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FEATURES
Snakes in a drain
By
Tanya Olckers
The beginner ’ s guide to drain cleaning .
Plumbers come across some really weird stuff in drains . The strangest thing that drain cleaning specialist , Brian Masenya from Ian Dickie , has ever found in a drain is a python . The snake itself was still alive , however , it was contributing to a blockage on a main line in Middelburg , Mpumalanga .
The snake most likely got into the pipe system through an open manhole and made itself comfortable . The plumbers sent to clear the pipe system were less comfortable .
“ Before unblocking any drain , you should first be very familiar with installing drains ,” says Arthur Classen of AJC Plumbing . “ You ' ll need to know all the fittings , their uses , applications and installation methods because the only part of the drain you ' ll see is a round piece of pipe that ' s overflowing . You will need to stand back and visualise where the pipes run and what could be causing the obstruction .”
The reality is that drains don ’ t block themselves . Poor installation could be a cause of the blockage , but more commonly the problem lies with pesky ‘ foreign objects ’ that people have chucked down the toilet , such as feminine hygiene products , nappies and the odd vuvuzela .
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Corkscrew attachments
Ropump plus
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Jetter nozzle
Sand , bathroom items and toilet cleaning products can easily become wedged . Roots can cause a great deal of damage and are known to get in anywhere . Also , a hopelessly lost python ( or any other kind of snake really ) could easily slip into an open manhole and find itself having to rebuild its life in a sewer line .
Back in the day , rods were used almost exclusively . Plumbers had to sometimes dig into the ground to the pipe to sort out the blockage .
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Brian Masenya demonstrates rod manufacture .
“ Imagine that ,” says Classen , “ You have to dig open the pipe , and either remove the obstruction by hand or use the rods . These days all plumbing must be hidden and forgotten and that ’ s why we need tech because people forget about maintenance .”
Before setting out to clear a blocked drain , Classen advises , “ Know where you will be washing your hands , and how you plan to clean up the mess !”
www . plumbingafrica . co . za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline August 2024 Volume 30 I Number 6