drain cleaning

[saladcafe]

Im wanting to get into commercial drain cleaning and want to know what will be best for outdoor domestic drain cleaning.... ive looked into ordering a drum machine which has 350 watt power/... but want to know if for a beginner it would be better to use a manuel feed due to cable snapping etc?????

these are the specs, is this any good??

Including: Φ12.5mm*23m Enhanced inner core
Flexible soft shafts
Drilling: T-2-e, T-5-e, T-7-e, T-8-e
Protection tube: F-7-d
Key: F-3-a

 

[Caduceus]

If you post a manufacturer, make and model I may be able to give you some feedback. You usually get what you pay for in a sewer machine and the risk of breaking a cable or getting it stuck in a sewer has a number of variables involved. Most beginners that I know use a sectional type of machine. Once you get some experience and a feel for how the cables are responding in the pipes maybe consider a drum with a continuous feed cable. They usually take a little more skill to be effective and to avoid breaking or getting it stuck.
Advice to a beginner...always warn the customer that there is a risk of breaking the cable or getting it stuck and that you cannot be held responsible. You are there for a problem inside the pipes and you don't know what it is and if the situation worsens they may need more work. Get that in writing if you can and signed.
Make sure that you are insured for any possible mishaps, damages or injuries.
Charge accordingly for your work. Most people today expect you to clean up any mess that was made by you...not necessarily all of the sewage that backed up, but a reasonable clean-up. Commercial jobs can get really messy.
Get in touch with a local flood/restoration company and carry their cards with you. When the client says "what do I do about all of this damage/sewage/mold, etc?" you have somebody to refer them to. It shows you are prepared and care about them. They will call you and refer you for repeat business.
Nobody ever sat down and gave me the 1,2,3's of drain cleaning. I was 'self taught', I guess.
I have compiled a list in my brain of all the mistakes and bad things that have happened to me on sewer jobs over the years. Hopefully you don't have to learn the hard way like I did.lol.
It's good to ask questions, every day an opportunity to learn something new is presented to us.

 

[saladcafe]

thanks very much I appreciate your response.... The machine I've ordered is pretty cheap so I dont expect it to be anything fancy. It's definatly a worry about cables snapping and being caught down a line.... I was told tonight that Clay pipes can crack with these machines?? New zealand still has a lot of these pipes, perhaps it's not worth all the risk and maybe a cctv system would serve as a better investment for me being a non registered beginner.... your thoughts on clay pipes and eels/snakes?? The machines im looking at are:

sectional :

http://ridgidusa.com/productsjt.asp?id=1085&xi=2

drum: http://ridgidusa.com/productsjt.asp?id=1089&xi=2

although these are cheapies, its about as far as my budget goes for now.

I am also buying a handheld one for indoor drains.... I'm slightly concerned and think that maybe getting a camera first would greatly reduce the risk...

thanks you heaps mate, let me know if theres anything I can do for you.

 

[lordofthepipes]

you may want to check ebay for rodding equipment. we have picked up three spartan 1065 main line machines for around 500.00 usd a piece. yes we did repairs to them but these are great machines and will last.

 

[lordofthepipes]

oh, and about cracking clay pipes...i don't know about clay tile in New Zealand but here in chicago the chance of breaking clay tile is slim, unless the tile is already falling apart.

 

[saladcafe]

cheers lordofthepipes - love the name too !

 

[Caduceus]

LOTP hit the nail on the head with ebay. Many start up companies that fail will liquidate their tools and equipment for cheap. Some of them barely used. I would not recommend getting a camera unless you have a drain machine or can rent one. The reason is that if the drain is clogged and filled with sewage you usually can't see what is in the pipe until the clog is relieved. Of course you can still locate the problem if your camera has the feature, but once the camera moves around in the pipe sewage stirs up and visibility is nil.
I have heard the myth that sewer cables can break clay/terra cotta pipe. Not true. The pipes are already broken, collapsed or cracked and people think the machine did it. As a matter of fact, if the pipe is already broken it has more of a chance of breaking your cable or getting it stuck. The machine becomes the victim and the pipe is the assailant.So be careful.
I also see a nice assortment of bits for the cable on the link that was posted. Know your bits and what they are used for. The wrong bit for the job can really screw you.

 

[LiQuId]

Usually Snake a pipe with a head that is slightly less than the pipe size if you suspect clay pipe, this will clear the pipes clog but not Etch the inner pipe wall. Pay carefull attention to the homeowner when doing a snake on a pipe, Ask questions.. " did they use Drain-o " ? they prolly will not tell you if they did, instead say " no " but watch their reaction to the question. IF they did indeed put Drain o down the pipe then this is where you will snap cables and lose Heads as The steel cable passes through the drain o Is causes a Chemical reaction called Caustic Embrittlement that causes the snake and heads to break apart easilly like an egg shell.

Make sure you have good insurance if, pardon the expression... **** hits the fan .

 

[DFWPlumber]

Hey they are also available household ingredients we can use when doing drain cleaning. We should not always buy immediately high priced powerful industrial chemical so that you can save little money and dont purchase immediately.