Tools You Need To Unclog A Drain
On the hunt for the right dran cleaning tools to fix a blocked drain? Suffering from a blocked drain? Read our article for a details list of all the equipment you will need to unclog your drain.
Does your kitchen sink take ages to drain the water pooled after washing dishes?
If so, your drain is screaming for help, as it’s likely clogged. From the nasty odour to the gross visuals, such a drain is a nuisance for every homeowner.
The main culprits of kitchen drain blockage are grease, fat, large pieces of food, and accumulated debris. Meanwhile, build-up of hair, soap, and dirt clogs the bathroom drain and prevents the smooth passage of water.
Whether it’s the kitchen or bathroom, clogged drain pipes should be treated immediately, or they might lead to structural damage and severe health issues. This article will discuss all the drain cleaning tools that will come in handy to unclog the drain without calling in a pro.
If you’re washing the dishes and the water is not draining, try unclogging it with a plunger.
A cup plunger will help you fix blocked bathtubs, toilets, and kitchen sink drains. Fill the sink with water, grab a plunger, and pull it up and down multiple times before pulling it out from the opening.
If you’re working on a double-bowl kitchen sink, stuff an old, wet cloth on one drain and plunge the other. For those unversed, let us tell you that stuffing a cloth will deliver direct pressure to the blockage.
If you’ve got a blockage deep down the drainpipe, a plunger won’t help much. Thankfully, you can get a cable auger or drain snake and push it down the drain to pull out or break up stuff clogging it.
Although a 25-foot auger will be perfect for cleaning household drains, they are available in lengths up to 100 feet. Newbies must note that drain augers can puncture or damage the pipes if mishandled, so they must be careful.
Your plumber won’t show up with chemical drain cleaners, so you shouldn’t use these harsh drain cleaner tools either. If you have a clogged drain in your kitchen or bathroom, we recommend purchasing a motorised drain snake to dismantle the blockage in your pipes.
An electric power auger is considered the best tool for cleaning more stubborn blockages that are too far from the fixture.
Its powerful electric motor can cut through almost everything, including tangled tree roots, so you can rest assured that it will help you eliminate all kinds of drain clogs. Of course, electric augers are expensive, so renting them from a rental agency will be the best bet.
Also, don’t forget to ask your rental agent how to use it and retrieve and dispense the cable so that you don’t face issues.
To begin with, plug the auger near the drain pipe and push the cable a few feet deep into it. Set it for clockwise rotation before turning on the switch, and thrust the cable into the pipe until you hear the engine bog down or feel resistance.
After that, stop the motor, set it to counterclockwise rotation and pull out a few feet of cable. Keep repeating this for a few more minutes until the clog has cleared away. Wrap a Teflon tape around its threads and replace the clean-out plug.
Want to remove a toilet blockage? The closet auger is the perfect tool for unclogging your toilet drain. It features a hand crank and is easy to use. The cable isn’t encased in a spool; instead, it is in a rigid shaft.
The end of the drill is sharply curved at a precise angle so that it can easily fit through the curves of a toilet trap.
Place it into the toilet bowl, ensuring that the bent tip faces up, then crank and push down on the handle while holding the tool shaft steadily. Remember to crank it to at least three feet and retrieve it by cranking and pulling up simultaneously. Lastly, clean the drainpipe by flushing the toilet.
Whether it’s the bathroom, kitchen or backyard, you must fix it as soon as you detect a blockage. You only need the right drain-unblocking tools and techniques to bid farewell to clogged drains forever.
However, if you cannot unclog the drain even after several attempts, make sure you admit defeat. Wrong attempts can permanently damage the fixtures and plumbing system. Therefore, the best bet is to turn the job over to a professional plumber or a drain-cleaning service.
If you are in Melbourne and need assistance clearing your blocked drain or any plumbing services, don’t hesitate to contact WP Plumbing. Our expert Melbourne plumbers have years of experience quickly and efficiently unclogging blocked sewer pipes. Our professional plumbers also offer no-dig pipe relining to repair sewer lines and other pipe damage. Plus, we are available 24/7 for any plumbing emergencies and to unclog drains.
That said, we’ll wind up our informative guide on the topic. Take care and stay safe!
Plumbers often use advanced tools like CCTV drain cameras to inspect pipes and hydro jet drain cleaners, which blast clogs with high-powered water jets. They may also use pipe cameras, augers, and plumbers’ snakes for really stubborn clogs.
While baking soda can help with mild clogs, it is usually not strong enough to fix severe plumbing problems. Professionals use specialised drain augers and snakes that can physically break up stubborn clogs that baking soda cannot fix.
Call a plumber if basic DIY methods don’t work or the clog is deep in the pipes. They have the right equipment to clear drains and can inspect pipes to identify any underlying issues causing recurring clogs. Trying to clear severe clogs yourself forcefully can damage pipes.
Hydro jet drain cleaners use high-pressure water jets to blast debris away and clear even the most stubborn drain clogs. The powerful water can penetrate deep into pipes to eliminate blockages a standard snake cannot reach.
Pushing clogs further downpipes will lead to recurring drainage issues. Drain augers are designed to thoroughly break up and remove debris causing a clog so water can flow freely again. Partial removal will likely result in another future clog.
Are you experiencing blocked drains and struggling to find a reliable plumber in Melbourne? Read on to learn what you need to know before hiring a drain cleaning professional!
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