Clogged drains are a real hassle. You have drains in your floor, toilet, bathtub, and kitchen sink which are all susceptible to getting clogged if the wrong things go down them. Some people may decide it is better to hire a professional plumber to take care of this problem. However, you don’t need to throw in the towel just yet. You should first attempt to clear a clogged drain yourself. If you try a couple of times and fail, then you can consider calling a plumber in to help. If you need a plumbing company in San Diego, give us a call! (858) 299-1820
The two most popular plumbing tools are the plunger and cable auger. Most people are familiar with a plunger because it is usually kept in every bathroom. A plunger is good for unclogging toilets, bathtubs, and sinks when the debris is close to the opening of the drain. You just press the rubbery end onto the drain hole and repeatedly jerk it back and forth until you dislodge the material in the drain.
Unfortunately, it is not always this easy to unclog a drain. If debris has gotten a lot further down into the drainpipe, you need a more sophisticated tool like a cable auger. This is better known as a plumber’s snake because it is a long steel cable that is flexible, just like a snake. The cable is wrapped around a spool, which is controlled by a hand crank.
Go underneath your sink or any other piping area and take off the trap with a wrench. Let the water fall into an empty bucket. You stick the auger down the pipe and use the hand crank to lower it further into the pipe. You can find plumber’s snakes that are anywhere from 25 to 100 feet in length. Most people are fine with 25 to 50 feet.
If the clogged area in the pipe is rather massive, then an electric power auger is a better alternative for dislodging it. Instead of a hand rank, it runs on an electric motor for its power. The snake will have a lot more strength in dislodging clogged areas. Electric power augers are available to rent, so you don’t need to make a big purchase to get it.
If you need help with your clogged drains give us a call. Our plumber are available 24/7! (858) 299-1820
