Residential drains usually get clogged by hair, soap, food remains, and grease. The clogs gradually lead to bad odors, slow drains, and standing water. Like many homeowners, you might try to use a plunger to eliminate the clogs, but unfortunately, they only offer a short-term solution. Drain snakes are usually widely available at leading stores. You could be tempted to use the tool to unclog your pipes. The following are reasons you should always hire a plumber for drain snaking.
1. Prevent Pipe Damage
The metal tip of the drain snake tool can easily perforate or scratch your pipe's interior walls. This is particularly true when the drains are made from PVC or other relatively delicate material. The damages can cause leaks and shorten the lifespan of pipes. Therefore, you might need to replace or fix your pipes ASAP. Professionals have adequate skills and experience to use the snake appropriately. They often use camera drain inspections to locate the clog and determine the size of the pipe to minimize damage.
2. Use the Right Type of Snakehead
Unknown to many homeowners, different types of snakeheads are used to unclog drains. For instance, toilet augers are designed to unclog toilets. They have a flexible cable to enable the head to maneuver the drains and break up the debris without causing damage.
On the other hand, top snakes remove obstructions in bathroom drains and kitchen sinks. They are small and designed to navigate narrow pipes. The wrong choice of snakeheads could damage the pipes or fail to solve the existing drain clog situation. A plumber will examine the situation to pick the right tool to use.
3. Minimize the Risk of Injuries
Motorized drain snakes are usually more effective than regular ones. But they can also be dangerous if not used appropriately. You could also injure yourself using manual snaking tools if you don't have the relevant skills and experience. Perhaps it is best to leave the job to a competent plumber who understands the potential risks of handling the snaking tool inappropriately.
4. Proper and Effective Drain Cleaning
Although you could purchase the drain snaking tool in a hardware store near you, you will struggle to clear the drains if you have little or no experience. For example, you might start digging into the drains blindly due to a lack of a camera drain inspection tool and push the clog further into the pipe. However, you can always turn to a plumber to help eliminate the problem effectively.
The best way to use a drain snaking tool is by involving a plumber. As shown above, you will minimize the risks of damage and injuries and eliminate drain clogs. If your drains have a problem, hire a plumber to inspect and unclog the drains.
Read more by searching for plumbing contractors near you.
