Commercial Drain Snakes vs. Commercial Drain Openers

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Tuesday, April 9, 2024

drain care

Commercial Drain Snakes vs. Commercial Drain Openers

When you have a drain clog, your first thought is “How do I fix this?” After all, until the clog is resolved, your facility will be forced to operate at a lower capacity with more inconvenience for everyone. But what is the best way to handle a drain clog in your facility? How can you be prepared to handle frequent clogs in the future?

At State Chemical, we manufacture and distribute chemical and biological solutions for various applications, including drain care. Experiencing recurrent drain clogs can be discouraging, but with the right solution on hand, you can be prepared to solve your problem most efficiently.

To help you determine the right fix for your repeat drain clogs, we will explain when to use drain snakes, when to use chemical drain openers, when to use both, and how to prevent drain clogs altogether. After reading, you’ll be prepared with the ideal approach the next time your facility experiences a drain clog.

How Do Commercial Drain Snakes Work?

Commercial drain snakes are coiled metal wires you shimmy into your drain to break up clogs manually. These are either handheld, meaning they require you to manually crank them into your drain, or machine-operated, which are tools (often known as augers) that you can purchase yourself or call a plumber to handle for you.

How Do Commercial Chemical Drain Openers Work?

Meanwhile, drain openers are chemical products you pour into your drain to disintegrate or melt through clogs so that water can get through the pipes. Depending on whether you select a caustic or acid drain opener, this will work differently.

Caustic drain openers generate heat once they touch water, meaning they boil and push the clog out of the pipes.

On the other hand, acid drain openers burn through the clog, completely decimating it.

When to Use Drain Snakes in Commercial Facilities

Drain snakes are usually the most effective for minor-to-moderate clogs in facilities.

For example, let’s say you have a slow-draining sink. Rather than come at it full force with a powerful acid, it would probably be more efficient to use a handheld drain snake to unclog it, saving you product and money while still boasting successful results.

However, drain snakes can sometimes just push the clog further down the pipes, causing a greater inconvenience and requiring more drastic interference. Additionally, if you’re also experiencing odor problems, drain snakes won’t resolve the issue.

This being said, if self-managed, drain snakes are a one-time purchase great for mild clogs or as pre-treatment for severe clogs. But if the clog reveals itself to be too serious, it’s best to move onto a chemical drain opener.

When to Use Chemical Drain Openers in Commercial Facilities

When you’re facing a moderate-to-severe clog, chemical drain openers are a more fitting solution for you than drain snakes.

Let’s say you’re the facilities manager of an assisted living facility, where a resident flushed a diaper down the toilet. In this case, the clog is far too severe for a drain snake to make any difference—it won’t be able to break up this material. However, an acid drain opener could burn straight through the clog and resolve the issue. In a situation like this, this is the only possible solution short of calling a plumber.

Drain openers can also be effective for clogs further down the pipes since they keep moving until they meet an obstacle. This isn’t a sure sign that they’ll break up deep clogs, especially if there’s enough water for them to become diluted as they travel through the drain, but it can be a possible solution before calling a plumber.

Additionally, keep in mind that commercial drain openers are often more costly than drain snakes, which are a one-time expense if you purchase them rather than calling a plumber. However, this is because drain openers are for more severe problems than drain snakes, meaning that at a certain point, they are the only option you have short of calling a plumber.

The Merits of Using Drain Snakes and Drain Openers Together

Regardless of your clog’s severity, the most effective fix to a drain clog is to use both drain snakes and drain openers.

In this method, you first snake out the drain to remove as much solid material as possible. Once this is done, you pour down the drain opener to push out all remaining organics.

This way, the clog is broken up before the drain opener ever enters the drain, giving it a higher chance of success, while the drain opener ensures that the clog isn’t simply pushed further down the pipes by the drain snake. For the health of your drain, this is the most comprehensive solution, especially when it comes to severe clogs.

However, it’s important that you do not use a drain snake after using a drain opener. This can be hazardous to you as the user because the chemicals are still present in the drain. If you pull back up a snake that’s been exposed to hazardous chemicals, you’ll be exposing yourself to them as well. This poses the risk of chemical burns, irritation, and other problems.

To avoid harming yourself, it’s best to use a drain snake before using a drain opener. If you have to use a drain snake after using a drain opener, wait at least several days before doing so.

How to Prevent Commercial Drain Clogs

When you need an urgent fix to a clog, drain snakes and drain openers are each useful solutions to have on hand. But the best way to handle drain clogs is to prevent them in the first place.

This is why it’s a good idea to regularly use a commercial drain maintainer in your facility.

Commercial drain maintainers break down buildup from FOGs and other organics to keep water flowing smoothly through your pipes. When used regularly, drain maintainers dissolve buildup before it can cause problems. This is a long-term way to prevent costly, disruptive clogs, backups, pipe damage, and other issues.

If your drains are constantly experiencing clogs, it’s a good idea to have drain openers or drain snakes on hand in case of emergency, but to get to the root of the problem, you should regularly use commercial drain maintainers for preventative maintenance.

Learn About State Chemical’s Commercial Drain Openers and Maintainers

Frequent drain clogs can be a burden, so it’s important to have the right tool on hand to resolve issues as they arise. Now that you know the merits of drain snakes and drain openers, read this article to learn about State Chemical’s commercial drain openers, and watch the video below to learn how Grease-B-Gone can help you maintain your drains moving forward.