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How to Use a Plumber’s Snake

How to Use a Plumbing Snake
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At All City Plumbing, we know that If you have ever hired a plumber before, there’s a good chance you saw them use or at least heard them talk about a “snake.” And no, we’re not talking about the cold-blooded reptile that slithers around and sheds its skin, we’re talking about the device used to deal with clogged drains. Sometimes known as “augers,” drain snakes come in many shapes and sizes, but for the purposes of this blog, we’re going to be talking specifically about the more professional kind, oftentimes known as “plumber’s snakes.” While seeing a plumber use the plumber's snake, we know that these tools can seem intimidating to use for yourself at first, they are actually fairly simple to operate once you get the hang of it. They are also widely available at home improvement stores and at multiple outlets online. Keep reading to learn how to use a plumber’s snake, and let our drain and sewer experts at All City Plumbing show you the way the professionals do it!

How to Use a Plumber’s Snake to Get Rid of Drain Clogs:

  1. Towels -
    Put some towels under your sink to prevent leaking during the next step.
  2. Sink P-Trap -
    Remove your sink’s p-trap. This is the curved or “p”-shaped pipe underneath your sink, that connects the drain to your larger plumbing system. (NOTE: for less severe clogs, you may be able to skip this step. However, if a clog has gotten bad enough where you need to use a drain snake, removing the p-trap is often advisable.)
  3. Remove the stopper in your sink -
    If we’re talking about your kitchen sink, there’s a good chance this part will come right out. If we’re talking about one in the bathroom sink, you will probably need to use a screwdriver and wrench to pop it out.
  4. Thread the snake -
    You'll need to do this manually into the drain. You will not need to put it that far down, because soon you will…
  5. Uncoil the snake -  Using the handle you'll unwind the plumber's snake into your drain. This process is fairly intuitive, though you can find more videos explaining it online. Basically, the key is to turn the handle until you hit the clog. At that point you should—
  6. Rotate the head -
    Turn the snake up and down and back and forth. This will break down the clog a bit, allowing you to pull it up easily.
  7. Remove the Plumber's Snake -
    Wind the snake up, get rid of that nasty clog, and reassemble your sink’s components (another quick note: this blog pertains more to sink clogs, however, the process outlined here can be applied to the drain line in your tub/shower as well.)

Trust Our Drain Cleaning Team at All City Plumbing

If you’re still having issues with clogs even after you have completed the above steps, give All City Plumbing a call. We offer professional drain cleaning, designed to both get rid of clogs and help your lines flow like new again. And for more extreme blockages, consider hiring us for hydrojetting. From grease, to tree roots, to other tough obstructions, our skilled plumbers have what it takes to pulverize obstructions and thoroughly scrub the walls of your lines clean.

For information about snaking or to schedule another plumbing service, call (909) 552-7550, You can also contact us for information on available specials and financing options online.

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When All City Plumbing goes to work for you, we get to the source of your problem and solve it in a way that serves YOU the best!

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