Whether you are in an apartment, condo, city, or rural area, you will eventually have to deal with a blocked drain. When a drain gets blocked, the majority of people use a plunger to unclog it. If this fails, however, some may attempt to snake the drain themselves. However, this may lead to more serious issues. Here are several reasons why you should not attempt to snake your own drains.
What is Drain Snaking?
Drain snakes are used by plumbers to unblock drains. This is also known as a plumber's snake. A long cable having a bladed, corkscrew, or hooked tip. If a plumber is unable to dislodge a clog, a drain snake may be used to remove the obstruction. A plumber will use a crank to stretch the snake gently down the drain whilst the tip works to remove the obstruction.
Drain snakes may be anything from 25 and 50 feet in length. There are electrical snakes that may reach up to 75 feet and burrow deeper into a drain. Plumbers will use a motorized, 100-foot-reaching sewage auger for commercial projects.
Why You Should Have a Professional Snake Your Drain
You should not attempt to snake a drain alone. Instead, this is a task best left to licensed plumbers. If used improperly, a snake may do significant damage to your pipes. It might produce a larger blockage, damage your pipes, or even cause water to back up. You could even get an injury in the process. The interior of your drain should only ever be cleaned by professionals. This is why:
1. Damage to the Interior Pipe
Numerous houses have existed for decades, so has their plumbing. Using a drainage snake on such pipes might lead to more serious issues. The age of your pipelines may make them more susceptible to corrosion. Pipes constructed in the past were not constructed to the same standards as they are now. Untrained individuals are more prone to cause harm to corroded pipes while using a drain snake. The snake's head may readily scratch the pipe's inside. This damage might soon become severe if your pipeline is already rusted. Incorrect snaking may potentially result in water leakage issues, since the pipe may rupture.
2. Polluted Water
When clearing a drain on your own, you may get into touch with contaminated drain water. As you strive to unclog the drain, this potentially polluted water may surge out. You may apply it on your arms, hands, and face. Additionally, you may touch it as you guide the snake down the drain. It may provide a health risk, especially if it is sewage water. When water and debris accumulate in a pipe, it is usual for bacteria to proliferate. Professional plumbers are equipped to handle these circumstances.
3. Injuries
Although it is difficult to comprehend how someone may be injured while utilizing a snake drain, this does occur. The tip is sharp enough to cut if you accidentally touch it. Things might get worse if you injure yourself after inserting the snake drain into the drain. If you are cut and unclean water is spilled on the wound, you may get an infection.
Even without such an accident, utilizing a drain snake is time-consuming. Spending a great deal of time stooping or kneeling might leave you hurt and exhausted. You may endure all of this and yet be unable to unclog the drain. It is safer to delegate the task to experts and maintain safety.
4. Make it even worse
Unfortunately, even the finest intentions do not always produce the desired results. Using a drain snake to remove a clog might sometimes make the situation worse. While blockages are often the result of anything that has not been flushed down the pipe, they may also be the result of mineral buildup from hard water. These minerals may produce scaling inside the pipe, which is subsequently scraped away by the drain snake, resulting in a worse obstruction.
5. Damage fixtures
Even if you are very cautious while using the snake to clean the drain, the tip may still scratch and scrape porcelain bathtubs and sinks. In addition to ruining the appearance of your bathroom, they may rust and corrode with time.
6. Incorrect tool
Depending on the kind of obstruction, a drain snake might not be the right equipment to remove it. In addition, there are several types of drain snakes, and you must use the appropriate one for the task. The most common kinds of drain snakes are:
Top snake - the smallest and is often used for a variety of tasks, including sink and washing machine drains.
Mini-rooter - More effective than a top snake, those electric drain snakes can dismantle obstructions in your pipes.
Toilet auger - The auger is used to clear obstructions from a toilet. It is stretched by the use of a hand crank.
Large drainage machine - These drain snakes may reach up to 200 feet and are utilized in pipes with a minimum diameter of three inches. Their length makes it an ideal instrument for reaching clogs in pipes that run from the house to the street.
Their length makes it an ideal instrument for reaching clogs in pipes that run from the house to the street.
Sometimes drain snaking is not the best solution. If this is the case, your plumber will know to bring additional equipment, such as a water jet, to clean your pipes.
Contact Order a Plumber Inc. for more details about drain cleaning.