Each person has got their unique rationale when it comes to sewer cleanout.
You can depend on KCs Plumbing and Heating to take care of any plumbing heating or drainage problem day or night with our 24hr emergency call service. Great service, fair rates.
KCs Plumbing & Heating first opened for business in 1993 and has become a household name with many of our customers since then. When it comes to plumbing, heating, gas, a plugged drain or any related problem, you can count on us to fix it quickly, at a reasonable price. With our fleet of service vehicles on the road at all times we can be at your front door very quickly if you have an emergency situation. If you have a plumbing job we can schedule, it is taken care of in a reasonable time most convenient for you.
How to Use a Plumber’s Snake
A plumber’s snake, or drain auger, is a tool that reaches down into pipes to remove clog-causing blockage. Snakes make up the middle ground between common household plungers and the really big guns. If you’re dealing with a clog too stubborn for your plunger, then a snake is your best chance to clear it out yourself.
Snakes are much more powerful drain-clearers than plungers, but they’re also slightly riskier to use. If you use your plumber’s snake improperly, then you might tear up your pipes or even create leaks. To avoid doing that, it’s important to know how your snake works and how to use it correctly. Here’s everything you should know about using a plumber’s snake.
How does a plumber’s snake work?
what is a plumber's snake?A plumber’s snake is a long, flexible metal cable with a small auger or uncoiled spring on one end and a handle on the other. The auger on the snake looks like a drill bit or a corkscrew. Home plumber’s snakes are usually around 50 feet long. The cable coils up when you’re not using it. Most home plumber’s snakes are hand-operated, and probably have a rotatable handle or even a crank.
Plumber’s snakes work by entering the drain directly to physically contact and then clear away the obstruction causing the clog. You manually insert the auger end of the snake into the drain and then begin uncoiling by rotating the handle. As the snake uncoils, the auger moves further through the drain pipe, until it breaks through the obstruction.
How do you use a plumber’s snake?
1. Put on some clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and lay some old towels beneath the pipes you’re working on. Depending on the nature of the clog, your snaking procedure could get messy. This is especially important if you end up removing the p-trap.
2. (Optional) Consider removing the p-trap. The p-trap, or p-bend, is the curving piece of pipe beneath the sink. It connects the sink to the greater drain pipe system in your home. The reason it’s curved is to prevent sewer gases from rising through the sink and into the home. P-traps are often made of PVC pipe, though they can also be metal.
You can manually remove the p-trap, either with your hands or with the help of an adjustable wrench. Once you remove the p-trap, you should thoroughly inspect and clean it out. If you find your obstruction, then you won’t have to snake at all! Even if you don’t find anything, removing the trap could make snaking easier.
3. (Optional) Consider removing the trap arm. A trap arm is the part of the pipe between the p-trap and the actual wall pipe. It holds the p-trap in place and may curve again to reach the wall. Look for a plastic or metal nut connecting the trap arm to the wall. If you can find one, loosen it to remove the trap arm. If you can’t, then it’s possible the arm is glued in place; don’t attempt to remove it in that case. Make sure you clean out the trap arm like you did the p-trap once you remove it.
Removing the trap arm gets you as close to the drain pipe as possible. Look inside the drain pipe to look for any obstructions. If you can see the obstruction, try removing it from where you are. If you can’t, you should use your snake.
4. Manually thread the auger head of the snake into the pipe. Insert the head of the snake into either the drain (if you didn’t remove the trap), or the access point on the wall. If you didn’t remove the trap, consider running cold water while you snake.
Don’t force the auger into the drain too hard, or you could damage the drain entrance or pipe. Be patient and make sure the head and cable aren’t too long for the drain you’re trying to snake.
5. Begin uncoiling the snake using the handle. Keep the handle of the snake as close to the entrance of the pipe as possible. The more slack the auger had has, the less force you’re supplying it.
Rotate the handle at a consistent pace. Don’t try to rush it or rotate too slowly. If you feel pressure at any point while the cable moves through the pipe, you may have encountered the obstruction.
6. Upon reaching the obstruction, move the rotate the head back-and-forth and up-and-down. Try to break up the obstruction as thoroughly as possible. Don’t try to jam the auger into the walls of the pipe, however. If you hear scraping noises, then you should stop snaking and re-adjust.
If you think the auger might be stuck in the obstruction, consider pulling the snake out of the pipe. In some cases, the obstruction may come out with it. Continue snaking until you no longer feel resistance and the snake uncoils to its full length.
7. Pull the snake out and re-assemble the sink components. Check the auger head for remains of the obstruction and clean it off. If you removed the trap arm and p-trap, then you should re-install them at this point.
8. Check the sink. The snake should have successfully removed the obstruction and solved the clogging problem. If you still seem to have a clog, then you could try repeating your snaking process again. Just like plunging, however, snaking too much can harm your pipes or drains. If a thorough snaking really didn’t solve your problem, then you should consider calling in the pros.
Snaking is a surprisingly easy and accessible homeowner project. As long as you understand how to use your snake, you should solve your problem without creating new ones.
Sometimes, however, you may not be able to beat that clog, no matter what you try. Don’t despair! After your snake, the next step is to call Mike Diamond. We’ve got the tools and know how to find and break up any clog, no matter how stubborn.
What To Do When Your Water Heater is Over The Hill
Hot water tanks are probably the most neglected household devices in North American houses. We usually ignore it until winter rolls along and then find our selves taken by surprise with the alarm of chilly water. We only comprehend the value of this piece of equipment in the morning when the water is too cold to bear. That is when you are struck with the realization that you are ignorant of the way to repair a tankless water heater.
How To Increase The Life Span of a Hot Water Tank
Nearly all hot water heaters last about 10 years, after which you can expect to replace it shortly. Many hardware stores carry hot water tanks and their equal if you know what to do with them specifically. You can still stretch out the unavoidable up grade by a few years, if you know how to deal with of your hot water tank by cleaning it at least annually or by making use of an insulation jacket. A sensible home owner will observe one or both ideas to postpone the unavoidable replacement.
Even though it makes logical sense that an old water heater have to be changed once in a while, you may wonder if it is necessary to get it done before it pops a leak.
A Water Heater Up Grade Cuts Back On Utilities
Of course, the most recognized benefit of buying a new water heater can be saving cash on your utility fees. A new heater would, in almost every case, work better than an older model. There are several things to consider together with your new purchase if you desire to make the most of your savings which is how much use it plumbers will be subjected to.
A larger hot water heater will be needed if you've got a large family. In any case, more people means extra hot water.
Kinds of Water Heaters
Hot Water Ttanks fall into two main categories; Natural Gas and Electric. Gas water heaters are frequently pricier to buy and the electric ones are usually nearly the same value at first, but mostly a little less to get. A lot of people go with the typical water heater tank, but tankless hot water heaters are also earning recognition, so you may want to check out the latter kind of hot water heater.
Whether or not you prefer a gas-powered or electric water heater, you can pick instantaneous hot water with what is referenced as the on-demand water heater system. Or for people that prefer to go green you can look into solar energy water heaters, that greatly lessen the harmful by-products released by other heating models. There is one catch, though - solar heating systems can be awkward to set up, so be certain that you hire the right service provider for the work.
No matter what type you choose for a new hot water tank, you ought to look closely at appointing a heating service for the work. A heating set up demands technical know-how and an understanding of local city codes for ventilation and generally risk-free operation. If you are not trained in the art of installing a new water heater then look for a local heating contractor who's able to do the work for you.
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