Rules for the use of a plumbing cable for cleaning the sewer

Blockages in the sewer system are one of the common troubles both in an apartment and in a private house. To remove silt and plugs, various means are used, from a plumbing cable to household aggressive preparations "Mole", "Tiret Turbo", etc. The method is selected depending on the thickness of the plug and the scale of the problem. If the pipes are heavily silted up with a layer of fat, it is worth studying the prices for a plumbing cable for cleaning the sewer and purchasing it for personal use. If desired, a steel rope can be made by hand.

Types of plumbing cables for cleaning sewers

In specialized retail outlets, several types of products are presented for sale. Each of them differs in the shape and type of steel wire weaving.

• Rope or tension. It looks like a thin rod of interwoven steel wires. It resembles a ship's rope. The length of such a product is about 1.5-3 meters. Most often used for domestic purposes - in an apartment up to a public riser.
• Spring loaded or cobra. It looks like a steel wire woven in the form of a spiral. Suitable for use only in an apartment.
• Spring wound with flexible core and outer spiral. The product is already classified as professional. It can also be tensioned. Has a length of 6 meters or more. With its help, you can clear the sewer from the plug in the public riser.
• Tape. It looks like a steel tape with a width of 1 to 4 cm. It is suitable for work in horizontal and vertical sections of the sewerage system. However, it does not have high flexibility, which makes it difficult to clean pipes in difficult nooks of the collector.

Professional vibrating ropes are on sale. They have a higher performance compared to conventional steel.

Types of professional ropes:

• vibrating;
• electrical;
• mechanical.

Tension or flexible ropes are the best when working with complex blockages. Externally, the cable resembles a shaft with a ring handle, which must be rotated. The product moves slowly into the manifold, overcoming blockages and plugs. Such devices are ideal for household use.

Criterias of choice

To choose and purchase a good professional cable for cleaning sewer pipes, you need to rely on the following criteria:

• Length of the product. If you buy a rope for a private house, you need to know the length of the collector from each plumbing point to a septic tank / pit. Plus 3 meters for all possible bends, turns of the collector. A 2-3 meter device will be enough for an apartment.
• Thickness. Directly depends on the cross-section of the pipes. For a diameter of 5 cm, a cable with a thickness of 1 cm is suitable; for a section of 50-110 mm, it is better to take a product with a diameter of 1.1-1.5 cm; if the cross-section of the collector exceeds 10 cm, a device with a thickness of 1.6 cm or more is ideal. To work with siphons and drains, you can buy a product with a cross section of no more than 4-5 mm.
• By appointment. If you have to work with plugs from rags, personal hygiene items in the collector, it is better to take a rope with a core and special nozzles. To clean the sewer from the drain to the public riser in the apartment, a tape or just a spiral is suitable.

Modern products are equipped with a special thread at one end, onto which nozzles can be screwed - hooks, scrapers, harpoons, lances and even sliding knives.With their help, it is possible to pick up the cork and remove it or grind it right in the pipe.

On sale there are ropes with electrical devices for rotation. They cost several times more, but it is easier to work with such a device.

How to make a steel sewer cable with your own hands

If you urgently need to break through a small blockage in the sewer of an apartment / house, and there is no time to go to the store, you can make a cable yourself. For this you will need:

• a piece of old rope with a length of 1-3 m;
• a hammer;
• scissors for metal;
• ring handle.

Cut off a piece of cable. At one end, a handle is attached to it, with the help of which it will be convenient to rotate the product when it is fed into the collector. The other end of the product is fluffed like a ruff. With the help of this part, fat sludge is well removed from the walls of the pipeline. The main thing is to clean the drain carefully: the steel ends of the ruff can scratch the plastic pipes from the inside. It is advisable to put a piece of rubberized hose on the base of the cable. They hold onto it when moving the product into the collector.

A ready-made homemade cable is suitable for cleaning small sections of the sewer.

Terms of use

Before you start using a steel cable, you need to take into account the basic principles of its operation:

• The degree of complexity of the blockage is preliminarily assessed and, depending on it, the length, type and diameter of the device are selected.
• Before carrying out work, the rope is inspected. If there is even the slightest hint of a possible rupture of steel strands, such a product is not used. A cable torn in the manifold will be difficult to remove later.
• When the device is introduced into the manifold, its handle is only rotated clockwise. This principle makes it possible to increase the pressure on the plug at a torque.
• If a hook attachment is used for catching and pulling out the plug, all actions (back and forth) are repeated several times until the blockage is removed and the product passes further freely.
• Under no circumstances should a stuck cable be pulled or pulled sharply. The rope is released only with rotational and translational movements.
• It is advisable to rinse the cleaned pipes with hot water under high pressure. This will remove residual grease sludge on the walls.

After work, the flexible shaft is washed with running water and detergent. You can use a special soft brush to remove excess sewer dirt. Although the cable is made of galvanized wire, it is best to wipe the product dry. It would be useful to lubricate the rope with machine oil (vegetable oil is prohibited). Then the device is wrapped in dry parchment paper and stored in a dry place. Keep the cable rolled up.

Prices for plumbing cables

The cost of a steel rope for cleaning a sewer collector depends on its length, diameter, type and manufacturer. On average, a cable can cost from 160 rubles. up to RUB 5,500 The most expensive will be electrical products with various attachments.

It is better to buy a rope for cleaning sewers in specialized stores. If you have a receipt, you can always return or exchange the product for a more suitable one.