{"id":2141,"date":"2022-06-09T14:14:16","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T18:14:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/?p=2141"},"modified":"2022-06-09T14:14:16","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T18:14:16","slug":"how-to-unclog-a-sink-if-the-drain-snake-does-not-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/how-to-unclog-a-sink-if-the-drain-snake-does-not-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Unclog a Sink if the Drain Snake Does Not Work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Whether you call it a drain snake, plumber snake, or small drum auger, virtually every renter and homeowner has one. You can purchase a drain snake at the grocery store, the dollar store, the home improvement store, and at almost any online retailer of the sort. They are easily accessible and very inexpensive, so they are a highly recommended tool to have around the house. You can even use them to unclog toilets, showers, and tubs. But sometimes, plastic augers are just not enough to unclog a stubborn sink drain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:19px\">If you are attempting to unblock a clogged sink, but the plumber snake isn\u2019t working out, continue reading for some drain clearing tips that will help you get past this common, but oh-so-frustrating, obstacle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Sink-Drain-Repair-Indianapolis-Indiana.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Sink-Drain-Repair-Indianapolis-Indiana.jpg\" alt=\"Sink Drain Repair Indianapolis Indiana 317-784-1870\" class=\"wp-image-2142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Sink-Drain-Repair-Indianapolis-Indiana.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Sink-Drain-Repair-Indianapolis-Indiana-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Sink-Drain-Repair-Indianapolis-Indiana-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Sink-Drain-Repair-Indianapolis-Indiana-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Sink Drain Repair Indianapolis Indiana 317-784-1870<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:30px\">Why is the Drain Snake Not Working?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Drain snakes are easy tools to use, so you will know right away whether yours is working or not. To use a drain snake, you insert it deep into the drain, twist it around several times, and then pull it back up. The auger should pull out all sorts of unsightly materials, like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/how-to-remove-hair-from-a-bathroom-drain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hair<\/a>, soapy residue, and dental floss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although very effective tools, they are not always the right choice for a clogged drain. In fact, there are many reasons why a drain snake might be ineffectively unclogging your sink. One of the most common in easily fixable reasons why a drain auger won\u2019t work is because the old clogging material is still attached to the rod. Be sure to fully clean your drain auger before reusing it for another clog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another common reason why augers fail to do the trick has to do with the structural integrity of the auger itself. If you are using a small drum auger rather than a plastic drain snake, it is possible that the thumbscrew has come loose. If the thumbscrew is loose, the auger will not be able to effectively rotate. And if the auger will not rotate, it won\u2019t be able to catch and pull any debris or blockage within the drain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can\u2019t even push the auger down into the drain, it\u2019s because there is a heavy blockage that is denser than the overall tensile strength of the tool. In this case, you would need something more heavy-duty to dislodge the blockage, or perhaps even more invasive plumbing repair. Severe sink clogs are difficult to repair with a plumber snake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading\">What to Do About a Clogged Sink<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your drain snake is not working, but none of the above-mentioned reasons are to blame, you have two viable options: attempt to loosen the clog with a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/two-cleaners-that-will-fix-a-slow-draining-sink\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">drain cleaner<\/a> and repeat the auger process again, or save time and effort by contacting a professional <a href=\"http:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Indianapolis plumber<\/a> for drain clearing service. Just be sure you do not ignore a clogged drain, as they can lead to more serious plumbing problems, like burst pipes and water leaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">L<strong>ooking for a professional plumber who can make all of your plumbing problems go away without breaking the bank?<\/strong> <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/contact.php\" target=\"_blank\">Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company<\/a> at 317-784-1870 for licensed and insured <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/plumbing-services.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plumbing services in Indianapolis, Indiana<\/a>, and its surrounding counties. We serve residential and commercial customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related Posts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/7-things-you-can-do-to-unclog-your-shower-drain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">7 Things You Can Do to Unclog Your Shower Drain<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/how-to-solve-a-dishwasher-drainage-problem\/\">How to <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/how-to-solve-a-dishwasher-drainage-problem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Solve <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/how-to-solve-a-dishwasher-drainage-problem\/\">a Dishwasher Drainage Problem<\/a><br><a href=\"http:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-your-clogged-drain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Everything You Need to Know About Your Clogged Drain<\/a><br><a href=\"http:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/how-to-make-homemade-drain-dissolving-cleaner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Make Homemade Drain Dissolving Cleaner<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you call it a drain snake, plumber snake, or small drum auger, virtually every renter and homeowner has one. You can purchase a drain snake at the grocery store, the dollar store, the home improvement store, and at almost &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/how-to-unclog-a-sink-if-the-drain-snake-does-not-work\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2142,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[772,122,831],"tags":[177,81,159,861,1144,162,949,1143,523],"class_list":["post-2141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bathroom-plumbing","category-clogged-drains","category-kitchen-plumbing","tag-clogged-drain-repair","tag-clogged-drains","tag-drain-cleaning","tag-drain-clearing","tag-drain-snake-not-working","tag-fix-a-clogged-drain","tag-homemade-drain-cleaner","tag-sink-drain-repair","tag-slow-draining-sink"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2141"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2143,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2141\/revisions\/2143"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}