Do you have a problem with a sewer or drain line? The certified plumbing technicians at High 5 Plumbing use several drain cleaning machines, jetting machines, and video inspection tools to get your plumbing system back in working order. Whether you’re dealing with a slow bathtub drain, water backing up into your bathroom sink, or a clog in your toilet, we have the tools to handle the issue. We can take care of a variety of common sewer and drain line problems, including clogs, back-ups, root intrusion, deteriorated/collapsed lines, and leaks.
Keep reading to learn more about the tools we use every day on drain cleaning projects big and small. And contact us today if you’re having drainage issues in your home!
Drain Cleaning Tools
If your plumbing system is facing a major clog, we’ll remove the obstruction with one of the following drain cleaning tools, as appropriate to your pipes and drain clog issue.
1. Toilet Auger / Closet Auger
This tool is used if your toilet is clogged but all the other drains in your home are working properly. We use this tool to make sure that we don’t plunge whatever is plugging your toilet down into your system, because that could ultimately damage your plumbing system. Instead, this device pulls whatever you flushed down your toilet back out the toilet to prevent it from getting into your plumbing system.
2. Manual Hand Auger
This tool features a small, 25-foot cable designed for more sensitive drain cleaning projects. If your drain line is small, if we see some corrosion, or if the material isn’t quite strong enough for a tougher tool, this is the drain-cleaning tool we turn to. We like it because it’s hand-cranked. There’s no motor or power behind it, allowing us to move a little slower on those smaller, more delicate drain lines to prevent any potential damage during the drain cleaning process.
3. Mini Snake
This is a powered drill with a 50-foot cable. We use this for small bathtub drain lines, laundry drain lines, and any other place where we need to go through a P-trap to clean the line. The cable is small enough to travel through any type of piping and still get to the clog.
4. Spartan 100 – All secondary drain lines
This drain-cleaning tool is more powerful than the manual hand auger or mini snake. We use it to clean all secondary drain lines, like your bathroom sink, kitchen sink, or laundry drain line, as long as your pipes are large enough. The cable is larger, more rigid, and able to clean the drain line more thoroughly than the smaller tools. As such, the Spartan 100 can only be used on pipe sizes 1.5-inch to 2.5-inch pipes.
5. Spartan 300 – Main sewer line cleaning
We use the Spartan 300 to clean your main sewer line, the line that runs from your house to the street. If you’re having problems with all of the lines in your plumbing system backing up (sinks, toilets, bathtubs, etc.), this is most likely a mainline plumbing issue. And we turn to the Spartan 300 to clear the blockage.
It features a 100-foot cable and a 3.5-inch cutting blade. This system tears through roots, toilet paper, and anything else that may be obstructing the drain line, pushing it out of the way and allowing your sewer line to flow properly again. This machine can only be used on drain pipes with a diameter of 3 inches or larger, and it cannot be used on copper lines.
Hydro Jetting Tools
After we have your drain line cleared and draining properly, we always recommend following up with a hydro jetter cleaning. A jetter shoots high-pressure water through your system to clean the walls of your pipes and return them to a like-new state. This process is great for preventing future clogs.
1. Mini Jetter
This tool is designed to clean your secondary drain lines (any line inside your home), including bathroom sinks, bathtubs, kitchen sinks, and more. This jetter helps to clear out any residual buildup from your pipes so we can guarantee your line is thoroughly cleaned.
2. Mainline Jetter
The mainline jetter is a bit more heavy-duty and features stronger water pressure than the mini-jetter. Its 200-foot cable allows us to thoroughly clean your sewer line, the main drain line running from your home to the street. This jetter blasts away buildup and can even cut through small roots in your line, returning your sewer line to a like-new level of clean.
Camera & Locate Equipment
For quick and efficient answers to plumbing problems inside your walls (the ones we can’t see with our own eyes), we turn to cutting-edge video inspection technology to get the job done right.
1. Mini Camera
The mini camera features a 100-foot reel with a camera. It’s used to locate any secondary plumbing lines in your walls or in the ground around your home that we can’t see with our own eyes. This tool tells us the exact location and depth of a given plumbing line. We can even record the footage and narrate it so that you can have a record of the inspection.
Generally speaking, a camera inspection is required for us to be able to guarantee your drain will no longer clog. Without a visual of your system, we can’t make that guarantee.
2. Mainline Camera
The mainline camera has a 200-foot reel which we use to inspect your main sewer line (the one that connects your house to the street). This tool allows us to visually inspect your system to look for any offsets, root intrusions, or cracks affecting your system. We can record the footage on an SD card or on a thumb drive. The mainline camera also includes a wireless tablet, so customers can watch the camera inspection in real-time as we’re servicing their home.
Preventive Maintenance
The cleaning and jetting tools discussed here are ideal for dealing with any clogs or drainage issues you currently have. To prevent future blockages, we recommend clients use the enzyme-based drain cleaner Bioclean. (Enzymes are bacteria that feed on organic matter, such as hair, mold, algae, and other common clog-causers.) This all-natural solution is safe and effective, and it’s a fantastic alternative to harsh chemical cleaners.
Contact us today to learn more or to purchase Bioclean for your home.
Related: Alternatives to Chemical Drain Cleaner
Quick Recap
If you need drain cleaning services, call on High 5 Plumbing to get the job done right. We have the tools and technology needed to clear out your drains and keep them in tip-top shape.
Drain cleaning definitely isn’t the most glamorous part of homeownership, but we make the process easy, saving you headaches and money on expensive future repairs. We’d say that’s worthy of a High 5 Plumbing!
Request Your Estimate Today!
At High 5 Plumbing, our trustworthy, reliable experts can help determine the right drain cleaning service for your unique situation. Call us today or contact us online to get your expert estimate–fair and honest every time!
Related: How to Get an Accurate Quote on Your Drain Cleaning
