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Close-up of a kitchen sink drain showcasing flowing water and ripples, emphasizing plumbing and water conservation.

3 Plumbing Tools Professionals Use To Clear Clogged Drains

What Is Drain Cleaning - And How Does It Work?

Most homeowners will have to deal with a clogged drain at some point - a toilet, sink, tub, or even the main sewer line. One can take care of some minor clogs with a plunger or other DIY method (although the liquid drain cleaners sold in stores often do more harm than good) - but sometimes, the best bet is to call a plumber for professional drain cleaning. So how do the pros handle drain cleaning?

There are a few different tools and methods professionals use to unclog drains, each of which has its advantages and disadvantages. But drain cleaning and the tools involved aren’t just used for clearing clogged drains - they can also be useful for preventive maintenance and solving other plumbing problems. This article will discuss three professional drain cleaning tools and the other purposes they serve.

Plumber’s Snakes

Plumber's snake tool being held over a sink, illustrating a professional drain cleaning method for unclogging drains.Plumber’s snakes, also known as drain snakes, are probably the most familiar of the professional drain cleaning tools - versions of them are sold in most hardware stores. Drain snakes come in many forms to fit specific needs, but the basic idea behind snaking a drain is the same. A long flexible cable with a corkscrew-like tip is fed into the drain and simultaneously rotated (via a manual or motorized crank) to bore into obstructions and remove them.

Typical drain snakes feature a 25-50’ cable and are mostly used for clearing sink, tub, and shower drains. Toilet augers are special drain snakes inside a tube designed to fit down a toilet drain without scratching the porcelain. Mini-rooters are longer motorized drain snakes designed for clearing deeper blockages or removing obstructions from rooftop vent pipes. Sewer augers are heavy-duty snakes designed to clear out the wider underground sewer pipes that carry waste from the home to the main sewer line. These often feature special cutter heads for cutting away invading roots or stubborn clogs.

Hydro-Jetter Machine

A hydro-jet machine is a professional-grade piece of equipment that resembles a pressure washer for pipes. Hydro-jetters feature a long flexible hose with a special water nozzle at one end and a high-powered water pump at the other. As the hose is fed into a clogged pipe, the pump is turned on, and the nozzle sprays a jet of high-pressure water straight ahead while simultaneously spraying water backward in a cone shape. The conical spray cleans the pipe walls and propels the hose deeper into the pipe as the forward-facing jet blasts through obstructions.

Hydro-jetting is an extremely powerful method for removing stubborn clogs from the home’s pipes and sewer lines. Still, it’s also used for preventative drain cleaning thanks to its ability to wash away grease, food debris, soap scum, and other buildup from the pipe walls. Hydro-jetting can even be used to remove tree roots in some cases. 

Video Inspection Cameras

Video inspection equipment featuring a monitor and flexible cable, used for assessing clogged pipes and surveying plumbing conditions.Before a professional undertakes any drain cleaning process, they will typically thoroughly inspect the affected pipes to determine the right method and tools for the job. After all, some older pipes may not be able to handle the immense pressures of hydro-jetting, or a drain snake may not be very effective at removing years of grease buildup in a sewer line.

That’s where video inspection equipment comes in. This generally involves a small camera on the end of a flexible cable that can be fed into the drain, allowing the plumber to visually assess the situation. This technology is instrumental in locating and identifying clogs and surveying the state of a home’s plumbing system before and after a preventive drain cleaning service. One can also use video inspection equipment to spot signs of internal pipe corrosion or pinpoint leaks.

As powerful and fascinating as these tools are, they also tend to be very expensive and require training to operate correctly, so it’s always best to leave the major clogs and drain cleaning to the professionals!

Who Is About Plumbing Inc.?

Since its founding in 2016 by twenty-year plumbing veteran Greg Glore, About Plumbing Inc. has quickly become Jefferson County’s go-to plumber. As a BBB-accredited local business, they always offer up-front competitive pricing and guarantee 100% satisfaction on every job. Their courteous and professional technicians are licensed, insured, background-checked, and drug-tested - so homeowners can rest easy when they call About Plumbing for drain cleaning in Jefferson County, MO!

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Smiling plumber in a checkered shirt and tool belt, standing confidently in a kitchen with plumbing tools and a sink, representing About Plumbing Inc.'s expert services.

3 Major Players in Plumbing Tools: Welcome to the Plumb Connection!

It’s the Game Where Contestants Share What They Can Do for Home Plumbing!

If someone came to this article looking for love, they are in the wrong place; if they came for a breakdown of basic plumbing equipment, they have come to the right place. In introducing three of the most commonly used plumbing tools, this article’s purpose is to increase customer knowledge of the world of the professional plumber and help homeowners ask the right questions when they encounter a problem with their home plumbing. 

Contestant Number One: The Pipe AugerPerson using a drain snake to clear a clogged sink, illustrating a key plumbing tool for homeowners.

The pipe auger is essential for any professional plumber. Often referred to as a pipe snake or drain snake, these tools are key in removing all forms of drain clogs, from the toilet to the kitchen sink and beyond. 

Snakes can be operated either manually or with an electric motor. Here are a few of the different types of drain snakes and their particular areas of usage:

  • Top Snakes: These are the smallest augers and are particularly useful for sink and tub drains. They can fit into the smaller pipes used for such drains and are among the shortest, with around 25 feet of cable.
  • Toilet Snakes: As the name states, these augers are specifically designed for unclogging a toilet. They can remove stubborn clogs that the good old household plunger cannot resolve.
  • Medium Drain Auger: The medium machine has a 50-75 foot cable and works well for kitchen drains and main clogs. One cannot use this in the bathroom pipes as it can cause damage to them.
  • Large Drain Auger: This heavy-duty machine is used for unblocking a serious clog in the main drain line. It can have 100 feet of cable and is built sturdily to extract even the toughest of nasty clogs.

Contestant Number Two: The WrenchWrench tool commonly used in plumbing, highlighting essential equipment for professional plumbers, relevant to plumbing maintenance and services.

While the term ”wrench” describes more a category of tools than a single tool, it is a word that tends to evoke images of the traditional tools of the plumbing trade. There are many types of wrenches used in a variety of industries, and a professional plumber would not use many in their everyday work. 

There are a few specific types of wrenches that a plumber must have ready in their tool belt. The list below includes a few wrenches likely to be found in any plumbing professional’s inventory: 

  • Adjustable Wrench
  • Channel Locks
  • Pipe Wrench
  • End Pipe Wrench
  • Offset Wrench

Contestant Number Three: The Safety Kit

Safety equipment is one category of tools that are often used but often neglected in lists. The proper safety equipment keeps both the technician and the clients safe and free from injury or property damage. 

Safety equipment can be as simple as the steel-toed boots a worker wears or as advanced as molded ear protection made specifically to fit a certain person’s ear. Gloves and safety goggles are perhaps the most often used in the world of plumbing. Gloves in particular protect and assist with gripping tools and make the technician more effective at their job.

Who Is About Plumbing Inc.?

Backing up their services with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, About Plumbing Inc. has the know-how and the experience to solve even the toughest plumbing problem. Don’t let unexpected plumbing issues derail a romantic outing, call About Plumbing in Jefferson County, MO to get that outing back on track. Call now for plumbing service!

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