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So you have found the right cable machine for you and are looking to get started using it. Before you get on with using it for sewer and drain cleaning, it is of the utmost importance that you are aware of all of the necessary things that go along with the proper and safe use of a sink machine. There is more to using one than you might be aware of. To help you get a better understanding of what things you should know when you are getting started using your cable machine, Spartan Tool is here to talk to you about the various dos and don’ts that come with the territory.
Safety First
When getting started using your cable machine, the very first thing you should be aware and mindful of is safety. Following proper safety procedures can not only ensure the longevity of your drain cleaning drum machine, but also the health and well-being of you and those nearby you while you are operating your cable machine.
To help you keep your next drain cleaning job as safe as possible, here are some safety instructions that you should keep in mind and abide by:
Watch Out for Electric Shocks
No matter the context, electric shock is certainly no joke. If it does not cause death, it can definitely cause a wide array of issues like burns, heart interference, muscle issues, and a whole host of other problems. It is absolutely vital when sewer cleaning that you do everything you can to make sure that everything is properly grounded, you are dressed in safe attire, and do not leave any electrical cords lying somewhere wet.
All modern cable machines come equipped with Ground Fault Current Interrupters (or GFCI) to help ensure that there is significantly less chance of running into any problems regarding electric shock occurring while you are on a job. That said, it is also highly important that you make sure that any outlets you are using are properly grounded and not in a place where they can come into contact with any water that might be present while you are in the process of operating your sewer machine for sewer and drain cleaning.
Avoid Potential Health Concerns
Cable drain cleaning machines are not inherently dangerous to your health, but while operating one, there are a few things that you should keep in mind so that you can avoid any potential hazards further on down the road. Working with a sewer cleaning machine often entails being in wet, dirty environments, which makes for ample opportunity for disease to spread if proper precautions are not taken. However, there are numerous things that you can do to avoid such problems.
Some of the things that you can do in order to avoid having any problems with health concerns due to a sewer and drain cleaning job include:
- Be Properly Inoculated
- Wear Eye Protection
- Wear Coveralls to Reduce Skin Exposure
- Do Not Touch Eyes, Ears, or Mouth on Service Calls
- Cover All Cuts and Abrasions Before the Service Call
- Wash with Antibacterial Soap After Each Service Call
- Maintain Proper Diet and Exercise
Steps for Using Your Cable Machine
When you want to get started using your cable machine, aside from safety, it is important to know everything involved in operating it. Knowing all of the ins and outs of how to use a small sewer machine can not only make your job a whole lot easier, but it can also prolong the longevity of it and save you a significant amount of money in potential repairs and replacements.
The following is a list of general instructions that should be followed each and every time you operate a cable drain cleaning machine in order to keep it in optimal functioning condition for future drain cleaning jobs:
Getting Started
When getting started using your cable machine, you will first want to make sure that it is safe to do so. By following the safety protocol mentioned earlier, you can not only save money on repairs and replacements for your drain cleaning cable machine, plumbing, and other things in the job area, but you can also save your own life and the lives of others around you as well.
Cable machine Once you have ensured that everything is safe and ready to go, the first thing that you will want to do when using your drain cleaning machine is to position it no more than two feet away from the drain in order to have optimal safety and usage of your cable.
After positioning your sewer machine where it needs to be, you will want to begin slowly feeding the cable itself into the drain. You will want to push as much as you are able to until the full arc of the drain cable has been completely inserted into the drain, but not in an overly forceful way. As mentioned earlier, this can lead to a number of potential problems that can end up being rather expensive to fix.
Starting up the Cable Machine
Once you have gotten your drain cable fully inserted into the line that is clogged in the proper fashion, then you can start up your cable machine. The small sewer machine will have a foot switch attached to it so that you will be able to guide the cable using your hand with ease while you are operating the machine using your foot. This is to make it much more efficient to operate the machine while also maintaining a precise and reliable guiding presence with your hands.
Dealing with Potential Problems
While you are on a drain cleaning job using a sewer drain cleaner, it is common to run into a few kinds of setbacks that make the task at hand more difficult to deal with than you would like. If this happens, there is no need to get frustrated, as there are a number of different ways you can go about resolving them without having to be concerned with running into even bigger problems.
For instance, should you run into a situation where your cable is meeting a noticeable amount of resistance from whatever is clogging the line, what you should first do is pull the cable out just by a little bit, and then try once again. This can help you get a better grasp on the obstruction and help you get through it without having to apply an excessive amount of force and cause damage to the cable and/or the plumbing itself. Keep in mind that a small sewer machine in some respects is similar to a power drill. Applying too much force could end up causing serious damage to the pipes that you are trying to unclog.
If for one reason or another you are unable to get to whatever is obstructing the line with just the single cable you are already using or are running into another issue where such action may be necessary, you can also add additional cable onto the one in use. This gives you more length to work with and gives you a better chance of reaching whatever is causing the blockage issue when cleaning sewer lines.
Dealing with the Clog
When you reach the clog that is causing the problem with your sewer drain cleaner, you need to make sure that you approach it the right way in order to make sure that you not only remove it completely, but also safely. There is definitely such a thing as going too hard with your cable.
In order to remove a blockage from a drain pipe the correct way, you will want to move the cable back and front until the debris forming the clog has been broken. Once again, applying too much pressure when using a small sewer machine in this situation is a big no-no, and will only cause you and the customer more money, time, and effort in getting things set up and running properly once again.
Reaching the End
Once you have managed to reach the end of the drain line using your cable machine and whatever amount of cable length you have been applying to the job, you can then hit the reverse switch on your sewer drain cleaner machine to begin pulling the cable back up. Keep in mind that you do not want to go overly fast with this, as doing so could cause both property damage as well as personal injury to yourself and anyone else who may be within proximity of the cable.
At this point, you will then want to shut off and unplug your cable machine, followed by returning it to where you keep drain cleaning tools in your vehicle when it is not currently in use.
Additionally, after you have managed to pull the entire cable out from the drain, you will then want to start running water from the faucet for the next few minutes. The reason that you will want to do this is so that any remaining bits of the clog will be washed out and not stick around to cause any further issues for the customer.
Things to Avoid When Using a Cable Machine
It is also important to note that when using a cable machine for cleaning out a drain, there are a number of different things you want to avoid doing. By using such a machine improperly, there are plenty of things that could go wrong, such as a jam, broken cable, damage to drain cleaning tools, damaged plumbing, or any amount of other things that could take some considerable time, effort, and money to fix. This is why it is so important for you to follow the guidelines for sewer drain cleaner operation.
The following are some of the major things that you should avoid when operating a cable machine:
Never Use Reverse When the Cable is Not Caught
The only time it is ever safe to use the reverse function on a drain cleaning machine is if the cable is caught on something. If you were to use reverse when the cable is free, then you come into high risk of facing hazards such as cable flipping or the cable coming out of the drum, which in turn can cause personal injury to you as well as anyone else who may be within close proximity to you.
Never Force a Cable Through a Blockage
When cleaning out a clog from a drain using a cable machine, it is of the utmost importance that you do not ever force the cable through a blockage. There are multiple reasons for this. For one thing, it can cause damage to both the cable as well as the machine itself, which in turn can be costly to repair or replace. Additionally, it could also cause some substantial damage to the plumbing itself, which would leave you with bigger problems than you had to begin with. Pipe repair is a big job in and of itself.
Furthermore, forcing a cable through a blockage when cleaning sewer lines can potentially cause personal injury. It is best to just let the cutter do its work. It may take a bit of time, but the job will get done and you will not have to worry about the aforementioned problems.
Do Not Overstress the Cable
When you are operating a cable machine, you also want to make sure that you do not ever overstress the cable you are using. The reason for this is that doing so can lead to a variety of forms of damage, including kinking, twisting, and breaking. This can make a job take much longer to complete and cost you a noticeable amount of money. Plus, putting too much stress on a cable while in a drain can cause some serious expensive damage to the plumbing itself. This is definitely something you will want to avoid at all costs.
Never Put Your Cable Machine More Than 2-3 Feet Away from the Drain Opening
If you are operating a cable sewer drain cleaner for sewer and drain cleaning, you want to ensure that it is never kept more than 2 to 3 feet away from the drain opening. The reason behind this is that if you move it further away, you could run into cable looping, which can in turn cause some serious problems for your drain cable machine. It is best to keep the cable machine relatively close to the drain opening to both avoid the cable looping as well as allow yourself to make the most of the cable’s length.
