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

snakePlumber’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

equipmentBefore 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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