How to Snake a Drain

When there is a clogged drain, people will likely try to unclog with a plunger or use a drain cleaning fluid.

When the plunger and liquid are ineffective though, homeowners will need to snake a clogged drain. A drain snake, also known as a drain auger goes where the plunger can’t reach to directly confront the clog inside the pipe.

This may leave homeowners wondering, how do you snake a clogged drain?

The long, metal flexible cable winds its way down the pipe, chewing up everything in its path. Because it’s such an effective clog-buster, the snake drain needs to be handled with care to avoid undue damage to your plumbing system.

Here are the steps to properly snake a drain:

1. Slowly push the metal cable into the drain by turning the handle. The turning action uncoils the snake. 
2. Keep the handle close to the drain to provide adequate pressure.
3. When you feel pressure, you’ve found your obstruction. Rotate the head while moving the auger up and down to gradually grind the clog away.

If you hear scraping, stop and readjust the auger to avoid damaging the pipe. If the cable becomes stuck, slowly remove it from the drain. You may end up pulling out the clog along with it.

If it feels like the cable broke up the obstruction, carefully remove the drain snake and check for clogs. If water still isn’t draining or if it’s draining slowly, repeat the process.

How to Keep Clogs From Forming

Prevention is your best defense against clogs and it doesn’t require any harsh or expensive chemicals. An effective and natural solution is to simply pour a mixture of hot water, vinegar, and baking soda down your drains once a month to keep gunky buildup at bay.

Call in the Pros

If the snake auger doesn’t do the trick, you’ll need to bring in licensed plumbers. Shall you live in Henderson, NV our drain cleaning services can get your drains flowing again. To schedule an appointment with Atlas Plumbing, call