Top Drain Cleaning Machines: Powerful Solutions for Clear Pipes
There are many drain snakes, from straightforward handheld devices to potent motorized augers.
Various drains, including sink, toilet, house, and sewer drains cause the variation. Even though a plumber might have all of them, you only need one or two unless you want to rent a large auger to clean a sewer drain.
The same kind of snake is used on most bathroom drains. I have had 1 one machine for about 30 years.
A 3/8″ or 1/2″ cable can be used for the bathroom and kitchen sink machine.
I have replaced the motor and cable twice every couple of years or sooner.
While sanitary stacks and sewers will need a commercial-grade machine, kitchen sinks can use a slightly larger one with a longer cable. Electric devices work best to remove stubborn obstructions, and each type of snake requires a particular skill set.
Bathroom Sink Snake
The typical home drain snake, or a top snake or drum snake, is the smallest drain-clearing auger with a 1/4 cable. Although sometimes, I will try first what is called a handheld snake for bathroom sinks. To unclog or remove hair for the drainage line.
It is usually used to clear obstructions from bathtubs and showers; most feature a 25-foot cable with a corkscrew tip for catching anything in the tub or shower drain.
I always use a metal canister type with a 25″ cable and find that this works most of the time, except: when the clog or drainage is stubborn, and no matter what, it just won’t unclog. Then I move on to the medium snake.
Medium size machine
A light-duty sewer auger is known as a mini-rooter or medium drain machine. It usually has a 3/8-inch diameter cable and needs to be between 50 and 75 feet long. I have both cables.
Additionally, it contains a cable-spinning electric motor and a variety of adjustable cutter heads for different kinds of clogs. For washing machines, bathroom sinks, and kitchen sinks. This is the machine which I have had for over 30 years.
I carry both cables with me when unclogging a kitchen sink. Most of the time it only needs about 50. feet to reach the stoppage. See it depends where the main line connection is because this is the way plumbing is installed.
Basically, imagine a Main Drain line going down the middle of the house with several tees or teeing off for each plumbing fixture. One line to a kitchen, one line to a bathroom then breaking off again or teeing off to each plumbing fixture in the bathroom.
Toilet Auger
A toilet auger, sometimes called a closet auger, is a low-cost manual snake designed exclusively for toilet stoppages.
Use this when a plunger doesn’t unclog a toilet blockage or you suspect anything is caught inside your toilet.
The Main Line Machine
An excellent drain tool called a Main Drain Machine is used to unclog 3-inch and 4-inch drains or sewer lines, including the underground drain that connects a house to the city sewer main under the street.
A powerful electric motor spins a big cage with at least a 100-foot cable. The main line machine for bigger-size drain cleaning.
The main line has several types of heads for the cable. There’s one for tree roots. And another one for basic unclogging looks like a spear. There are others, but I have always used just these two types of heads for the cable
This is very important.
With the Mainline machine, you always need gloves because it can twist and catch your fingers. And this can hurt. but with leather gloves, it protects your fingers. As well as knowing how to use the machine.
Also Important is to use the Correct Machine for the right situation. For instance, if someone uses a main line machine on a small line, this could cause breakage or, at the very least crack the small line. A main line is only used on 3″ and 4″ size piping.
It is always recommended to call a professional.
