If your plumbing snake (also known as a drain auger) gets stuck while you attempt to wrestle a blockage out of your drainpipe, you’ve obviously got a persistent obstruction on your hands. The key is finding a way of getting it out of the drain without breaking it.
How do you untangle a sewer snake?
Once full, insert your drain snake cable into the drain and twist the handle clockwise as you slide it down the pipe. Continue until you hit the obstruction. Give the handle a sharp twist and pull to dislodge the clog. If the clog is beyond the u-bend of the pipe, the snake is likely to kink up.
How do you clear a blocked snake?
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 do you do when your auger gets stuck?
Try to get a feel for the tubing’s movement as you unwind it. If it becomes snagged, unwind it further to push through the clog. If the tubing will not go any further in the drain, rewind it a bit and then unwind and try again. Do this several times, gently pulling up on the guide tube, the AcmeHowTo website advises.
Can Roto Rooter damage pipes?
The Roto-Rooter sewer cleaning machine got its name because it rotates a spinning cable with sharp blades on the tip through underground sewer pipes cutting away tree roots that can clog a sewer and cause sewage backups.
Can you break a pipe with a snake?
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.
What do you do when your drain 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.
