Apr10

By Dave Bangar

What Do Plumbers Use to Unclog Drains?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

What to Expect When a Plumber Comes to Unclog Your Drains

A clogged drain is an annoying problem that every Kelowna homeowner has had to deal with at some point. But sometimes, when a clog becomes too large to remove on your own, you need to get a plumber involved. 

Many people avoid calling a plumber to fix a clogged drain because they think it’s an issue they can fix on their own. However, it’s important to understand that attempting to remove large, difficult-to-remove clogs can cause more damage to your plumbing if you don’t have the correct tools or expertise.

In this article, we will explain the importance of having a plumber unclog your drain along with the tools and techniques they will use to fix the issue.

The Most Common Causes of a Clogged Drain

The most common places a clog can form are:

• Toilets
• Kitchen sinks
• Bathtubs
• Bathroom sinks

Drain clogs usually occur when some kind of object or substance becomes trapped in the drain and accumulates over time. This can include: 

• Hair
• Food waste
• Soap and other bathroom products
• Fats and oil
• Tree roots
• Children’s toys

Some of the most common signs of a drain clog include:

• Water pools up in your sink or shower and is unable to drain
• There are strange, foul smells coming from your sink or shower
• You hear strange, unfamiliar noises coming from your sink or shower
• Debris is accumulating in your sink or shower
• Your water bills are unusually high
• Water backs up into your sink or shower anytime you use your dishwasher or washing machine

Do You Need to Call a Plumber When Your Drain Gets Clogged?

Quite often, a clog can easily be resolved without help from a plumber, but sometimes, help from a professional is needed.
The reason for this is that clogs can often form deep within your pipes and are difficult to remove with basic tools purchased at a hardware store. Plumbers have access to certain professional-grade tools that the average homeowner does not have on hand, plus they have the knowledge and expertise to effectively remove large, deep clogs without damaging your drain.
But how do you know if a clog is small enough to remove yourself or if you need to get a plumber involved? 

Here are some signs you need a plumber to unclog your drain:

• Water no longer passes through the drain, causing it to back up in your sink or shower
• The clog appears to be deep in your plumbing and cannot be removed with simple household tools
• The clog was caused by sewage or another difficult-to-remove material

How a Plumber Will Unclog Your Drain

Now, you might be wondering, what can a plumber do to unclog my drain that I can’t? 

Plumbers use a variety of professional tools and expert methods to reach large, difficult-to-remove clogs that live deep within your plumbing. 

This includes:

Manual Drain or Motorized Drain Snakes

There are two different types of drain snakes that a plumber will use depending on the severity of the clog – manual and motorized.

A manual drain snake is a 10 ft long tool with a corkscrew-shaped hook that is placed inside a drain and rotates slowly to dislodge a clog. Manual drain snakes are typically used to dislodge simple, easy-to-remove clogs that are located less than 10 ft deep in your plumbing.

Motorized drain snakes are used when the manual snake is not long enough to reach the clog.
A motorized snake can reach clogs as deep as 150 feet and uses a motor to continuously rotate in order to remove larger, more stubborn clogs. 

Hydro-Jetting Machine

When a drain snake doesn’t work, plumbers will use a hydro jetting machine that uses water to flush away stubborn clogs caused by built-up grease, food, and other debris.

High-Definition Snake Camera

If other methods have been unsuccessful your plumber may use a high-definition camera to take a look down inside your plumbing to locate the clog and determine what has caused it.

Have a Clogged Drain? Contact My Plumber Kelowna

Have a stubborn clog that you can’t seem to dislodge? Contact our team of Kelowna-based plumbers today.
At My Plumber Kelowna, we have a team of licensed, trained, and highly experienced plumbers who can help you dislodge large, hard-to-remove clogs and resolve any other plumbing issues you may be experiencing.
Call us today at 250-601-0000 or fill out a form on our website and we will be in touch ASAP.