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Let ’s confront it : Dealing with a clogged toilet is about as much sport — but , unfortunately , just as necessary — as a root channel . When you ’re stuck with a clogged or slow - draining stool , the plunger should always be your first design of attempt . plunger are quick , easy to utilize , and cracking for small clogs , but be aware that they may just simply push the clog a small farther down the pipe .
If the plunger does n’t do the job , do n’t rush off and call the plumber quite yet . Instead , summon the toilet snake , also hump as a loo snake , closet wimble , or toilet auger . With thisspecialized plumbing tooland a little doggedness , a typical DIYer should be able to study how to use a toilet snake to take on a straightforward clog dance and flush the problem away .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Tools & Materials
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Step 1: Rent or buy a toilet snake.
If you do n’t own adrain ophidian , you’re able to either purchase one or you’re able to lease one from a home base center for about $ 15 a day . price drift from $ 15 to $ 70 or even more , depending on the length of the cable television service , the sturdiness of the tool , and any superfluous features . Either alternative is less expensive than the intermediate monetary value of bestow in a plumber , which can run upward of $ 100 per hour .
Before you get to work , familiarise yourself with the mechanics of the commode snake . It ’s fundamentally a foresightful alloy cable television that sit in a vacuous tube with a curved accommodation at the substructure . This curve angles into the toilet drain , making it easier to feed the cable through tounclog the drainage . A safe sleeve at this end protects the toilet from scratches from the metal line , and a churl at the other end help make for the cable length down into the pipe . There are also powered augers that bond to a drill or machine driver , but manual auger are commonly up to the task , and they ’re also trashy , well-situated to use , and less probable to cause damage . Kodi Wilson , campus director ofNational Technical Institute ’s Las Vegas campus , monish , “ I would never commend a homeowner to work with a powered snake on their own . This would gamble injury and attribute hurt . A paw - beat back auger , on the other hand , is a corking backup to a plunger . ”
Step 2: Prep the bathroom.
Put on your rubber gloves and place a large , empty bucketful next to the toilet . Have some towel quick in case you make a hole .
Step 3: Place the snake in the toilet bowl.
Holding onto the tube-shaped structure with one hand , habituate the other to pull back the hold of the snake so the end of the overseas telegram is near the oddment of the tube ; the curved “ iron heel ” should protect the bottom of the commode from scratches . put the death of the snake in the toilette drainpipe , direct the cable toward the back of the waste pipe .
Step 4: Feed the snake into the drain.
Holding the tube of the snake firmly in stead with one handwriting , use the other to press down on the handle while turning it clockwise to extend the overseas telegram down into the drain . You may feel a little resistance as you feed the snake around curves . ( snake a can waste pipe can require longanimity , and you may need to exploit the cable forward and back a bit to move it further down the drainpipe . ) Keep go until the serpent polish off something and wo n’t go any far — you’ve attain the clog .
Pull back slightly on the ophidian . If you feel resistance , you may have hook the source . If so , pull back on the cablegram to bring in the sabot to the surface . Remove it from the arena and dispose of it in the bucketful .
But you do n’t have to really draw out the patten . you could rather break it up into smaller piece that can locomote down the waste pipe . “ Pushing or pulling the clog does n’t really count . The finish is to get your drain menstruate again , ” Wilson say . There are , however , exception . “ Septic systems can be more sensitive to what can go down the drain . If you know the clog dancing is a toy or a diaper or something else that should not be in the drain , it is good to try and remove it . You often do n’t have a alternative , though ; it ’s more of a hope that your auger catch rather than pushes it through , ” he add .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob VIla
To fall in up a clog , crank the cable system as far as it will go , and then work it forward and backward , turning alternately clockwise and counterclockwise . Once you ’re able to move the snake farther and more freely , you ’ve go against the patten . Remove the auger and bond the business organisation end in the pail .
Step 5: Flush the clog.
You may require accession to the flush valve if the toilet starts tooverflow when you flush , so before doing a test flush , withdraw the tank chapeau and localise it aside cautiously . Thenflush the toiletand substantiate that the weewee race down the bowl .
If the toilet blush successfully , you ’re done . But if the water keep to move up , quickly turn the water shutoff behind the toilet clockwise until the pee stops . If you ca n’t get to it tight enough , lift the ice-cream soda arm ( the horizontal weapon system at the top right of the fill valve that confiscate to the float ) to contract off the flow of water , and hold up it up ( or find something to wedge it in place ) while you get at the shutoff . Alternatively , but disconnect the refill tube ( the modest tube that carry water from the fill valve to the overflow tube ) and let the water run into the tank until the body of water grade triggers the valve to close .
For a toilet that bang but drain easy , try plunge first — you may not postulate to snake the toilet drain again . But if it ’s completely choked , you ’ll require another go with the Hydra .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Step 6: Clean the area.
Toclean up , discombobulate out any large cluster and then flush the eternal rest back into the toilet in pocket-sized amounts , making sure it all goes down without causing a new clog . Then thoroughly clean the bucketful and the gimlet with hot water and bleach orvinegarbefore putting it off or return it to the storage . lastly , keep an eye on the privy over the next few days to check that everything ’s still running smoothly .
How to Avoid Future Toilet Clogs
Now that you know how to employ a snake to unclog a toilet , relieve yourself from a repetition carrying into action by being careful with what you and your home put in the can . The safest approach is to flush stool paper only . Never flushsanitary products , paper towels , tissue paper newspaper , cotton fiber clump , cotton fiber swabs , dental floss , or hair . If you have particularly old or sensitive piping , consider switching to a lower - ply brand of toilet newspaper to help keep thing moving along .
Other Ways to Unclog a Toilet
First of all , avoid using caustic drain cleaners to unclog your toilet pipe bowl . Some of these products can be bad for the environment and may damage toilet and plumbing pipes . ( If you do finish up calling in the pros after using a heavy - duty drain cleaner , be trusted to countenance the plumber know so they can take caution to do the work safely . ) There are , however , someDIY ways to unclog a toiletif you have neither a plunger nor a snake W. C. Handy .
When to Call a Plumber
Do n’t give up too quickly when you ’re snake the toilet . It may take several tries to fudge the cable into position and break up or take away the clog dance . But if you ’ve been persistent and the toilet is still foul , call in a trusted plumber . Wilson advises consult a pro “ if you need to off the toilet , if the clog is beyond 6 foot , or if this is a recurring way out . plumber can use their expertise to evaluate the problem and approach it with the good long - terminus answer while providing the householder with information about the cause . ”
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keep your Gunter Wilhelm Grass immature and your flora thriving does n’t just take a gullible ovolo — it starts with the ripe tools and supplies .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob VIla
