What To Look For When Buying Cheap Drain Rods

Everyone loves a bargain, and no-one wants to spend more on DIY than they need to. But if you have a pipe blockage and want to save on the cost of a plumber, there’s no quicker way to increase the expense than to buy the cheapest of cheap drain rods in the first instance. This blog talks you through the possible pitfalls.

Any professional plumber who deals with the tricky business of unblocking drains will tell you that there is no more valuable tool in their toolbox than a good set of drain rods. They earn back the money spent on them time and time again. But they do this for a living. If you have what you think is a one-off blockage, surely the best thing to do is to invest in the lowest-priced cheap drain rods set possible; because after all, you may never have to use them again? Think again. Firstly, it’s important to remember that you are not a plumber. Knowledge and experience are often the key factors that set home DIYers and the professionals apart. If you don’t understand how the underground drainage system works, you’re likely to come unstuck – very much like your drainage rods, which may well detach from each other if you buy the wrong sort! You see, some of the cheapest options on the market look easy to attach as they just screw together, male to female. But there is nothing to secure the joint. Therefore, if you rotate the rods in different ways in a misguided effort to manoeuvre them along twists in the pipe and remove the blockage, there’s every chance they will unscrew and uncouple from each other.

You’ve then added to the problem by leaving an additional obstacle down the drain. It’s well worth spending a little more on a drain rod set that comes with secure fixings on all the joints. Then, you can rotate the rod both ways to reach and help clear the obstruction, without losing any of them in the process. The next thing to note is the action you use to push the rods in and pull them out is different. Drain cleaning rods should be inserted slowly and steadily until you reach what’s blocking the pipe. Very often, you’ll find this is a mass of roots from a nearby tree or bush. Patience is required to screw the rods into the root ball. Don’t go too far, or you risk being unable to extract both the rods and the blockage. To remove your drain rods, you must pull quickly and firmly. Buy drain rods at the lowest end of the market, and you may find that they are not made of a sturdy enough material to penetrate the blockage; alternatively, they may snap at the first sight of a bend or obstruction.

Purchasing excessively cheap drain rods is rarely worth the outlay and can bring a whole new set of problems for your drains. Luckily, you can still find good quality at a budget price. Look for well-respected names in the industry such as Bailey; and shop online for bargain prices.

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