How to Choose the Best Drain Cleaning Machine: All That You Need to Know

Clogged drains are a nightmare for most of us. Many of us won’t even pay much attention to the drains unless something goes wrong. However, when left untreated, clogged drains can damage the home. This is where drain cleaning machines come into the scene. These machines remove clogs and blocks from the drains and ensure free flow of water. Drain cleaning machines are available in several varieties designed to handle specific tasks. Understanding their uses and applications can help you decide which one suits your needs.

In this article, we’ll explain more about drain cleaning machine types, their applications, maintenance tips, and more.

Table of content

• When Should You Clean the Drains?
• Understanding Common Types of Drain Cleaning Machines
• Factors to Look For While Choosing the Drain Cleaning Machine
• Drain Cleaning Machines Ideal for Different Types of Clogs
• How to Operate a Drain Snake?
• Drain Cleaner Machine Maintenance Tips

When Should You Clean the Drains?

You must think of cleaning the drains at your home if you notice any of the following warning signs.

● Slow flowing drain:

A clog in your pipes may be the cause of water that is taking an extremely long time to drain. Hence, plan to clean the drain as soon as you notice a slow flow of water.

● Unpleasant odor:

A bad stench coming from your kitchen or wash area drain possibly indicates an obstruction in the pipe. Most likely, the cause of this is grease and other food particles.

● Regular overflows in the toilet:

If water overflows from your toilet on a regular basis, a blockage in the sewage line is probably the source of the issue.

● Flooding:

Most likely, blocked pipes cause water flooding up from your sink or drain. Damage to the pipes and unhygienic conditions may result from this, hence it must be fixed immediately.

Understanding Common Types of Drain Cleaning Machines

1. Auger cleaners

Often known as snake cleaners, augers can be divided into two based on the way they operate: Manually operated cleaner and motor-driven ones. Both varieties employ a lengthy, flexible cable that you may have to insert into the drain hole in order to reach the blockage. The blockage can be retrieved or broken using the corkscrew on the cable's end.

● Manually operated augers feature a canister that you have to rotate to force the corkscrew into the obstruction and most of them have a 25-foot range. How deep they go depends on how strongly you apply the force on it.

● Motor-driven Electric Drain Auger work similarly to hand-held counterparts, but they can reach several hundred feet and are available in a variety of sizes.

Uses:

Manual augers are useful for cleaning drainage systems with smaller diameter plumbing while the motor driven augers are effective in both smaller and larger piping sizes.

2. Air burst cleaners

As the name hints at, air-burst drain cleaners make use of air, carbon dioxide, or other gasses to dissolve the clogs and eliminate them. The pressured gas is directed into the pipe, where it exerts force on the stagnant water at the blockage. The ability of air-burst cleaners to swiftly remove blockages is one of their main benefits. They can easily remove the obstructions that are located farther away without damaging or creating scratches on ceramic surfaces.

Uses:

Most effective to clean the clogs located down at some distance in the pipes.

3. Hydro jetting drain cleaners

Hydro jetting drain cleaning machines use high-pressure water to safely and effectively remove the clogs in drains. A hosepipe with a nozzle is inserted into the drain, and high-pressure water is flushed out of the hose through this nozzle. Blockages can be removed by the water's energy. These cleaners can efficiently remove the majority of clogs and blocking materials, including grease and oils, from a pipe, in addition to clearing the common clogs.

Uses:

These machines can be used in lengthier pipes to remove both organic and inorganic clogs.

4. Drum machines

Drum cable machines are a type of drain augers that work with the help of gas or electricity. They are known for the strength and energy that may be required to remove stubborn obstructions located deep inside a drain and restore water flow. The ideal drain diameter range for cable drum machines is 3/4" to 10".

Uses:

Used to clear out tougher clogs.

Factors to Look For While Choosing the Drain Cleaning Machine

● Drain type:

The drainage type used in your home differs from room to room. For instance, kitchen drains are designed in a way to tackle the oily, greasy water emerging from washing the dishes. This could be different from the pipes used in the washroom. Hence, consider the type of drain to buy a perfect drain cleaning machine suited for that specific area.

● Types of clog:

Several objects, such as oil, grease, hair, plant growth, foreign objects, etc. can create clogs in the pipes. Depending on the type of clog that restricts the water flow, you should choose machines specifically constructed to remove them.

● Depth of clog:

Clogs sometimes are located farther down the pipe than what the usual cleaning machine can access. A fifty-foot reach could be sufficient if you usually deal with smaller household lines. However, you must choose a device with a longer hose or a bigger cable capacity if your task requires you to go further deep in the pipe.

● Cable length:

The length of the cable is another important factor to consider, as it determines how far it can go through the pipe. If your home has a complex drainage system, opt for an electric drain cleaner with a lengthy cable.

● Torque:

Good torque is required to break through the complex clogs inside the pipes. A drain cleaning machine featuring higher torque is the best option while handling tougher clogs that requires more force in breaking them.

● Cleaning capacity:

Machines with higher cleaning capacity can clear larger clogs. Look for machines with greater cleaning capacity if your home needs frequent clog clearing, especially if there are tougher clogs such as roots, heavy grease, etc.

● Portability:

Portability is a feature to look for in the drain cleaning machine, especially if you constantly move it from one place to another. Go for lightweight machines with easy-to-use features and convenient handles.

● Accessories and budget:

If you have a budget estimate in mind, shortlist the ones that fall within that range. However, remember that even if you are getting a great deal on a machine without any accessories, you may have to buy them separately, adding to the total budget.

Drain Cleaning Machines Ideal for Different Types of Clogs

So, your kitchen sink is flooding. What is the ideal tool for the task? You might be wondering. Depending on the types of clog and drain, you should definitely need a drain cleaner specifically designed to match the criteria.

➔ For hair clogs:

Hair is one of the most frequently found obstructions in drains. It goes everywhere and can lead to major drainage problems, whether through the sink, shower, or any other source. Handheld drain cleaners, cart jetters, cable drum cleaners, hydro jetters, etc. are among the devices that are ideal to deal with hair-based clogs.

➔ For grease clogs:

Grease blockages are another form of obstruction frequently discovered during sewage and drain cleaning. It can occur as a result of washing oily dishes in the same sink for a long time. The blockage can be cleared using a cable machine, but a hydro jetter is a better option as it guarantees that all of the grease is gone from the line.

➔ Plant-related clogs:

When tree roots, small plants, etc. settle within pipelines and sewers, they can hinder the free flow of water. In such cases, you may have to use a specific type of drain cleaning machine. When using a drain cleaning machine for cleaning such obstructions, be careful to use one with a cable drum machine and blade attachments made especially for clearing obstructions in pipes caused by vegetation.

➔ Other objects:

If you have kids at home, you might've already seen them lose little toys or trinkets down the drain. Such items often clog the pipe and obstruct the free flow of water. Hand cable is one of the many machines available for drain cleaning or removing such foreign objects. However, you still need to take into account the object's size, dimensions, and weight when doing that.

How to Operate a Drain Snake?

● Once the snake's end is inserted into the drain opening, rotate the handle on the drum holding the coil-up snake to insert the snake.

● Keep sliding the snake further until you feel the obstruction.

● Rotate it against the obstruction until the snake freely goes through the pipe.

● The snake's tip can cling to the clog and remove or break it down with its revolving movement.

● For a few minutes, run the water at full force to unclog the drain fully.

Drain Cleaner Machine Maintenance Tips

Proper maintenance is required to ensure the durability of the drain cleaner machine and avoid constant replacements. Below are some common maintenance tips.

● Make it a habit to inspect the machine regularly for broken power cables, damaged switches, etc. If you find any damage, replace it as soon as possible to avoid accidents.

● Examine the drum belt for wear, and replace any guards that are missing.

● Lubricate the moving parts regularly. It can go through the pipes easily if you oil it regularly.

● Refer to the users manual and service the machine at regular intervals.

● Always use the machine for its intended purpose. For example, the machine you have may not be suited to breaking through tougher clogs, and improper usage may damage it.

A drain cleaning equipment can make your life easier by helping you handle the clogs at the drainages easily. However, it is essential to choose the appropriate machine, which will not only do the task at hand but also do it more quickly and cost-effectively, to obtain optimal results. Investing on the right machine not only takes care of challenges involving drainage clogs, but also saves your time and money.