Table of Contents
What is the difference between a snake and an auger?
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.
How do you drain a sink with an auger?
The basic process is as follows: Push the end of the snake into the drain opening and turn the handle on the drum that contains the coiled-up snake. Keep pushing more of the snake into the drain until you feel resistance. Rotate the snake against the blockage until you feel it feed freely into the pipe.
What does a drain 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.
How long of a drain auger do I need?
Because they are designed for the toughest of clogs, the cable should be no smaller than 5/8 inch in size, with a minimum length of 75 to 100 feet in length. This snake is designed to clean out drains that are 3 inches or larger, which typically includes clean outs to the street.
How do you unclog drains?
Follow these easy steps to unclog your drain: Start by pouring a pot of boiling water down the drain. Next, pour a cup of baking soda and 1 cup water/1 cup vinegar solution. Cover with the drain plug and wait 5 to 10 minutes. Pour boiling water down the drain again.
How do you unclog a drain if a snake doesn’t work?
If the auger still doesn`t work, call a plumber. If you can`t remove an obstruction in a sink drain by using an auger inserted into the drain, tackle the clog through the U-shaped trap under the sink.
How do you get a drain snake past a trap?
The proper way to use a snake is to insert the head into the drain and push very slowly without cranking. If you try to force it, it can bend back on itself and actually come out of the drain. Push gently and slowly, and if the auger is the right one for the job, it should slide smoothly through the pipe.
How do you use a drain snake outside?
Overview of Steps Locate and clean around the outside of the cleanout plug to keep leaves and dirt from falling into it. Place the root cutting head of the auger in the cleanout access and turn on auger’s power. Feed the auger cable into the drain until resistance can be felt as it meets and begins to cut at roots.
What is a drain pipe auger?
Drain augers are designed to tackle larger pipes like your toilet or shower drain. 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.
Is a drain auger a snake?
A drain snake and an auger are functionally the same. A cable is fed into the clogged line and a twisting action is used to either break through the clog or pull the clog back out. The main difference between a snake and an auger is size. Snakes are smaller, usually for lines 1.25-2 inches in diameter.
Can a drain snake break a pipe?
Drain Snakes Can Damage Pipes While billed as devices that are easy to use by anyone and everyone, drain snakes can be hard to manage, and if used improperly, can damage pipes. Old pipes in many homes are galvanized, or coated in zinc, which was done to prevent the pipe from rusting or corroding.
Should I snake my own drain?
Leave sewer line blocks to the pros. Professional plumbing augers are more powerful, but even so, snakes don’t clean the drain. While a snake may dislodge the clog and resolve the immediate problem, accumulating sludge coating the wall of the pipe means clogging will likely recur.
Which drain auger do I need?
Major types of sewer cables & drain snakes DRAIN TYPE PIPE SIZE RECOMMENDED CABLE SIZE SHOWERS 2″ — 3″ 5/16″, 3/8″ OR 13/32″ FLOOR DRAIN 3″ OR MORE 3/8″, 13/32″, 1/2″, 5/8″, 3/4″ OR 0.55″ FLOOR DRAIN 4″ — 5″ 1/2″, 5/8″, 3/4″, 0.55″ OR 0.66″ FLOOR DRAIN 6″ — 8″ 5/8″ (NON ROOTS), 3/4″ OR 0.66″.
How do I unclog my main sewer without a cleanout?
Use a Plunger to Clear a Main Drain Clog Choose a toilet on the ground floor. Tape over the tub, sink and shower drains with duct tape. Get a bellows or force-ball plunger, insert it in the toilet bowl, let it fill with water and then plunge away.
