6 Fixes for a Drain Snake That Is Not Working (2024)

A drain snake, often called a drum auger, is the perfect tool for clearing branch drain clogs. A simple hand-operated tool, a drain snake is inexpensive and will save considerable money over the cost of having a professional plumber visit to clear clogs, Having a drain snake around is just as essential as having a toilet plunger around for emergencies. Troubleshoot why the drain snake is going around bends, reaching far enough, not rotating, not retrieving debris, and other issues.

Drain Snake Won't Go Around Bends

Sending the drain snake down the drain causes it to slow down or stop at bends. You may not be rotating the drain snake enough or you may not be using the right kind of drain snake.

• Rotate the drain snake more: A drain snake moves down the pipes both by forward motion and by rotation. Rotate the snake more, while continuing to push the snake forward.
• Use the right drain snake: Your local hardware store or home center may stock only one type of drain snake. But there are several types of drain snakes available, and it is important to use the right one for the job.

Drain Snake Won't Reach Far Enough

You may be using your ordinary 25-foot drain snake, but the corkscrew end is not reaching the clog. The problem is simply that the snake is too short.

For clogs deeply embedded down the length of your drain or sewer pipes, an extra-long auger that is 50 feet longer or more is the only way to reach the clog.

Drain Snake Cable Doesn't Rotate

You push the corkscrew down the drain and then you turn and turn, but nothing is happening. In fact, the cable doesn't even seem to be rotating. When the cable doesn't rotate, the problem is likely that you are not tightening the drain auger's thumbscrew.

A cable extends from the drum portion of the auger, and at the end of the cable is a metal corkscrew designed to snag the clog. On the drum side is a handle.

Failure to tighten the thumbscrew is a common reason behind drain snakes that are not working. Make sure that the thumbscrew that secures the cable inside the drum or handle is securely tightened. If it is not, the cable will not rotate at all when you twist the handle. Rotation is the action that causes the drain snake to pick up the debris; pushing into the clog will not clear it.

Drain Snake Won't Grab Clog

The drain snake may rotate properly and you may feel that it has snagged the debris. But when you retract the cable, there is nothing.

The end of the snake may be too clogged to grab debris or you are attempting to auger a clog that cannot be snagged and pulled up. Clogs that respond best to the metal corkscrew end of the drain snake are hair or paper clogs.

• Clean the end: If you can't bring up any debris from the drain, it might be because you are using a dirty or otherwise clogged drain snake. Completely clean the end of the drain snake so that all of the wire is exposed, especially the sharp wire meant to snag the debris.
• Use another method: Cooking fat and other soft substances will not catch the corkscrew unless that debris also happens to have hair embedded in it. Some clogs are just so dense that an ordinary drain snake cannot force its way through it. Rent a power auger or call a plumber to do the job.

Drain Snake Won't Retrieve Debris

The drain snake may reach the end and rotate properly, and it may even grab the debris. But when you pull back the cable, there is nothing on the end. If you are certain that the snake has grabbed the debris, then you probably retracted the cable too quickly.

Run the snake down the pipe again. Pull back the cable inches at a time. Be patient, especially as the corkscrew is working its way around bends.

Drain Snake Won't Go Down Tub or Sink

The drain snake may start to go down the tub or sink drain well in the first few inches. But it quickly stops, binds up, or twists.

It is very hard to force a drain snake cable through the sharp bends of a fixture P-trap underneath a sink or tub. The solution is to disassemble the trap to bypass some of the tightest bends in the tub or sink. Or you may want to work the snake down the drain slower.

• Disassemble the trap: Take the drain trap apart beneath the sink, then insert the drain snake into the horizontal branch drain. It is a rare clog that you cannot clear if you begin with a clear horizontal path into the branch drain.
• Avoid kinking by going slower: Forcing the snake down the drain too fast may cause it to kink or bend back on itself. You may even find that the cable bends completely back and comes augering out the same drain pipe you just inserted it into. Extend the snake cable into the drain a few inches at a time, gradually extending it. Once you feel it reach the clog, move even slower. It is the rotation of the cable that will loosen the clog.

Drain Snake Is the Wrong Type of Snake

Use of the drain snake may result in any number of problems: scratched surfaces, unreachable clogs, cables that won't turn bends, and more. The fix is to use the right type of drain snake for the job.

• Toilet auger: A toilet auger is a special drain auger with a long rod and short cable that will not scratch delicate porcelain surfaces. Do not use any other type of auger with toilets.
• Small drum auger: For most routine kitchen or bathroom sink drain clogs, the best choice is the drum-style auger, in which the cable is contained inside a rotating canister. Stick with shorter-length cables in the 15- to 25-foot range.

When to Call a Plumber

Improper use of a drain snake can lead to scratching or ruining a fixture. Plumbers are experienced at clearing clogs in drains while preserving the condition of the fixtures. Call a plumber, too, for deeply embedded clogs. Plumbers have very long power augers capable of reaching beyond the 50-foot limit of consumer-level augers.