LED lights on a drain snake can help the user navigate through pipes when used with a drain snake camera (see below). LED lights can also be built into the handle to help illuminate the work area. This 6-foot toilet auger is specially designed for use in toilets. It features a vinyl protective sheath over its metal cable to prevent damage to the toilet bowl. Simply position the tube inside the toilet so that the rubber foot rests right at the bowl’s outlet, and then crank the 6-foot cable down. Bob Vila has been America’s Handyman since 1979. As the host of beloved and groundbreaking TV series including “This Old House” and “Bob Vila’s Home Again,” he popularized and became synonymous with “do-it-yourself” home improvement. Drain snakes are simple tools, but they must be used properly so that clearing a drain is an easy task. Keep reading for information about how a drain auger or snake works, what types of snakes are used by professionals, and gain answers to other common questions about these plumbing tools. Q. How does snaking a drain work?

There are two different types of heads at the tip of a drain snake’s cable: cutting heads and coil or toothed heads. Some drain snakes allow for switching out the heads, but most have one fixed head. For a complete kit that clears sink drains with ease, rely on the Breezz clog remover with drill adapter. This versatile kit comes with everything you need to snake a sink drain, including a 25-foot heavy-duty steel snake, a drain hair remover spring, and a pair of gloves.Drain snakes are made to be water-resistant, but they must also be able to resist the corroding effects of waste and chemical drain cleaners. With this in mind, drain snake manufacturers use high-quality ABS plastic and flexible high-carbon steel. If these options fail, consider removing the P-trap to insert the snake beyond this problem spot. Then replace the P-trap once the pipes have been snaked. Q. How often should you snake your drain? May be too much tool for occasional homeowner use; geared toward professional and frequent unclogging

The pipe drain auger boasts spring steel wire for maximum flexibility into the tightest bends and a galvanized steel crank handle. This pipe auger is a manual model, however, so cranking takes quite a bit of muscle and perseverance. Power through recurring and difficult clogs with the Populo electric drain auger. This battery-powered drain snake uses a 25-foot reinforced flexible steel cable to clear clogs with ease. The cable can move through drains ranging from just ¾ inch to 2 inches in diameter, including sinks, toilets, and shower drains. Emerging technology has come to the basic drain snake to enhance ease of use and performance. These features include: To help shoppers choose and use the right drain snake, whether for a stopped-up toilet or a slow-moving sink, this guide shares tips on what to look for and rounds up the best drain snake options for effectiveness and ease of use. If homeowners would rather not call a plumber for a costly visit, it’s important to have the right drain auger or snake. So take the time to properly consider the best drain snake for the home. Think about whether a manual or electric model would be best, and consider the type of drain snake head that would be most effective. Keep in mind these factors and the additional product features detailed below when shopping. Manual vs. ElectricThe Ridgid Power Spin tool is a solid option for clearing common clogs throughout the house. Its manual crank sends the 25-foot ¼-inch cable twisting and turning into pipes while the screw-shaped head chews through semisolid obstructions, yet can also catch and retrieve hair, paper, and other fibrous gunk. The kit includes three 19.6-inch ABS-plastic sink snakes with toothed heads for removing hair clogs from the sink drain and shower drain. Two 24-inch retrieval tools have a four-claw head with a plunger mechanism that opens and closes the claw to grab such items as earrings and rings. And for tougher, deeper obstacles, there’s a 39-inch steel drain snake that can handle clogs within about 3 feet of a drain. Typically, professional plumbers will have more than one snake. These include short toothed drain snakes for removing hair clogs, standard metal drain snakes that can take care of most nearby clogs, and powerful electric drain snakes that can reach 50 feet in length to banish clogs buried in the middle of the drain system. Q. How do you unclog a drain with a snake? A snake made solely of ABS plastic will likely be less expensive than a metal model and also somewhat shorter than a standard drain snake. Due to their short reach and great flexibility, ABS plastic snakes are typically only used for removing clogs that are not very deep or difficult to power through; for example, they should be fine for banishing clumps of hair from a shower drain. Drain cleaning kits come with a range of tools, cleaning products, and accessories to help get the job done.

Durable metal screw head is great for catching the vast majority of typical gunk found down the drainInstead of using a plunger to force water and air through the pipes, a drain snake is a physical tool that is fed into the drain. When the snake encounters a clog, it is rotated against the obstruction to break it up or grab the mass and pull it out. Q. What kind of snakes do plumbers use? Cameras are added to the end of the snake so that users can see everything in the drain and diagnose issues visually as opposed to going by “feel.” A camera will also help the user know if clogs are completely or just partially cleared. Drain Weasel Hair Clog Tool opens slow drains and hair clogged drains in seconds! Drain Weasel Hair Clog Tool snags drain hair like magic! If you have a slow bathtub drain or a clogged sink drain, it's likely that hair has accumulated around the drain stopper. It’s advised to snake the drain at least once a year to help reduce the potential for clogs. Why Trust Bob Vila