You’ve plunged, you’ve used baking soda and white vinegar, and you’ve probably yelled a bit – but that stubborn clog is still there. It’s time to bring in the real plumbing ammo: a drain snake. But which one do you use? Did you even know there was more than one kind? This is just one of the reasons why it’s important to call for an expert for drain snake services in Elgin, IL.

Types of Drain Snakes

There are a number of drain snakes that are used in the plumbing industry; here is a brief overview of what some of the different types are:

• Toilet auger – a toilet auger, also known as a closet auger or toilet snake, is specially designed to remove toilet clogs: it is bent to accommodate the u-bend in the toilet’s plumbing, has a protective cover on the cable to prevent damage to the toilet’s porcelain and is more rigid so it can successfully unclog. No one wants to break their toilet just from fixing a clog, so let a professional handle it.

• Top snake – this type of drain snake is best used for bathroom drain clogs that can develop in sinks and tubs, but it can also be used with washing machines and kitchen sinks. The top snake has the slimmest cable of the snake drains and the cable is twenty-five feet long. Top snakes can be electric or manual.

• Mini rooter – mini rooters are fairly powerful, so they are used for deeper clogs that may be behind the traps in a particular plumbing line. The width of the cable is narrow and the cable can reach from 50 to 75 feet. These snakes can easily break a line trap, so it’s important to have a trained expert manage it.

• Drain machine – this snake is used for pipes that are more than 3” wide and can reach out to the street. One of the most common uses for this snake is the removal of roots that have infiltrated a pipe. The drain machine is a substantial piece of plumbing machinery and should only be handled by experts.

Not only are there several types of drain snakes, there are a number of options within each type. Unless you really know what you are doing, it’s always best to call an expert for drain snake services in Elgin, IL.

The plumbing professionals at Lifeline Plumbing have the tools and expertise to clear any clog, so if you’ve had enough of your plunger, call us today!