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Anyone living with long haired people (or being one yourself) will, in all likelihood, come into contact with a clogged drain at least once in a lifetime. With an increasingly environmentally and health conscious populace, chemicals like Drain-O have fallen in popularity. What possible alternatives are available to the average consumer? 

Before you reach for the big bucks to hire a plumber, Warner Service wants to introduce you to a possible time and money saver: the drain snake.

What is it?

The drain snake is a long, flexible cable with an auger at the end. Residential drain snakes are usually about 50 feet long and are hand powered. The flexible cable winds and bends through your drains, loosening and snagging the cause of the clog.

There are different types of drain snakes. Some are more appropriate for sink usage while others are made for use in toilets. The main difference the that the toilet drain snake’s auger features a plastic cover that prevents the porcelain bowl from becoming scratched in the process of unclogging the drain. 

How to Use a Drain Snake

First, we’re going to ask you to put your latex gloves on. Whatever was clogging your drain is going to be pulled from the drain, up to where you’ll be required to deal with it. It’s better to be prepared now that try to scramble when whatever the clog was rears its ugly head.

For another tip, don’t use the same snake for your sinks as you do for your toilet. Obvious sanitary concerns come to mind, but as we mentioned before, you’ll need the auger with a plastic head for the toilet clogs.

Now, let’s get down to business. Work slowly, feeding the snake down the drain (auger head first).  Don’t rush, as you will risk the snake folding back on itself. When you feel a resistance to your pushing, you’ve found the clog. SLOWLY pull the snake from the drain and remove the clog.

Clean Up

Throw the source of the clog in the trash (double bagged, if required). Don’t try to flush it or send it down another drain. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised to hear about what we’ve encountered.

Now that the clog has been removed, run some water or flush the toilet to remove any remnants that were dislodged when the clog as removed.

Clean and sanitize the drain snake before storing it until it’s required again. You’ve just saved hundreds of dollars by fixing the clog yourself!

If this method doesn’t solve the problem, feel free to give Warner Service a call. Our residential and commercial plumbers will help find the source of the issue and take care of it right away. 

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