How to Operate a Sewer Rooter Machine

There are many different types of sewer rooter machines, including small models for more simple jobs around the home, and larger models used for more industrial settings. Large sewer rooter machines are designed to be used to clean main sewer lines, typically when the problem area is between the building and the city’s main sewer line. The machine will take care of clogs caused by tree roots and many other types of debris. Digging up the lines is labor intensive and costly, so in most cases you should first try to clear the blockage with a sewer rooter machine. A sewer rooter machine can be run up to several hundred feet, and in most cases will enable you to clear a clog without having to dig up plumbing drain lines.

How sewer rooter machines work
Sewer rooter machines include a stiff, flexible cable that is situated on a reel turned by an electric motor. The cable has a C-shaped cutting blade attached to its end. The machine is used by inserting the blade and cable into a sewer cleanout access port. The blade is sharp and can be serrated. The sewer rooter machine’s electric motor spins the cable and blade just like a drill bit. The blade is made to rest against the walls of the pipe so that as it spins, it cuts away roots all the way to the pipe walls.

How to use a sewer rooter machine
To use the sewer rooter machine, hold the cable as you feed it down into the pipe. You should always wear heavy-duty leather work gloves. The cable can shudder as the blade cuts through the blockage, especially when encountering thick roots or tough obstructions. Once you reach a tough spot, slowly ease the cable back a few feet, then feed it forward again until you feel some resistance. You should never attempt to force the cable through as it can tangle the snake cable up and potentially even cause it to catch on your arms or fingers. Continue to move the cable back and forth a few feet at a time until the blockage has been cleared. Once you have broken through the stoppage, feed the sewer rooter machine’s cable another 10 or 15 feet into the drain to make sure it is completely unclogged.

Contact Duracable for more information
Using a sewer rooter machine isn’t always simple, so you want to make sure you know what you’re doing before you begin your job. With the right training and proper tools, you can take care of most blockages before they really start to cause problems. Contact Duracable at 877-244-0740 for more information.