How Does Snaking a Drain in Torrance Actually Work?

When you mention that a sink or bathtub is draining slowly, someone may have mentioned that snaking a drain in Torrance can help. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of this before. You’re not alone, but the good news is that it’s a relatively easy task in the house.

You will need to get a specific tool for snaking the drain, which is called a drain snake or a drain auger. It’s a flexible cable that will reach into the drainpipe and get anything that’s blocking it. Here’s a look at how it works.

Snaking a Drain in Torrance Involves Bending Around a Pipe

When you first see a drain snake, you may question if it can even get to anything. It tends to look like a piece of plastic, and you may debate whether it will lock in place when you get to the clog. It needs to be made of plastic so that it can bend around the pipes as it snakes in.

It will work with the curvature of the pipes, getting to the point where the clog is. You will then need to rotate the snake. You’ll feel it when you get there, as the snake suffers some friction, and then you can start working around it so that the head of the snake gets into the item that’s clogging up the pipe.

More often than not, it’s hair. So, the snake will get into the middle and then twirl so that the hair wraps around it a little like spaghetti on a fork. You then pull the snake back out, bringing the reason for the clog with it.

Rather than pull it back out, sometimes, the snake will help to break up the item that’s blocking the way. This is great if it’s particles of food or some soap scum that has built up.

With the clog now cleared, the drain should run smoothly. You’ll need to test it by running the water.

A Drain Snake Isn’t a Miracle Worker

While snaking a drain in Torrance is relatively easy, it’s not something that works on everything. This is designed to help manage localized blockages, whether it’s hair or food debris.

If you have bigger problems, such as heavy grease build-up or there is a problem deeper down the pipe, you will need to call a plumber in. Having a plumber will help to ensure that there is no further damage to the pipes. For example, if there has been a tree root that has gone through the pipe, the water then starts to flow into the ground, and that can lead to foundation issues and mold problems in the house.

While you may have dealt with the initial problem, it can come back. This could be a sign that you need to take more precautions, such as getting a trap for food and hair, or it could be a sign that there’s a much bigger issue that snaking a drain in Torrance isn’t going to handle. The first step is to at least try with a snake, because that’s what a plumber is going to do.