Professional plumbers will have the proper tool to clean drain pipe clogs, whether you’ve got an extensive blockage or a minor clog in your California home. You won’t see chemical solutions because these can cause corrosion and decrease your pipes’ longevity. Instead, they use physical equipment to remove the obstructions.
You can prevent costly plumbing issues by trusting reliable drain cleaning technicians in San Francisco, and knowing what to expect can ease your nerves when getting a drain pipe cleaning. Below we detail the top tools professional plumbers use to clean your drain pipes.
Works Plumbing is the leading professional plumbing company serving Pacifica, CA, and the surrounding areas. We have adequate training in comprehensive drain pipe cleaning for local residents. Our skilled professionals keep fully-stocked vehicles with top-of-the-line equipment and tools to remove hair, dirt, soap scum, food waste, and more from your drain.
1. Drain Snakes and Augers
A drain snake is a long, flexible cable that homeowners and plumbers can use to remove minor clogs and debris, such as hair or dirt clumps, food waste, and other trapped materials. Electric snakes are powerful drain-cleaning machines for plumbing professionals, unclogging pipes effortlessly by catching and breaking up materials with bristles or a corkscrew mechanism.
Augers are a popular tool to clean drain pipe blockages and are similar to drain snakes. A metal piece on the end of the cable cuts into the blockage to trap or break it. Plumbers insert the auger into your drain pipe and crank it through the line, collecting debris.
Drain augers come in two different types, and professionals may use both types depending on the severity of your drain clog.
- Motor-driven: Motor-driven augers come in many different types and sizes. Handheld motorized drain augers are ideal for small pipes, while extensive auger systems on trucks fit large sewer applications.
- Manual or hand-powered: Hand-driven augers are best for household uses. Professionals use them to unclog small pipes and drain traps in clogged toilets, showers, sinks, and other drains.
2. Baking Soda and Vinegar
Although chemical solutions aren’t in your professional plumber’s arsenal, baking soda and vinegar create a chemical reaction that can facilitate drain pipe cleaning. This natural remedy uses a one-to-one ratio of baking soda and vinegar. Adding hot water to the mixture may also break up clogs.
Vinegar and baking soda react together in the pipes by spreading throughout them. The pressure from increasing expansion moves the clog through the plumbing system, while the hot water melts oil, soap scum, and other buildups.
Plumbing professionals may rely on baking soda and vinegar if you have a minor clog, but homeowners with tough clogs should opt for other solutions. Because the pressure expanding inside is not as forceful as other tools, this option is best for kitchen and bathroom drains.
3. CO2 Drain Gun
A CO2 drain gun is a tool to clean drain pipe clogs using carbon dioxide. With this method, your plumber connects a CO2 cartridge to a hose, which then connects to your drain pipe. Your plumber triggers the CO2 release, and the pipe quickly fills with the gas.
As the CO2 expands throughout your drain pipe, it forces hot water to break up the debris clogging your plumbing system. This solution prevents damage to your pipes as the gas is non-corrosive.
CO2 guns are best for extensive clogs as high pressure is necessary to successfully remove a clog. When water pressure is not enough to push through tough grime and other debris, the pressure from the gas tank surpasses the pressure that power washers and hydro-jetters can reach.
4. Hydro-Jetters
A hydro-jet or water jet is a tool to clean drain pipe blockages with a blast of water. Hot water entering your drain pipe at a high-pressure level clears soap residue, stuck-on grease, and other materials blocking the water’s exit. They can clean large pipe systems hundreds of feet or longer.
Hydro-jetting requires a professional plumber as the equipment can be dangerous without proper experience. High-pressure streams from hydro-jets are comparable to power washers. Licensed, trained plumbers wear the correct safety equipment when using these drain cleaning machines and ensure the area is safe from potential water exposure.
Plumbers insert the jetting hose into the appropriate pipe and turn on the water supply. They clear debris from the sides of your pipes and break up blockages using the excessive force of the water. Your drain will be clear of obstructions and have excellent water flow.
5. Air Gun
An air gun drain cleaner is a tool to clean drain pipe clogs that works similarly to a CO2 gun. Instead of carbon dioxide, plumbers may use another type of gas. The air stream is powerful enough to push through standing water and clogs, loosening or eliminating them.
Professional air guns allow plumbers to change the pressure for different applications and drain pipe systems. Plumbers fit the gun to your drain pipe, set the pressure level based on your piping system’s specifications and the severity of the clog, and allow the high-pressure stream of air to blow through clogs and remove residual debris on the inside of the pipes.
6. Sewer Flush Bag
A sewer flush bag is one of the final pieces of equipment plumbers may try to use to clean drains. This system features a thick rubber balloon with a pressure valve and a hose. The flush bag cannot puncture and fits easily through dirty pipe systems.
After putting it down the drain near the clog, your plumber fills the flush bag with water until the pipe seals completely. When water from the hose creates a specific pressure level in the flush bag, it breaks, sending water down your pipes to clear blockages from sinks, showers, and other fixtures.
In some cases, professional plumbers use an additional cleaning tool after using a sewer flush bag to ensure the pipe is free of all debris, such as manual or electrical drain snakes. Other plumbers may check line cleanliness with video inspection tools.
7. Video Inspection Tools
Before plumbers perform drain line cleaning services, they’ll inspect your pipes with state-of-the-art equipment. Video inspection tools help them determine the extent of your clog, including its size and which materials are blocking water flow.
This close look helps professionals determine the best tool to clean drain pipe obstructions. Using the most effective equipment to clean drain pipe blockages saves plumbers time and ensures you get the best-quality clean.
They’ll use the following tools during your appointment:
- Miniature video cameras: High-resolution miniature video cameras connect to a monitor via durable cabling. They allow plumbers to look far down your drain line to inspect clogs.
- Video camera monitors: Monitors attach to the other end of video cameras to provide plumbers with a detailed look at your plumbing problems.
Some professionals use cameras in addition to hydro-jets to successfully blast away all hardened grime on drain pipe interiors.
Drain Pipe Cleaning Services
Whether you need a drain cleaning or are curious about the correct tool to clean drain pipe blockages, the team at Works Plumbing in Pacifica, CA, is happy to help. We provide comprehensive, individualized drain pipe cleaning services that clear your drain lines of obstructions, regardless of the size. Instead of doing it yourself, consider our licensed, bonded, and insured plumbers.
Our skilled plumbers bring more than 20 years of expertise to your drain pipe cleaning job. We offer over ten years of experience serving customers in Pacifica and the surrounding areas. You’ll get competitive prices and dependable solutions that extend your plumbing system’s longevity when you choose our team.
Works Plumbing’s professionals strive for ultimate customer satisfaction. Our team performs a detailed inspection of your clogged pipe and determines the best tool to clean drain pipe obstructions. We make the drain cleaning process stress-free.
We understand that clogs can contribute to many other plumbing issues. When you get services from Works Plumbing, you can trust that you’ll get a fast response and services that solve drainage issues at the source.
Contact Works Plumbing for Expert Assistance
When you need to clean drains in your Pacifica, CA, home, trust the professionals at Works Plumbing. Our fully-stocked trucks and licensed plumbers are ready for any job—no matter the size of your plumbing system, we have the perfect solutions.
Whether you need a kitchen sink clog removal or a remedy for a clogged shower, we have a natural or mechanical tool to clean drain pipe grime successfully. You can learn more about the reasons why the toilet keeps backing up on our website, then contact our professional plumbers for quality drain pipe cleaning.
Discuss the best tool to clean drain pipe clogs when you contact our friendly, professional plumbing experts. Our family-owned and operated company offers affordable pricing and quality assistance regardless of your plumbing demands. We’ll answer your questions and help you determine if our services fit your needs.
Look no further than Works Plumbing in Pacifica, CA, for expert drain cleaning. Call 650-761-9164.
