# drain snake BROKE



## Jesicca (Mar 14, 2011)

*drain snake BROKE off in drain !!*

my plastic drain snake broke off in my bathtub drain pipe how do i get it out ??? my tub will not drain !!


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## rjordan393 (Sep 15, 2010)

I believe there is a screw in the center of the drain that secures the metal strainer. Did you remove this strainer before using the plastic tool. I would hesitate to call that a drain snake; I might call the manufacturer a snake.
If you can get the strainer off yourself, then if you can reach the broken end of the plastic tool with your finger, you might be able to use a needle nosed plier to reach in and grab it. If that fails, then use a metal snake. Snakes have a spiral end that grabs material causing the clog. The local homecenters have small snakes. Ask the salesperson if he can show you how to properly use the tool.


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

You might have to go on the other side of the wall and take the entire drain apart and pull it out from there.


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## Jesicca (Mar 14, 2011)

*no screw*

i looked at the drain and there is no screw to remove the strainer, so therefore i dont believe i will be able to get that snake thingy down there because the holes in my drain strainer are very small, what should i do now take #2 advice and tear down the wall lol


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

I wouldn't tear down the wall I would look on the other side of the wall and see if there's a access cover.


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## analyst (Mar 15, 2011)

we have "retriever heads" on our larger cables for such problems. Imagine a spring, tightly wound, the head being the same but the spring opening up and expanding a little until it ends with a pointed end than can pierce things...if you run the motor the direction to turn it to do so. A retriever head will snag the item, like your plastic snake and wrap it around itself. But don't continue driving the snake or you might break it off again and retrieve all of it. Stop the retriever snake after a few revolutions and pull it out without turning it. Should come right out.

Since that plastic line is not that far down, you might try this:

You can ask or google but I'm not sure there are small drain retriever heads available. You can easily make one though.

Buy a coiled spring metal snake in a manual winder can..the depot has them. The "Armstrong model".

You can bend the end around to make a hook that will snag the plastic line. You might need to heat the spring metal tip up to get it soft to bend easier.Feed it down the overflow of the tub...after removing the drain lever etc if you have such a mechanism in there. Rotate your snagger as you go down in the snag direction of course so you simply don't push the plastic down further. First try going only as far as the first 8 inches of the plastic...gage that by looking at how much broke off and came out in your hand. Pull back out and see if you grabbed it. Repeat going a bit farther each time.

Eventually, if you do not snag it, you may push it out of the smaller piping into you larger drain pipes. Not so bad because with the barbed ends it might scoot out into the municipal grinders & boosters and eventually feed new species of bacteria.:laughing:


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## Jesicca (Mar 14, 2011)

lol i really wish there was an access panel, we live in a trailer and those pipes have been replaced before along with the wall and no one ever put the access panel back, so if it comes down to it unfortunately we will have to tear down the wall, thankfully its a small space and it wont be too much to repair


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## Hornnumb2 (Mar 16, 2011)

If you live in a trailer you should be able to get to the drain line from underneath the trailer.


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## Jesicca (Mar 14, 2011)

i didn't even think of that i'll crawl up under there tonmorrow and see if it comes out down there if not then i'll try wat the previous guy said and if that don't work bye bye wall


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

Hornnumb2 said:


> If you live in a trailer you should be able to get to the drain line from underneath the trailer.


I second that.


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## Jesicca (Mar 14, 2011)

ok so i bought some hair clog remover from the depot and it has unclogged the drain, is it extremely important that i get that plastic thing out of there now thats its draining ?????


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

Jesicca said:


> ok so i bought some hair clog remover from the depot and it has unclogged the drain, is it extremely important that i get that plastic thing out of there now thats its draining ?????


Sorry. But it will cause some problems if you leave it. Lord knows what the drano did to it.


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## Homerepairguy (Aug 1, 2010)

Jesicca said:


> ok so i bought some hair clog remover from the depot and it has unclogged the drain, is it extremely important that i get that plastic thing out of there now thats its draining ?????


You have received some advice that can work but maybe consider calling a plumber before you make things worse. The broken plastic snake must be removed or you will have ongoing clogging problems, especially from hair catching on the broken snake. The further down you push the broken snake, the harder it will be for the plumber to get it out. Don't use any more drain cleaner before calling the plumber as it will only make his job much harder.


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## The Drain Clean (Apr 28, 2016)

Proper tools and experience go a long way...Call a professional.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Jesicca- are you comfortable with all the plumbing terms they're using? If not, ask. No harm in asking. :wink2:


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

*Re: drain snake BROKE off in drain !!*

This thread is pretty old, I assume the problem is solved by now.....


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