Drain Cleaning

When it comes to drain cleaning there are a number of different way's of approaching this issue. Depending on the location, size, degree and type of suspected blockage, a qualified Toronto Plumber will be able to determine the best course of action.

The most common method of clearing a drain would be a power snake. There are however other methods which I will get to later on in this article.

A power snake is a device that utilizes a steel coil in predetermined lengths with a specific tool attached to the end for cutting or clearing the blockage in the drain. The size of the snake in terms of diameter will vary in accordance with the size of the drain. For example using a snake designed for a 2” pipe will be of absolutely no use in a 4” diameter pipe.

The correct tool for the job or for this discussion is paramount. The skill and knowledge is of even more importance, as not only personal injury and or death could occur if used improperly but property damage as well. So like most things its best to approach the issue or in this case a blocked drain with the proper equipment and tools combined with your local Toronto Plumbing professional that know's how.

How does the snake actually work?

The snake is driven by and electrical motor that actually turns the snake. The cutting or equivalent tool on the end of the snake cuts or burrows it's way through the obstruction as well as disrupting any other material in the drain. This is usually successful and no further action is required. However when it comes to grease that is a different story.

Grease has a tendency to stick to the interior circumference of a drain pipe and a snake will punch a hole through it but will not remove all of it. The result can be further blockages in the near future, and unfortunately at an additional cost to you the customer.

Other simpler methods are of course liquid type drain cleaners purchased at your local hardware store, but typically don't work very well. This type of product can actually hinder the process as the drain now has in it a type of chemical or worse acid that can be dangerous to you eyes or skin. It creates a work around issue should you need to snake or use another method of drain clearing.

There is of course the trusted plunger but this is really best used on toilet bowl blockages.

TIP:

When using a plunger on a toilet bowl blockage make sure the bowl is full of water. The water level in the bowl should be an inch or two from the top rim of the bowl. This will help when plunging as the weight of the water when plunging or oscillating the water in the bowl will promote clearing of the toilet trap.

Then there's hydro jetting. This method utilizes high pressure and high volumes of water to scour clean the walls of your plumbing drain pipe to an almost like new condition. The high pressure jets obliterate the blockage and the high volume of water moves the material down the drain. Five hundred feet or more of jetter hose that conveys the high pressure water can be found on the larger style pieces of equipment. There are of course much smaller units that are suited for the specific range of pipe size.

This piece of equipment should not to be used by anyone other than a trained professional as it can cause severe personal injury or death, including property damage.

In closing, when your looking for that experienced Toronto Plumber with the correct tools equipment and expertise think of The Great Plumbing Co. Plumbing Service quality and value. We are here to help!