But first things first—let’s understand exactly what we’re dealing with.

What Does Snaking the Drain Mean?

Snaking a drain is a procedure that utilizes a long, flexible cable to dislodge and clear clogs from your main drain line. The cable is fed into your drain and turned to dislodge any obstructions. After the clog has been dislodged, it can be washed away, and your plumbing system can drain properly again.

Snaking a drain is a procedure that utilizes a long, flexible cable to dislodge and clear clogs from your main drain line. The cable is fed into your drain and turned to dislodge any obstructions. After the clog has been dislodged, it can be washed away, and your plumbing system can drain properly again.

Why Do Drains Get Clogged?

Understanding your enemy is half the battle. Let’s look at some of the most common causes of drain clogs, which include:

• Hair and Soap Scum: These clingy culprits often gather in showers and bathroom sinks, curling up into a ball that leads to slow drains and backed up showers.
• Food Waste: Kitchen drains suffer from fats, oils, grease, and food particles that buildup over time, hardening and causing slow drains or clogged drains altogether.
• Foreign Objects: Sometimes, curious kids or accidental drops result in toys or small objects lodged in pipes.
• Tree Roots: Yes, nature can conspire against you by infiltrating sewer lines, not only leading to tree roots inside sewers, but also cracked sewers – what do you get with a compromised sewer system? Slow drains, backups and pungent smell permeating from the bathroom and kitchen drains.

How to Use a Drain Snake – DIY Edition!

Feeling brave? Let’s tackle this together! Here’s your step-by-step guide on how to snake a drain:

Step 1: Gear Up!

Pick your weapon wisely—a hand-held drain snake or a motorized auger for tougher jobs. Always wear gloves (trust us, you’ll thank us later).

Step 2: Insert & Twist

Gently insert the snake cable into the drain. Keep pushing until you feel resistance. Congratulations! You’ve found the culprit.

Step 3: Crank & Conquer

Slowly rotate the snake’s handle clockwise. This action grabs the clog so you can pull it out or break it up. Remember—slow and steady wins the drain-clearing race!

Step 4: Remove & Repeat

Pull the snake out slowly and prepare yourself mentally—clogs aren’t pretty! If the clog is persistent, repeat the process.

Step 5: Flush & Celebrate!

Once the clog is clear, flush the drain with hot water. Your drain’s now clear, your hero status confirmed.

When Should You Call for Backup?

Sometimes the clog isn’t just stubborn—it’s downright hostile. If you’ve tried snaking the drain and it’s still backing up, it’s time to call in professional reinforcements (that’s us!). Here’s when you might need our plumbing snake service:

• The clog is deeper down the pipe than your snake can reach
• Your drain keeps backing up repeatedly
• The blockage seems to involve tree roots or pipe damage

Plumber Cost to Unclog Sink – What’s the Deal?

Wondering about the plumber cost to unclog sink drains? Typically, drain cleaning is such a varied service, ranging from minor to requiring sewer repairs, it’s very difficult to quote an average cost. However, at Ontario Pipe Lining, we waive off our $300 sewer camera inspection fee if our clients book sewer repairs or sewer lining service with us! That’s our way to lessening the burden on our valued clients!

Why Trust Ontario Pipe Lining with Your Drain Snaking Needs?

Are you frantically searching for “Plumber to Snake Drain Near Me” on Google? Look no further! At Ontario Pipe Lining, we provide a rapid, reliable and effective drain-clearing solution by employing advanced techniques and equipment to clean even the most difficult obstructions.

Here’s what makes Ontario Pipe Lining stand out from other plumbing companies:

• Expertise: Over a decade of professional drain cleaning, sewer repair and sewer lining/relining experience.
• Reputation: Stellar reviews from satisfied customers across the GTA.
• Technology: Advanced equipment for diagnosing and clearing blockages.
• Customer Care: Transparent pricing, respectful service, and thorough follow-ups.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does snaking the drain mean?

Snaking the drain means using a special tool (a drain snake or auger) to remove hair, soap buildup, and all the gunk stuck in your pipe. Think of it as using a flexible, twist superhero wand that dives into your drain, catches the clog, and free your pipe, bringing back that satisfactory water flow. This is basically your secret weapon for battling with deeply hidden nasty stuff within your plumbing!

2. What does snaking mean in plumbing?

Snaking is plumbing’s method of introducing a twirly, flexible superhero into your pipe to fight the bad guys—those nasty clogs. With a specialized tool called a plumbing snake or a drain auger, a plumber (or a brave DIYer) gently pushes and rotates this cable into the pipe to break up clogs made of hair, grease, food, and other muck that won’t move. It’s essentially your sneaky little secret to maintaining your drains flowing freely without creating an enormous mess. Imagine it like unclogging your pipes with a touch of plumbing magic!

3. What is a drain snake used for?

A drain snake is your plumbing’s best friend when your pipes are in trouble! It’s a handy, flexible tool that goes way down into drains to eliminate frustrating blockages—such as hairballs, food particles, soap scum, and other unknown pipe cloggers. It‘s like your plumbing‘s own superhero: it twists, turns, and grasps those ugly clogs to get your pipes flowing smoothly again! It’s basically the perfect solution to avoid messy backups and save the day (and your sanity)!

4. How does snaking work?

Imagine your pipe’s got traffic congestion—hair, grease, gunk, and god-knows-what are all clogged up, keeping water from flowing through. That’s where snaking a drain steps in like the traffic officer your pipes didn’t even realize they needed.

A drain snake is a soft, long metal cable that wiggles down into your pipes. When it reaches the clog, it shatters it or grips onto it so you can pull it out (ick, but it works!). No boom, no drama—just twist, crank, and clear.

It’s a little messy, satisfyingly so, and much more enjoyable than listening to your sink groan in pain each time you fill it up to do the dishes.

5. What is the cost of a plumbing snake service near me?

Well, if you’re looking to go down the DIY route when it comes to unclogging you drains then the cost simply involves buying a simple drain snake from the nearest hardware store or ordering it online.

If you are feeling a bit adventurous, opting for a mechanical drain auger can help you reach places a simply drain snake can’t. 

If you don’t have the time to figure all the ins and outs of drain cleaning, you will need to call a plumber for a drain snake service. The cost of a plumbing snake service near you depends on the severity of the clog and your location. For example, a drain snaking service in Toronto will be much higher compared to a similar service in a smaller town. At Ontario Pipe Lining, we generally waive off our $300 sewer camera inspection fee if our clients book a sewer repair or sewer lining service with us.

But here’s the best part: at Ontario Pipe Lining, we believe in clear pricing, honest advice, and zero surprises. So no mysterious fees or “uh-oh” charges. Just great service, friendly pros, and drains that behave. Get in touch with us and let us tame your drains!