How to Snake a Drain

Whenever you are looking to snake a drain, you will find that this is not a very difficult task. It is normally needed whenever there is an obstruction or a blockage that is in a toilet or a sink. It is used so that you can get rid of the blockage so that the drain can be used again. There are snake drains and 2 types of augurs that can be used. A drain auger is long and what is most commonly thought of as a drain snake. There is also the closet augur, which is typically shorter and not as well known.

Step 1 – Clog Severity

The first thing that you are going to need to do is determine the severity of the clog. Whenever your drains have any type of clogs, it is always a good idea to first attempt to pour a clog remover down the drain. Follow the instructions that are on the back of the bottle so that you know how long the product will need to sit. You may need to use the whole bottle of the clog remover. If it still doesn't do the trick, then you will need to move on to snaking the drain.

Step 2 – Snake

Whenever you are putting the snake down the drain, you will need to make sure that you do so slowly. Go in a clockwise motion and turn the handle of the augur. You will need to make sure that you reposition the grip that you have on it whenever it is just a few inches from the entry. It is important that you go slowly whenever you do this. Because you do not know where exactly the clog is, going slowly will allow you to have the ability to identify it as soon as you hit it.

Step 3 – Remove Clog

Whenever you get to the blockage, you will need to ram the snake up against it and through it. You will need to do this until the obstruction has been broken down completely. It may take a while depending on how severe the clog is. You should use force whenever you are ramming against the blockage, but make sure that you do not use too much, as it could cause damage to the actual drain if you hit it instead of the blockage.

Step 4 – Lift Snake

Once the obstruction has been broken down, you will need to lift the snake out of the drain. You will also be pulling the blockage along with it. You will need to make sure that the snake has the blockage with it whenever it is being pulled out. If it does not take the blockage with it, then it will simply clog up the drain again.

Step 5 – Clean

You will need to make sure that you thoroughly clean the snake with any old or dirty rags or towels. Use a bucket and clean rags to clean up any mess.