A contractor’s guide to selecting drain cleaning tools

 

BY MARTY SILVERMAN

 

You are a professional plumbing contractor. You know that the best tool to clear a clogged kitchen sink is very different than the right tool to clear a main drain. But did you know that though one tool could be used to clear a sink, bathtub, and toilet, the best tool is different in each case?

 

And while many contractors use the same drain cleaning tool to clear a line clogged by debris and by grease, they really should be using two different tools. If you are using the same tool for both jobs, read on, and find out why using the best tool for each job will save you time and money.

 

Ask the right questions first

 

There are two primary ways to select the right tool for the job:

 

• Asking what type of drain it is

• Asking what type of clog it is

 

To determine the proper drain cleaning tool for your application, you must first locate the source of the problem. If the clog is in a small drain line, like the sink, basin, or laundry tub, then a hand-held machine or small floor model drain cleaner is the appropriate tool to use. If several drains are affected, the blockage is probably in the larger line common to those drains. If this is the case, a larger floor model drain cleaning machine is the right tool for the job.

What type of drain is it?

 

Sinks, laundry tubs, roof vents: If you are clearing small diameter drain lines (11/4" to 3") you can use machines that use smaller diameter cables. Hand-held models that carry 1/4", 5/16" or 3/8" cables are best suited for this application. (See Cable Application Chart) The small diameter cables are flexible enough to get around the tight bends. It is easier on the cables if you remove the P-trap under the sink rather than wrestle your way past it with a snake.

 

Bathtubs and showers: The best tool for clearing a clogged or slow-draining tub is a Water Ram. Tubs often drain through drum traps that are very difficult to get through with a cable. The Water Ram uses a burst of compressed air to create a shock wave that follows the path of the water and isn’t affected by tight bends and narrow lines. It travels down the line and knocks out the stoppage without harming the pipes. The Water Ram also works well on trailer homes that can be difficult to clear using cables because they have narrow drain lines with tight bends.

 

Toilets and urinals: The best tool for clearing a clogged toilet is the closet auger. No other tool in your arsenal will go through the bowl as quickly and easily. The spring is flexible enough to get through the tight bends in the bowl. Some come with a down head that helps guide the cable around tight bends in older bowls. Most low-flow bowls are easier to get through with a regular spring head.

 

Consider a telescoping auger. If you’ve ever had to remove a bowl because the stoppage was just beyond it, you’ll know why. The telescoping augers hide an extra 3 feet of cable in the handle. When you need it, just push a button and it slides right out.

 

The tight bends of a urinal are particularly vexing. Getting a urinal auger just for this propose will make your life much easier. But remember, the more flexible the snake, the less durable it usually is.

 

Small floor drains and clean-outs: For clearing 2" to 4" drain lines (but not tree roots) you can use a 3/8"” or 1/2" cable. There are many machines available in this range. Some feature variable speed power cable feeds to make the job faster. Others offer wheels and folding handles to get to and from the job easier. Choose one that has enough cable capacity for most of the jobs you’ll encounter.

 

Floor drains and main lines: Heavy duty machines with large diameter, durable cables are needed to clear tough stoppages and tree roots. A smaller diameter cable does not have the torque needed to cut through roots. Two types of machines are available — drum-type and sectional. Each has advantages.

 

Advantages of drum-type drain cleaning machines: Drum-type machines have the advantage of being self-contained, fast, and easy to operate. The entire length of cable is contained in one drum and can be transported in a single trip to the job site. Most machines come with large wheels, stair climbers and a truck loading wheel to make getting the machine to and from the job easier. A variable speed automatic feed, feeding at a rate of up to 20 ft/min, makes it easier for the operator to get the cable to the clog quickly. It also helps to retract the cable more easily. A 100 foot cable can weight 100 lbs.

 

Advantages of sectional drain cleaning machines: Sectional drain cleaners have the advantage of being lightweight. The cables are carried separately from the machine as 7.5, 8, 10, or 15 ft. sections. No need to carry the weight of 100 feet of cable when the job only calls for 50 feet. Once on the job, the cables are feed into the line one section at a time and coupled together as needed. The open coil design of the sectional cable helps corkscrew the cable down the line, making it easier to clear longer runs. And if a sectional cable is ever damaged, it can easily be uncoupled and replaced.

 

What type of stoppage is it?: In order to choose the right tool for the job, it is important to know what stoppage you are up against. Both cable machines and high-pressure water jets provide the power needed to clear a stoppage, whether it is grease, sand, ice, or heavy stoppages like tree roots.

 

Tree roots: Cable machines, both drum-type and sectional, are the ideal tools to cut and clear tree roots and other difficult obstructions. Use a larger diameter cable that has the torque to cut tree roots. (See Cable Application Chart)

 

Grease: For restaurants, factories and institutions where grease clogs are a constant problem, water jets are the tool to use.

 

They are ideal for clearing grease, sand, ice, and other soft stoppages from drain lines that cable machines have a hard time clearing. Jets use a stream of high-pressure water that hits the stoppage and flushes it away. The thrust of the nozzle drives the hose down the line and gives you wall-to-wall cleaning action. (See water jets vs. cable machines)

 

Foreign objects: To retrieve objects, rags, children’s toys, broken cables, etc, cable machines are the best tool to use. Begin by choosing the size of your drain line to find the right cable machine for your application. (See Cable Application Chart) Closet augers work well retrieving diapers from the toilet. In other lines, there are a variety of retrieving tools available to attach to the end of the cable for this purpose.

 

Sand, mud: Water jets are ideal for clearing sand, mud, and debris-choked lines, as well as grease, ice, and other soft stoppages from drain lines.

 

Debris: Debris blockages can range from hair, soap, and scale in smaller lines, to tree roots, clippings and gravel in larger drain lines. Cable drain cleaners are required to clear debris choked lines. Two types of machines are available — drum-type and sectional.

 

Ice: Water jets are a great tool for clearing lines clogged with ice. They work well in both plastic and metal pipe. The larger gasoline-powered jets can clear a foot of ice per minute in a 4" line.

 

Choosing the right tool makes you money

 

Asking the right questions will help you chose the right tool. Choosing the right tool for the job will clear the line faster. It will also reduce your maintenance expenses from using the wrong tool at the wrong time, make your job easier, and make you more money.        

 

Marty Silverman is VP of marketing for General Pipe Cleaners.