What is a Drain Snake?

A drain snake, also called a plumbing snake or drain auger, is a device used to unclog drains. A drain snake has a long, flexible metal cable with a corkscrew auger attached to the end. Either powered by hand or electrically, a drain snake is rotated in a downward spiral into a drain until it reaches a clog, then the corkscrew auger ideally displaces the clog as if “chewing†away at it. There are several different types of plumbing snakes for home and commercial use. One variable that distinguishes a commercial drain snake from a home-use snake is the length and diameter of the cable. Commercial drain cleaning services have very large motor powered augers that use various sized cables. The largest cable is used for cleaning and removing clogs from main drains, which are significantly larger around than the drainpipes under a kitchen sink. The commercial drain snake has a high-powered motor that rotates the cable through sludge much easier than smaller, home-use drain snakes and ...  more

A drain snake, also called a plumbing snake or drain auger, is a device used to unclog drains. A drain snake has a long, flexible metal cable with a corkscrew auger attached to the end. Either powered by hand or electrically, a drain snake is rotated in a downward spiral into a drain until it reaches a clog, then the corkscrew auger ideally displaces the clog as if “chewing?away at it. There are several different types of plumbing snakes for home and commercial use. One variable that distinguishes a commercial drain snake from a home-use snake is the length and diameter of the cable. Commercial drain cleaning services have very large motor powered augers that use various sized cables. The largest cable is used for cleaning and removing clogs from main drains, which are significantly larger around than the drainpipes under a kitchen sink. The commercial drain snake has a high-powered motor that rotates the cable through sludge much easier than smaller, home-use drain snakes and can ...  more

A drain snake, also called a plumbing snake or drain auger, is a device used to unclog drains. A drain snake has a long, flexible metal cable with a corkscrew auger attached to the end. Either powered by hand or electrically, a drain snake is rotated in a downward spiral into a drain until it reaches a clog, then the corkscrew auger ideally displaces the clog as if “chewing” away at it. There are several different types of plumbing snakes for home and commercial use. One variable that distinguishes a commercial drain snake from a home-use snake is the length and diameter of the cable. Commercial drain cleaning services have very large motor powered augers that use various sized cables. The largest cable is used for cleaning and removing clogs from main drains, which are significantly larger around than the drainpipes under a kitchen sink. The commercial drain snake has a high-powered motor that rotates the cable through sludge much easier than smaller, home-use drain snakes and can ...  more