QA

Question: How To Use An Auger On A Toilet

Can a toilet auger make it worse?

These are advertised as devices that anyone can use to unclog a drain. But if used improperly, drain augers could make the clog worse. You could jam the obstruction in there tighter, or worse, do damage to your pipes.

What is the difference between a toilet auger and a snake?

Drain snakes work for smaller drains like your kitchen or bathroom sink. Drain augers tackle larger pipes like your toilet or shower drain. The snake covers lines from 1-1/4″ – 2″ range, and you’ll use an auger for lines in the 1-1/2″ – 3″ range.

Which way do you turn a toilet auger?

What happens if a toilet auger doesn’t work?

You need to make sure that you’ve securely tightened thumbscrew(the piece that secures the cable inside the drum or handle). If the thumbscrew is loose, the cable will not rotate at all when you twist the handle. The cable rotation is how the drain snake picks up debris, so if it can’t do this, your auger won’t work.

What is the best way to unclog a toilet?

Hot Water and Dish Soap Wait for 10-15 minutes while the dish soap and hot water soften the clog. Once you do so, the toilet will unclog and flush freely. Alternatively, you could use hot water and shampoo from the sink if you wish to clear your toilet without leaving your bathroom.

Can snaking a drain damage pipes?

When a drain snake is inserted into a pipe, the end may flop around, scratching the pipe. 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.

Can you snake a clogged toilet?

To unclog toilets that couldn’t be fixed with a plunger, use a toilet auger. Also called a plumbing snake, this flexible coil of wire is designed to extend into pipes and clear obstructions without damaging the plumbing. If you snag the obstruction, pull out the auger. Clean the auger as needed.

What does a plumbing auger look like?

A plumbing auger or plumbing snake is a long, flexible metal cable with a small, uncoiled spring on one end and a handle on the other. The auger head on the snake looks like a corkscrew. Home plumber’s snakes are usually around 50 feet long. The cable coils up when you’re not using it.

What does a drain auger look like?

Drain augers are a long tool that looks like a snake. They can be fed down a drain or toilet to remove a blockage. Drain snakes have a rubber shield to protect drains and toilets from scratches, unlike most other snakes. This tool is excellent for bathroom drains including showers, bathtubs, and toilets.

Is toilet auger better than plunger?

Although different styles of plunger work on sink drains and toilets, plungers tend to be most effective on toilets. Snakes, or drain augers, are used for stubborn blockages in sink or toilet drain lines. When the cable is pulled back out of the drain, it brings the blockage along to restore normal water flow.

How do you clear a drain that won’t snake?

When a drain clogs completely, don`t use a chemical drain cleaner–if it doesn`t work, caustics trapped in the pipes can be dangerous. In most cases, a rubber plunger can effectively remove the clog. Use a plunger with a head or cap big enough to cover the blocked drain opening completely.

Why is my drain still clogged?

Most bathroom drain clogs result when dirt, skin flakes, and especially hair binds to soap scum on the walls of drain pipes. Over time, this gunk accumulates and reduces water flow. Troubleshooting: Remove and clean the drain stopper. If that doesn’t work, remove the drain elbow joint and clean it out.

How far does a toilet auger reach?

Closet augers are typically made with about 25 ft. of reach, so you might need to crank for a while depending on how far down your clog is. When you feel the cable come up against some form of resistance, that means you’ve reached the clog and can stop cranking.

How do you unclog a toilet full of poop and water?

All you have to do is pour about two cups of household bleach into the bowl. Wait for it to dissolve the poop, then flush. You can repeat a few times until the entire toilet clog is gone.

Can poop clog a toilet?

Most of the time, having one or two episodes of an abnormally shaped or unusually colored poop is not cause for concern. Some of the characteristics of a large poop include poop that’s: so large it clogs your toilet. so large it fills up most of the toilet bowl.

Why does toilet keep clogging?

Excess waste and toilet paper or non-flushable items can become lodged in the toilet trap after they are flushed. When there is a significant mass stuck in the toilet trap, the toilet keeps clogging as normally flushed material is more likely to catch and clog.