How do I get my drain snake to turn a corner?

Bend the end of the snake about 3 or 4 inches from the end before you insert it so it will more easily go around the corner when it encounters it. You can also try pulling back on the cable just a bit when you get to a corner.

What is the difference between an 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.

What is a drum auger used for? It’s just the thing for clearing clogs in sinks and bathtub drains. The sink auger is also called a “drum auger” or “canister auger” because of its configuration. It consists of a flexible cable with a corkscrew end (the business end). The cable is coiled within a drum canister.

Can you use a drum auger on a toilet? Important: to avoid scratching the visible ceramic surface inside a toilet bowl, do not insert a handheld drum auger directly into the toilet. A 25 foot handheld drum auger can be purchased for around $30. This is a good next choice, since the auger can break through many clogs that are further away from the toilet.

What can I use instead of a drain snake? 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.

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.

How do I get my drain snake to turn a corner? – Related Questions

Is auger better than plunger?

Like we mentioned above, you’ll probably want to tackle a minor clog with a plunger first. For more stubborn clog, an auger is your next best bet. To use the auger properly, situate the curved end of the auger handle pipe so that it’s facing the same direction as the drain.

What kind of snake will unclog a toilet?

A toilet snake is a type of drain snake made specifically for use on toilets. You use a toilet snake the same way that you use a drain snake, but toilet snakes are made specifically so that they don’t damage the porcelain of your toilet bowl.

How do you unclog a drain if a snake doesn’t work?

How do you snake past a 90 degree turn?

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.

Can plunging make a clog worse?

Attempting to force a clog through a toilet with a plunger can often make the problem worse. Instead, create a seal and slowly push down on the plunger before pulling it back sharply. The suction can help pull the clog back up toward the bowl, breaking the blockage and allowing gravity to take over.

How do you unblock a badly clogged toilet?

Can you use a snake to unclog a toilet?

Although technically you can use a regular snake (instead of a toilet snake) to unclog a toilet you really should not. The reason being that a regular snake can damage the porcelain of your toilet bowl. A toilet snake (aka toilet auger) is specifically designed to be used on toilets and will not cause any damage.

Will Coke unclog drains?

Coke. Coke is a lesser-known fix you can find in your refrigerator. Pour a 2-liter bottle of cola — Pepsi, Coke, or generic brand substitutes — down the clogged drain. Coke is actually quite caustic and effective at clearing away buildup in your drains, but it’s far milder than commercial drain cleaners.

How do you make a homemade drain snake?

How do you get a drain snake past a trap?

Drain Snake Won’t Go Down Tub or Sink But many people try to do exactly that—force the cable straight down the drain opening, hoping to get through the trap and to the clog. Instead, you should take the drain trap apart beneath the sink, then insert the drain snake into the horizontal branch drain.

Is it worth buying a drain snake?

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!

How often should I snake my drains?

ANNUALLY. Even if you don’t notice any specific signs that your drains are having trouble with clogs, you should do your best to have them cleaned at least once every year.

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.

How do you make a homemade toilet auger?

The most common item recommended to create a homemade toilet snake is a wire clothes hanger. Unwind the triangular part of your hanger, but leave the hook on the end in place. Feed this down your toilet and once your hit resistance, pull back. The hook should grab onto your clog and help loosen it.

How do you unclog a drain with an auger?

Does toilet snake work better than plunger?

A snake is safer to use on tough clogs than a plunger, which can apply too much pressure on the wax ring at the base of the toilet, causing it to break—and it’s also gentler than a liquid dissolving solution, which can corrode your pipes.

How do plumbers unclog toilets?

In case the matter is more serious plungers do not work anymore and at this point of time plumbers come up with a much stronger instrument known as the toilet auger or toilet snake. This is a cable-like tool that plumbers twist in deep into the toilet to the clog. This is a kind of device to loosen the clog.

Will bleach unclog a toilet?

Bleach is not as effective as drain cleaning chemicals but it definitely can unclog toilets in most of the cases. Bleach is a generic term for chemicals used in houses to remove stains in a process called bleaching.

Can a snake damage toilet?

Using the wrong plumber’s snake Plumbing snakes (also called drain cables) that are used to unclog sinks can actually scratch your porcelain toilet bowl.

How much should a plumber charge to snake a drain?

The average plumber cost to snake a drain is $100 to $275 for a toilet, sink, tub, shower, or laundry drain. The average cost to snake a main line is $150 to $500. Roto-Rooter prices are $225 to $500 on average to snake a drain. Drain snake rental costs $30 to $80 per day.

What tools do plumbers use to unclog drains?

What chemical do plumbers use to unclog drains?

Hydrochloric acid, otherwise known as muriatic acid, is commonly used by plumbers around the world to clear a clogged rain. It is a strong acid that can cause serious injury if it is not used with care. Trust the licensed and insured plumbers at Dooley Service Pro to unclog your drain in a safe, reliable way.

How do you snake a toilet without scratching it?

How do you recoil a drain snake?

To recoil a drain snake, you insert the new cable through the hole in the back and guide the wire around the outer perimeter of the auger’s drum. Once you establish a foundation around the edge of the container, you will retract the wire back into the machine as normal.

What is a plumber snake called?

Plumber’s snake. A plumber’s snake, sometimes known as a “toilet jack” or “electric eel”, is a flexible auger used to remove clogs in plumbing that cannot be loosened with a plunger. Most devices consist of a coiled metal wire with space between the coils at the end.

What kind of snake will unclog a toilet?

A toilet snake is a type of drain snake made specifically for use on toilets. You use a toilet snake the same way that you use a drain snake, but toilet snakes are made specifically so that they don’t damage the porcelain of your toilet bowl.

Can you use a regular snake on a toilet?

Although technically you can use a regular snake (instead of a toilet snake) to unclog a toilet you really should not. The reason being that a regular snake can damage the porcelain of your toilet bowl. A toilet snake (aka toilet auger) is specifically designed to be used on toilets and will not cause any damage.

What does a toilet auger look like?