Electric Drain Snake | Electric sewer snake

What is an Electric Drain Snake?

An electric drain snake, also known as an auger has a unique design made to help clear clogged drains.

And in many cases, it only takes minutes to safely resolve this problem, i.e. for plumbers. It's also referred to an electric eel, or a toilet jack.

The electric snake is flexible, slender, and possesses a coiled, metal wire. The coils of this equipment has a broader gap at the terminal end. To operate this equipment, the person must rotate the helix by turning the crank as it moves within the pipe.

There are different types of augers. There are hand augers, closet augers, and drum augers. Hand augers are used for unclogging bath and sink drain. The closet auger, aka toilet auger, is as it says- for toilets. It's fairly short, hook shaped design work wonderfully in toilets. The drum auger is powerful due to it being motorized, with modular blades, that it can cut through tree roots. This equipment can be dangerous if not properly handled. For this reason, a professional should be relied on when it comes to clogged drains.

Causes of Clogged Drains

Clogged drains are caused by garbage, organic and inorganic materials that includes small food particles, and possibly other small items. The top major reasons for clogged drains include the following:

Grease – Many people think it's fine to pour grease down a sink. Especially with pouring it down the sink, and pouring hot water right after it. However, even though grease is a liquid, it will get solid as it cools off, and that greasy, solid substance would cause a horrible blockage.
Paper – Most paper products, such as feminine products, cigarettes, and paper towels, is not easily breakable and flushable like tissue paper.
Food – Even washing food particles down the drain does not break down. Even a garbage disposal can't dispose certain foods, such as rice, chicken bones, or pasta. Additionally, these prohibited food items would expand as more water comes in the pipe, thus creating a clog.
Hair – Many times, hair sits in the pipes, instead of washing down, and overtime a clog of hair is building up over time. Putting a strainer or filter should also be used to catch hair from entering the drain. Also, brushing hair away from the sink would help.
Bath salts – Many bath salts do not drain, like many may think. Even though these products say salt, doesn't mean it dissolves like salt. This product may be really popular, but it will collect over time in the drain, and thus, potentially causing major problems.

Clogged drains can be a real hassle when trying to unclog them. It's best use prevention methods to reduce this possibility. Other times, it's not so hard to unclog it. In those times, all it takes to unclog drains is to use some Liquid Plumber, or to plunge the drains out with a plunger. Otherwise, you may have to hire a professional to unclog drains.

Symptoms

There are several signs that illustrate that the drain is clogging. The earlier you catch these incidences, the better off you will be. One of the early warning signs of a clogging drain include the gurgling sound of the toilet when it flushes. Another early sign is when the water is going down the drain slower than usual. Also, if the water level is moving lower or higher in the sink, bath, or sink In the cases where there's a gurgling sound of the toilet, and when water is going down the drain slower than usual, it's best to start plunging out the sink and toilet, and then watch how the sink and toilet perform. If they perform regularly, then the job is done, because apparently it was just a simple blockage. But if there is still a problem, then maybe it need a little more plunging, and possibly some part of bleach and hot water to pour down the sink. For garbage disposals, you may have to run water, while turning on the garbage disposal. Then, you can add one cup of bleach with three cups of boiling hot water. Once that is done, turn the garbage disposal off, and run regular tap water for one minute. However, in some cases, using a plunger and other simple techniques are not feasible, due the blockage being deeper down in the trap, or more serious problems, in which it's best to contact a plumber.

The symptoms clog drains are very intense and need to be handled with proper care, and experience work ethics. You see, the average homeowner probably knows the sewer lines carry waste in the water from home to underground sewer mains. Most homeowners get little thought to their sewer lines until they have some type of clog. You see the sewer line clog could be a raw sewage backup coming out of the drains. The symptoms can come from the wrong type of material, grease, bones, paper towels, food particle, etc. So the most common read flags, sewer main cleaners say are water backing up out a drain, or the toilet plumbing, or a gurgling sound coming form the drains. I've found out that those are many type of clogs and symptoms that need to be caught right away. Some people use rodders to get pass excess sewer particles. If the clog is in the main line of the house or sewer, that means any water you run in the house will cause problems through out every water pipe in the whole house. If it's a secondary problem. Your house is going to give you signals, and talk to you.

Licensed Professional Plumber is Best

When discovering that regular plunging is not enough for your clogged drain, it's best to let a licensed professional plumber handle your plumbing and drain problems.

Plumbing issues are not to be taken for granted. These situations could even be a bigger problem with a blocked main sewer. With all of this in mind, professional plumbers are fully trained and equipped to handle difficult plumbing needs. Trying to handle it yourself, or electing someone else with no proper training could make matters a lot worse. Injuries can occur, and even really bad ones, due to the motorized blades, the tightening required for the nuts, and due to the potentially unsanitary and toxic situation when messing with pipes. Unskillful people can cause a lot more damage- they can damage copper tubing, or plastic pipework with some augers, which would cost a significant amount more. Professional plumbers know the ends and outs, safety measures, and all the technical knowledge in their field. Professional plumbers are so proficient in their training, that they also use sewer cameras, that can inspect the source of the problem.

Conclusion

Clogged drains are caused by garbage that includes small food particles, and possibly other small items. Clogged drains can be a real hassle when trying to unclog them. Other times, it's not so hard to unclog it.

Several signs show the beginning of a drain clogging, and it's best to catch these early signs. The signs range from a gurgling sound to slowly draining of water. When the problem is worse than a simple blockage, a plumber must be hired.

When discovering that regular plunging is not enough for your clogged drain, it's best to let a licensed professional plumber handle your plumbing and drain problems.