How to Use a Drain Snake or Auger

• A plumbing or drain auger is also called a drain snake.
• The most basic description of an auger is a metal wire or cable that is pushed into a drain pipe to dislodge, break up or remove a clog.
• Some augers can be equipped with a cutter head to cut through roots.
• The cable is long enough that it needs to be coiled in a drum.
• A drain snake works by traveling through a drain pipe until it reaches a clog.
• Once it reaches the clog, it is rotated until it catches in the clog and pulls some of the material away.
• The snake is pulled out of the pipe to determine the cause of the clog.
• The snake is fit with the appropriate head and run into the drain again to break up or pull out the clog.
• In some fortunate cases, the auger breaks up the clog in one step.

• A light duty manual crank auger is generally a lightweight, inexpensive drain cleaning tool that has a thin spring cable around 25 feet long.
• These often have a shank that can be driven with a power drill to rotate the auger in place of hand cranking.
• Some light duty augers are battery powered and provide features that make snaking a drain easier and faster, like automatic feed and retract.
• Heavier handheld augers are power driven, often with something that looks like a large power drill. However, many battery powered models are on the market that look like they were purposefully built to snake drains.
• Heavier augers may have more features, but the main differences are a thicker, longer cable and stronger components.
• Drum augers are usually powered by a large electric motor, and many have a foot pedal switch.
• They are designed to sit on the ground, freestanding, and have heavy cables up to 100 feet long.
• Drum auger cables often have the capability to use interchangeable cutter ends.
• Some are rolled on wheels while others connect to a backpack system.

The first step to safe operation of a drain auger is to find out if there is a drain cleaning solution in the pipe. If a chemical cleaner is in the drain, any use of an auger must be done with a great deal of caution. These chemicals are harmful to the skin and can cause blindness if they get into your eyes. It is best to let these chemicals run down the drain before operating the auger, if possible.

• Safety glasses and gloves should be worn when cleaning a drain.
• The rotation of the tool and springy nature of the cable means that anything on the cable can be slung off of the cable.
• Care must be taken when wearing gloves around rotating power equipment. The general rule of operating any rotating power equipment is to avoid wearing gloves. But with a drain auger, they are preferred.
• Gloves should be tight-fitting.
• Most people will want to use rubber gloves when cleaning a drain. However, some drain snakes will tear rubber gloves. If this is the case, wearing thin rubber gloves under durable gloves is a good option.
• If the auger cable begins to twist on itself and kink or knot, stop rotation and slowly reverse direction.
• Work the cable back into its correct shape before proceeding.
• Cleanup after working in a drain is important. Bacteria thrives in a plumbing drain pipe.

Tip: Avoid the use of chemical drain cleaners for complete clogs. If they have been used, it’s dangerous to run a drain snake until the chemicals have been washed away.

It can be difficult to locate a clog since you can’t see down into a pipe. A waterproof inspection camera helps, but in most cases, the auger is all you need.

• The first thing to do is determine if the clog is affecting one or more drains.
• If multiple drains are backed up, there is probably a clog in a larger drain line. We’ll talk about this in the next step.
• If only one drain is backed up, the clog is between that drain and the main line.
• In a bathroom sink or shower drain, a clog is often just below the drain opening and in the stopper mechanism. It’s often a large amount of hair and sludge that can be pulled out by hand or with a barbed hair clog removal tool.
• Many clogs occur in the P-trap. This bend in all drains serves a very important purpose; it holds water and doesn’t allow sewer gas into the house. Sewer gas is smelly and dangerous.
• If removing a P-trap for more than a few minutes, plug the outgoing drain line with a rag to prevent sewer gas from entering the house, and to prevent anything from falling into the drain. Be sure to only place it in the opening and leave a tail hanging out for easy removal. You don’t want to create an extra clog.
• P-trap clogs can be removed by loosening the retaining nuts and slipping the trap off the pipes. Be ready to catch the water in a bucket. The trap can be cleaned and re-installed if it’s in good condition.
• If the P-trap can’t be removed for some reason, a lightweight auger may be able to pass through it, but be careful with it. Pop-up drain assemblies will probably need to be removed to fit an auger through the drain opening.
• If the stoppage is in one drain but further down the pipe than the P-trap, a small drain auger is the first tool to try.

• If the clog is affecting more than one drain, find the lowest drain that is backing up.
• Often, if the main line is clogged, the backup will be in a tub or shower on the first floor.
• Clogs in the main line can occur anywhere between the house and the connection to the sewer main or septic tank.
• The most common cause for a clog in the pipe under the yard is tree roots in the line due to a break. Roots can be cut with a special auger head as a temporary fix, but the line will eventually need to be repaired for a permanent solution.
• If the clog is affecting the drains on one floor or one side of the house, then the problem is in the line between this area and the main. A handheld drain auger or snake is a good first tool to try.
• Main drain lines will require a large, freestanding drain auger machine.

Tip: On septic systems, the problem could be a full tank. See our guide on septic system maintenance for more information on this topic.

• Select the right size and type of plumbing snake for the job.
• Start with a spring head on the cable.
• If you are able to remove the P-trap, remove it and put the auger cable directly into the drain line where it goes into the wall.
• If the clog isn’t in the drain or P-trap of a bathtub, remove the overflow cover and run the snake in there to bypass the P-trap for better results.
• The operation of all augers is similar.
• Place the end of the cable into the drain and push more cable in until resistance is met.
• Once resistance is met, extend 6 to 12 inches of cable at the time, lock the collar and rotate.
• At some point, rotation will be necessary for the cable to advance through the open pipe.
• Sometimes, resistance displays as bends in the pipe. If resistance is overcome easily, keep extending more cable in short amounts.
• Watch for the spring cable twisting around itself. This can damage the cable and can cause a dangerous snap back.
• If the cable is twisting around itself, reverse direction of spin and slowly untwist it.
• To avoid twisting, extend shorter amounts of cable.
• Slowly pull more cable out of the reel and push into the drain until it meets resistance that indicates it's the main clog.
• Once this resistance is met, extend enough cable so that there is 6 to 12 inches of cable between the auger body and the pipe opening. Lock the tightening mechanism.
• Rotate the auger handle, or pull the trigger, and push the cable into the drain.
• Very small amounts of cable may need to be fed out during this part of the process.
• When difficult resistance is found, continue to rotate and feed as long as possible.
• If you feel that the clog has been broken up and dislodged, test by running water. If it flows freely, retract the cable.
• If progress stops, retract the cable to inspect the end. Often, knowing what is causing the clog will help inform the next step.
• In some cases, the clog must be removed bit by bit using this method.
• In other cases, you can switch to a different head, like a point or a root cutter.
• Most small drain snakes only have a permanent spring end on them. If a different head is required, a larger auger will be needed.
• Some pluming augers have a power feed and retract mechanism that feeds a locks with easy controls.

• It’s uncommon for household drains to clog all at once. They usually show signs of slowing well before they’re completely clogged.
• If a drain begins to slow, clean it then, before an easy DIY project becomes a costly situation that requires a professional.
• Drain flies or gnats can be another sign of an impending clog. If these insects are becoming a problem, cleaning the drain is a good idea.
• Be careful of what is washed down a drain. Hair should be caught in a drain grate and placed in the trash. Items like hygienic wipes or feminine hygiene products should not be flushed down the toilet.
• Anything that isn't water soluble, like grease or oil, will adhere to other obstructions and build up to create a solid mass in a drain line.
• Knowing how to use a drain snake when a drain gets slow, before it stops completely, can keep you from having a severe clog. Use the plumbing snake to keep the line clear whenever it becomes noticeably slow.

When should a professional be called in to do the job?

• If the clog is strong enough that it can't be dislodged with tools available to the DIYer.
• If the same clog happens over and over again. It could be a result of a sagging or broken drain pipe.
• If roots are growing into the sewer line, it needs to be repaired or replaced.
• If the drain backup is severe or growing quickly, causing a possible flooding situation.