Plumber's snake

Auger varieties

• Hand augers, also known as hand spinners, are useful for clearing sink and bathtub drains. Note that they should never be used in toilets, as they may damage the bowl or become knotted in the large diameter drain pipe beneath. A rule of thumb is that a 1/4" cable should never be used in a drain larger than 2".
• Closet augers (named after water closets) feed a relatively short auger through a piece of metal tubing shaped like a "J". This allows them to easily be fed into water closets (flush toilets); a plastic boot on the end of the auger protects the finish of the visible porcelain. Since most toilet clogs occur in the trap built into the bowl, the short cable is sufficient to break up or retrieve the vast majority of clogs.
• Heavy-duty drum augers are motorized machines that spin a coil of cable in a drum or cage and have removable blades that may be attached to the end of the cable. These devices may use different sized cables depending on their job that cut through or break up tree roots and other stubborn objects. Used unskillfully, a motorized auger will readily damage plumbing and possibly cause injury to the operator.
• Sewer inspection cameras are used to inspect the interior of pipe.

See also

• Drain rods
• Roto-Rooter

External links

• Clear Any Clogged Drain