lot of energy when being used.
Surprisingly, snaking your main line can potentially make the clog worse. The snake could pack the clog in even tighter, meaning your plumber may have to remove that section of the pipe.
Over time, that scratch will rust and weaken the structure of the pipe, until it bursts from the pressure. If you use a motor-powered snake incorrectly, you could crack the pipe and cause a serious leak.
If the bottom of the pipe or fittings are missing this can cause the snake to catch and break the pipe. It can also cause the equipment to get stuck. Broken PVC pipe is another issue with drains.
A plumbing snake is a long, flexible, metal cable with a cone-shaped auger attached on the end that works to clear away drain blockages.
First of all, a drain snake is a good item to keep handy in a home. A basic hand-crank drain snake (a.k.a. a drain auger) is a much better option for getting rid of a minor clog than resorting to chemical drain cleaners. In fact, you should never use these chemicals on your drains!
A good general rule is to have your home's sewer lines cleaned out every 18 to 22 months. That may be difficult to remember, but think of it as a year and a half to slightly less than two years.
If your snake isn't unclogging your drains, it could be because the thumbscrew is loose, the clog is too severe, or the auger is dirty. Or maybe you just need a refresher on how to use a drain snake. A drain auger (snake) is a simple, inexpensive necessity for every homeowner.
Plumbing snakes (also called drain cables) that are used to unclog sinks can actually scratch your porcelain toilet bowl. If plunging did not work, you want a toilet auger (also sometimes called a closet auger). The auger is a plumbing snake, but it has a protective sleeve that protects the bowl from damage.
PVC pipes are an improvement over cast-iron pipes, because they have smooth walls that don't allow debris to cling, so if you have to clear a clogged drain deep in the pipe, you can usually do it with a plunger or drain snake.
If your snaking session yields plenty of hair and soap scum, but still leaves you with a slow drain, there's a good chance that the P-trap is still obstructed. To clear it, plug the overflow hole with a rag and fill the tub drain with hot water, which will help to soften and loosen soap scum.
A drain snake (also called a plumber's snake or auger) is a drain cleaning tool that plumbers have used for generations. If you don't have a drain snake at your home, you can use a pipe cleaner, a straightened clothes hanger, or make this simple tool out of a plastic bottle: Start with an empty 2-liter plastic bottle.
Sometimes the best way to unclog a shower drain is with a drain snake, sometimes called a manual auger or electric auger. If it's electric, you'll need a power drill to run the plumber's snake. If it's manual, you'll have to turn the handle by hand to operate it.
The snake will collect hair and gunk clogging the drain, and then pull it back out of the pipes. Snaking a clogged drain is preferable to using chemical cleaners because the snake will not damage your pipes. A snake can also remove large obstructions that chemical cleaners could not break down.
Since there is no air in an anaerobic septic tank, a snake won't survive there for very long before it'll run out of air to breathe. However, if the snake lands in an aerobic septic tank, where there is plenty of oxygen, it might survive there for a given length of time.
Call in a plumber when the distance of the clog exceeds the length of your drain snake. For some drain augers, this may be either 15 feet or 25 feet. Drain snakes pick up clogs but cannot cut through obstructions.
Use a Plunger
For efficient unclogging, you should opt for a force-ball plunger. This is a lot better in terms of performance than the standard cup plungers. It would be best if you used the plunger on the toilet drain or a sink. First, ensure the plunger seals the drain completely, and then apply the plunger.
The reason is probably a loose thumbscrew. The thumbscrew being too loose is a common cause of the plumbing snake malfunctioning. The thumbscrew that holds the cable within the drum or handle needs to be properly tightened. If it isn't, the cable won't revolve at all as you turn it.
First the drain snake loosens the clog—then the powerful Drano® gel clears it away! The 23-inch flexible tool bends safely through your pipes, and the Drano® Pro Concentrate Gel powers through the clog.
For smaller clogs, snaking your own drain is possible. Routine, minor sink clogs from hairballs or food remnants are typically located in the U-shaped trap directly below the sink or only a few feet deeper in the drainpipe. They may be cleared by using a light-gauge, hand-operated auger.
If you have a clogged pipe, a drain snake is a simple and cheap tool you can use to fix it. These are advertised as devices that anyone can use to unclog a drain. But if used improperly, drain augers could make the clog worse.
Depending on the severity of the problem, your sewer line could take anywhere from a half hour to 5 hours to be cleaned. A professional will come and talk to you about your issue. Then, they'll likely first try to resolve the problem with a drain clearing "auger" (a motorized snake-like tool that breaks apart clogs).
Drain Augers or Snakes
The standard drain cleaner tool plumbers use to demolish obstructions in pipes is a motorized drain auger, also known as a drain snake. An auger consists of a long, flexible coil of metal that works similar to a corkscrew. The end of the auger goes down the drain until it reaches the clog.
Using a Cable Auger
Guide the snake into the pipe. Continue to turn the handle until you feel it catch. If it won't go any further, you've likely reached the clog.