The job of a plumber isn’t streamlined to one activity. Unlike some other professions where you need just a few specific instruments to get going, you need a lot more as a plumber.
Just as the plumber’s job is diversified, so should his tools be. You should have the perfect tool to work in every emergency, ranging from drills and pipes to the essential safety gears.
A plumber will always be hired for cleaning clogged drains. It may sound like a minor issue, but numerous occurrences of blocked drains need assistance. You might not know if you need an electric drain snake or a manual one when going to an appointment.
Going to an appointment with all the necessary tools will make you look like a professional and help you complete your job fast, leaving a positive impression on your client.
Essential Drain Cleaning Tools
In the case of unclogging a drain, you may not know the severity of the clog, so you should be prepared to tackle the most severe issues.
To not be caught unaware, ensure that the tools mentioned below are always in your tool bag whenever you get called to fix a drainage issue.
image © Elf-Moondance
1. A Plunger
A plunger is a popular tool used to clear clogged drains. It’s instrumental in minor and significant situations. In most households, you will find a plunger, as people use them to remove clogs that may not require a plumber.
There are various kinds of plungers, made for different reasons. Knowing the type of plunger that fits each situation is vital, as you may experience frustration if you misuse a plunger.
Some common types of plungers and their uses are:
The Cup Plunger
This is the most popular type of plunger. It’s mainly used to solve simple sink clogs. It has a straight pole handle with a slightly curved rubber bottom. It works best when unclogging a drain connected to a flat surface.
The Flange Plunger
Also known as a toilet plunger, it has a tubular-shaped suction cup attached to its handle. It’s excellent to unclog curved drains, explaining why it’s mainly used for the toilet. You can also use it to unclog sinks and tubs, but you should never use the same plunger for your toilet and sink or tub. It could spread germs.
The Accordion Plunger
Unlike other plungers, this is made from more rigid plastic. It’s harder to use and can work through more stubborn clogs. The tool is mainly handled by professionals and is suitable for toilet clogs.
2. A Sink Auger/ Snake
This simple hand-cranked tool can help unclog different kinds of drains. It has a twenty-five-inch flexible steel cable attached to a small hand crank.
It helps if a solid shreddable object causes the clog, the cable can break it apart and encourage free movement of liquid. If the issue is minor, the snake can pick it up and pull it out of the sink.
Some essential types of augers include:
- Drain Snake
This tool is the most accessible type of auger to use. The cable is attached to a corkscrew at the end. When you spin the corkscrew, the thread that has been fed into the sink also spins. This spin allows the blockage to be hooked to the cable and pulled out by the plumber.
- The Flat Tape Auger
This tool is similar to the drain augers and is used for pipes not more than two inches long. It’s designed to push the blockage through the type rather than pull it out.
- The Rocket Nozzle Auger
Commercial plumbers mostly use this. After inserting the tube into the pipe, high-pressure water is pushed through the line to help clear any blockage in its path.
- The Electric Snake
Rather than manually spinning the crank, an electric snake comes with an engine that allows the cable to turn faster and disintegrate any interference in its path.
- The Toilet Closet Auger
This particular type of auger has been designed specifically for unclogging the toilet. It can be hand-cranked or operated with an engine.
3. The Inspection Camera
Many things can clog a pipe, including eggshells, hair, oil, cotton, and other tiny objects. Sometimes, the plumber needs to understand what he is dealing with to find the right tools for a solution.
Since our eyes can’t see deep into a pipe, you’ll need help, and this is where the inspection camera comes in handy. It’s a tiny camera attached to a cable connected to a screen. The plumber feeds this camera into your pipe, and what the camera sees is displayed on the screen.
This tool makes it effortless to determine the exact cause of your plumbing problems.
4. The Hydro Jet
The hydro-jet is used to clear clogs that involve oil and grease and tree roots from sewage pipes.
The water released by this tool is potent and will clear your clogged pipe and clean it out. Other plumbing tools might not do a good job getting rid of oil and grease, but a hydro jet would.
This machine jets out water at a high pressure to clear any obstruction and clean the pipes. However, it’s not suitable for use in rusty or broken pipes. It can also worsen the situation of the pipes if not handled correctly, which is why only pros should handle this tool.
Conclusion
Having a clogged drain can be very uncomfortable and make some areas of the house unfit for use. If left for an extended period, it can result in some hygiene and health issues.
As a plumber, homeowners rely on your expertise to fix this issue since you can identify the cause of the clog and come equipped with the right tools to solve the drainage issues within minutes.
To get the job done effectively, the tools listed above are must-haves, as they will make your job effortless and help you do an effective job that is pleasing to your clients.
