A cable for cleaning sewer pipes, a variety of devices and how to use it, how to do it yourself

Varieties of cables

Cables have a common name in all cases. They differ in thickness, length and the type of tip that helps to remove blockages. Starting from the smallest, cords are divided into several types.

Galvanized steel wire rope

Thickness 6 mm, length 5 m. Popular among residents of apartments and private houses, it solves problems with most blockages. It is lightweight, durable, even an inexperienced person can use it.

Steel cable 25 m long and over 13 mm thick

It is made in the form of a spiral, the material for which is a wire with a diameter of 1.8 mm.

Steel rope

One end is made in the form of a curved handle. It is considered a professional tool, it cracks down on even the heaviest operational and mechanical blockages.

60m steel cable 16mm thick

A 3 mm thick wire wraps around a strong rod. The design allows you to adjust the rigidity of the rod, which allows it to get into the most inaccessible corners of sewer pipes. Manual rotation is physically impossible, so these options are equipped with an electric motor.

Rope for cleaning plumbing pipes

How to use the tool

We will work with hard metal, so the presence of strong assembly gloves is a must. Also dress in sturdy work clothes.
If tips are attached to the tool, use one of them according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Do not unwind the sewer cable all at once, it must be kept coiled and straightened only to the length of the immersion.
Choose the direction of rotation with which you will move deeper. It must not be changed during the process in order to avoid a rope wedge.
When the cable hits a dead end, it will become harder to turn it. You'll have to work hard, maybe even get it several times and clean the tip of dirt.
When returning the cable back, do not change the direction of rotation originally adopted.
When the blockage is broken, finish cleaning by washing off the remaining debris with a large pressure of hot water.
The device is taken out, thoroughly washed under hot water with a brush and soap, then washed with warm water.
After completely drying it, roll it into a ring and return it to its storage place.

Types of sewer blockages

Understanding their nature is very important for proper cable selection. Plumbing plugs differ in the reasons for their occurrence, respectively, and their strength can also be different.

Plumbing plug in the knee

Operational blockage

An inevitable problem of any sewerage. It occurs due to the fact that particles of food, fat, fabric, hair, wool, sand and other very small debris are washed into the kitchen sink, which accumulates on the walls of pipes for months and years, forming dense plugs. To eliminate them, a thin cord will suffice, since such a blockage is called the simplest.

Mechanical plugs

They appear due to solid large objects lowered into the toilet or plastic bags that become a wedge in the pipe, collecting the rest of the garbage. To remove such a blockage, it is necessary to use a powerful thick cable for cleaning the sewer, which will damage and move the stuck object by force. If the object is very strong, then the device will not be able to damage it, and you will have to:

calculate the approximate location of the plug along the length of the cable;
cut the pipe
physically remove it.

Technological blockage

Arises as a natural process of deposition of solid fractions on pipes.

Technological sewer blockage

They have a very strong structure and are located almost along the entire length of the sewer pipe.Here, even a powerful cable is unlikely to help, except that it will temporarily break through a hole for draining sewage. This requires a complete replacement of pipes.

Conclusion

When a plunger and do-it-yourself chemical sewer cleaners do not help, a steel cable will become an indispensable tool in removing blockages.

If there are especially strong plugs, contact plumbers with professional equipment - a thick long cord rotated by an electric drive does not put blockage in the sewer no chance.