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how to use a drain snake

What is Snaking a Drain and How to Use a Drain Snake? Get Full Info Here!

Hey homeowners! Ever faced the nightmare scenario of standing ankle-deep in murky shower water, wondering if your drain is plotting revenge for all those lost hairs? Relax! At Ontario Pipe Lining, your friendly neighborhood sewer heroes, we’re here to help you master the art of snaking a drain like a pro. In the event there is a bigger sewer clog or cracked pipeline underground, we also specialize in services like trenchless sewer line replacement in Toronto as well as other cities, all the way till Kingston! This includes cities like Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Prince Edward county, Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, all the way till Kingston, Ontario. If you’re looking for the best sewer repair services like cured-in-place pipelining, sewer relining and drain repair & cleaning, get in touch with us ASAP.

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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).

snaking the drain

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.

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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!

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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.
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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 plumbings 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!

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trenchless sewer line replacement cost

How Much Does Trenchless Sewer Repair Cost?

Handling sewer line problems can be a time consuming and expensive process given typical repair methods that call for digging of your landscaping, driveway, or yard. Modern technology in Toronto and all over the world has thankfully offered a more efficient and less invasive alternative—trenchless sewer repair in Toronto. This sophisticated approach gives a permanent answer for broken pipes while lowering disturbance levels. We will discuss the factors influencing prices in this post and help you decide if this technique is appropriate for your home or business—especially if you are wondering how much trenchless sewer line replacement cost could vary depending on your circumstances.

What is Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement and Its Cost?

Trenchless sewer line tech allows for broken sewer pipes to be replaced or renovated without major digging. Whereas conventional approaches have a need of digging trenches to access the pipes, trenchless methods limit damage to property, time saving, and work costs. 

Trenchless sewer repair uses mainly two main techniques:

Pipe Lining (CIPP – Cured-in-Place Pipe Lining): Using a flexible, resin coated liner placed into the damaged pipe and cured on site produces a fresh, seamless pipe inside the old one. 

Underground Pipe Bursting: A new pipe is dragged through the damaged one, hence effectively breaking the old pipe down and replacing it together.

Either way, they provide long and robust solutions with little upheaval to your property.

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Factors That Affect Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement Cost

The trenchless sewer line replacement cost varies based on several factors. Although in the long term, trenchless repair is in general less expensive than conventional digging, the exact cost will depend on the following factors:

1. Length of the Pipe Requiring Repair

Trenchless sewer repair is usually priced by linear foot. The longer the defective part, the more the overall cost. Depending on how difficult the repair is, average prices vary.

2. Level of Destruction

Pipes that need total replacement, the pipe bursting technique will be more expensive than minor leaks or fractures that need pipe lining. More severe damage results in greater restoration expenses.

3. Sewer Line Availability.

More labor and specialized equipment might be needed—hence a higher total expense—if your sewer line is buried far down or blocked by great tree roots.

4. Existing Pipe Contents

Older pipes composed of clay, cast iron, or Orangeburg material may need more work before trenchless techniques can be applied, therefore increasing the cost.

5. Local Legislation and Licenses

Some communities might add to the total bill by demanding permissions before starting sewer line replacements. Checking with local officials helps always to make sure rules are followed.

6. Skills of Contractors and Workers

Although it may be more costly at first, hiring a well known contractor with much trenchless sewer repair expertise could save money in the long term by reducing future repairs and guaranteeing craftsmanship.

cipp lining

 

Average Cost of Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement

Factors such as the length of the pipe, the extent of damage, and the approach employed for repair influence the trenchless sewer repair cost. Sewer repairs usually result in 25 to 30 feet of liner and cost between $4000 and $6500, but this varies. Though conventional dig and replace techniques might appear less expensive at first, they usually result in more restoration bills that quickly accumulate to $40,000 in repairs, not to mention the disturbance of dugout backyards, floors, and walls. Trenchless technology helps to save on both time and property damage, hence a more cost effective alternative over time.

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Is Trenchless Sewer Repair Worth the Cost?

Although trenchless sewer repair has a greater initial price than conventional digging, it provides many benefits that make it a good investment:

  1. Time Savings: Trenchless approaches take days rather than weeks to reduce interference with your living style.
  2. Eliminates Property Damage: You save several thousand dollars on repair bills since there will be no need to rip up your patio, driveway, or front lawn.
  3. Durable Materials: Trenchless repair materials are generally long lasting and sometimes reach fifty years.
  4. EcoFriendly: Ecofriendly, means less excavation, lower environmental effect, and little waste.

 

How to Best Price Trenchless Sewer Repair

For those thinking about trenchless sewer repair, here are few ideas to help maximize the value of your expenditure:

  • Get Multiple Quotes: Get several bids since prices might differ substantially among contractors and comparing them will let you locate a reasonable offer.
  • Verify Contractor Credentials: assure your vendor has customer recommendations and expertise.
  • Inquire About Guarantees: A respected firm would have warranties on its work to soothe everything.
  • Understand the Estimate’s Contents: Verify that your estimate includes all required work, including inspections, permits, and cleanup.
  • Search for Financing Solutions: Some businesses have finance schemes to help people more efficiently handle expenses.
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Book A Consultation Today

Avoid turning your property into a construction zone! Ontario Pipe Lining offers hassle-free trenchless sewer line replacement in Toronto. Contact us for a quick consultation and enjoy a seamless, no-dig solution. We serve Toronto, as well as Oshawa, Peterborough, Prince Edward County, Belleville, Brighton, Kingston and a lot more cities. Call now or fill out our online form to schedule your appointment!

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