How to Use Drain Augers & Plumbing Snakes
Snakes – most people aren’t big fans of them. They’re slithery, slimy, and not the cuddliest of household pets. But the popularity of snakes grows infinitely when you’ve got clogged drains. Suddenly everybody wants a snake! That’s because we’re talking about plumbing snakes, the metal kind, and their counterparts, drain augers. If you’ve never heard of them, chances are you will want one of them to either unclog a toilet or sink drain.
We can’t all be professional plumbers. When it comes to a clogged drain or pipe it can be difficult to know what you need to do and what steps to take. Plumbing snakes and augers are incredible plumbing tools that can help dislodge and remove any stoppages in a matter of minutes when wielded with a skilled hand.
Let us at Boss Plumbing give you a quick auger and snake tutorial.
What’s The Difference Between Drain Augers And Plumbing Snakes?
When it comes to unclogging a drain or a pipe, the first thing you might reach for is a plunger. This often works for a very small clog, but sometimes, you need to bring out the big guns. A drain auger and a drain snake may seem like the same tool upon first glance, but they are actually different.
They both serve the same purpose – to help unclog drains from minor to significant drain clogs. They are similar in terms of their functionality. Both have a drum and contain either a few feet or hundreds of feet of hose, depending on the job that you’re trying to complete. They’re available in either crank, cordless, or plug-in, power drill versions.
However, a drain snake is often smaller and is used on the inside of the house, whereas an auger is larger and is most often going to be used for clogs on the outside of the home. Let’s see what each tool does in more detail.
What is a Drain Auger
Drain augers are traditionally a little broader than drain snakes. They are for external use, such as opening a clogged sewer drain outside the home. They have longer hoses and can be used on pipes that range from 1.5 inches wide to 3 inches wide. The drain auger is similar in function and equally easy to maneuver by twisting the hose to reach the area you need to access. Some drain augers can have different attachments and tips, such as a bulb drain auger. These can be used for different purposes and scenarios.
Different Types of Drain Augers
There are two main types of drain augers. Manual drain augers that use the power of the user to move and motor-driven augers run by either a drill or a large motor and are most often needed for very large jobs or very large clogs. They may also be called line augers.
When Should I Use a Drain Auger?
The most common use for a drain auger is on the outside of the home or when the clog is very large. If the clog is very small or can be dislodged with a snake, the snake is often going to be your best option.
How to Use A Drain Auger At Home
Step One: Insert the Drain Auger Into the Drain or Toilet.
Grab your drain auger or snake and insert the end of it into the drain or directly into your toilet. If your drain has a cover you need to first remove it.
Step Two: Turn the Handle of the Drain auger clockwise and slowly push.
As you slowly push the drain auger into the toilet or shower drain, continue rotating the handle until you encounter the clog. The auger handle is rotated down against the protective sheath. If an object is encountered, the snake will try to snag it.
Step Three: Remove the Blockage.
When you’ve found the blockage, pull it out without rotating the drain. This will ensure that only the drain auger comes out cleanly along with the items blocking the drain. Repeat these three steps until the drain is unclogged.
What is a Plumbing Snake
Plumbing snakes are usually smaller and made to handle blockages from inside the home. They are slender and flexible, which helps remove drain clogs beyond what a plunger cannot. Plumbing snakes often have a helix-shaped hook that has a larger gap between the coils. You need to turn a crank to move the hook through the pipe to find the clog’s blockage as the user. If the blockage comprises shreddable material, then the plumbing snake should remove the clog with no additional issues.
Different Types of Plumbing Snakes
There are manual drain snakes like those that you would crank with your hand, and there are also snakes that can be attached to a drill or other small motor. Both can be used to unclog pipes.
When Should I Use A Plumbing Snake?
Plumbing snakes stand the middle ground between household plungers and drain augers. If you’ve got a clog too stubborn for a plunger, then you need to employ a snake. That is the next logical step. Snakes are a much more powerful method of drain cleaning than conventional plungers.
However, they’re also slightly more dangerous to use. The plumbing snake is usually the first step to removing any drain clogs before bringing in more significant machinery, such as a drain auger. If you don’t use your plumbing snake properly, you might risk tearing up your drain pipes, potentially creating leaks. That’s why it’s essential to know how your plumbing snake works and to use it correctly.
How to Use A Plumbing Snake At Home
Step One: Remove the P-Trap.
The p-trap or p-bend, as it’s referred to, is the curving piece of a drain pipe that lies beneath the sink. It connects the sink to the larger drainpipe system located in your home. The reason it’s curved is to prevent sewer gases from rising through the sink and into your home. P-traps are often made of PVC pipe, though they can also be metal.
You can remove the p-trap using either 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.
Step Two: Remove the Trap Arm.
This 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 the arm may be 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. By removing the trap arm, get as close to the drainpipe as possible. Look inside the drainpipe to see if there are any obstructions. If you can see any, try removing them from where you are. If you are unable to do so, try using your snake.
Step Three: Physically Thread the Head of the Plumbing Snake into the Pipe.
Insert the snake’s head into either the drain (if you didn’t remove the trap) or the access point on the wall. Avoid running hot water while you snake, and use cold water instead. If the pipe is severely clogged, it will only trap this hot water in the pipes and damage them. Don’t force the snake into the drain too hard. Doing so could also damage the drain entrance or pipe. Additionally, make sure the head and cable aren’t too long for the drain you’re trying to snake. It’s important to be careful when using these tools to avoid any future drain pipe repairs.
Step Four: Uncoiling the Snake Using the Handle.
Keep the handle as close to the entrance of the drainpipe as possible. The slacker the snake, the less force you’re applying. Rotate the handle at a consistent pace. Don’t try to rush the procedure or rotate it too slowly. If you feel pressure as the cable moves through the pipe, the reason for this is that you’ve encountered an obstruction.
Step Five: Move the Snakehead Back-and-Forth and Up-and-Down.
Moving your snake up and down and side to side gently is going to help break up the clog and dislodge it. If you hear scraping, you have likely hit the side of the drain and might need to readjust. If you think the plumbing snake might be stuck in the obstruction, pull it out. Often, the obstruction may come out with it. If not, continue snaking until you no longer feel resistance and the snake uncoils to its full length.
Step Six: Remove the Plumbing Snake and Re-Assemble the Sink Drain Components.
Check the snakehead for any remains of the obstruction and clean it off. If you removed the trap arm and p-trap, then these need to be re-installed at this point.
Step Seven: Check the Sink Drain.
The snake should have successfully removed the obstruction and solved the blocked drain problem. If you still seem to have a clog, then you could try repeating snaking. Bear in mind though that snaking too often can damage your pipes or drains. If a thorough snaking doesn’t work, then it’s time to call Boss Plumbing!
When to Call a Professional Plumber?
If you are having a great deal of trouble or you have been working for some time with little progress, it might be a good time to contact a plumber for professional drain cleaning services. Remember, trying to fix the problem yourself might cause more damage and costly repairs further down the line.
Boss Plumbing Can Help!
If you are struggling with clogged drains at your home, nowhere does it say that you have to unclog them yourself using a drain auger or a plumbing snake. Call Boss Plumbing instead and let our experienced plumbers fix the problem for you!
