Self-Test D-5.1 Drain Cleaning
Complete Self-Test D-5.1 and check your answers.
- Using Table 1, match the following drain-cleaning applications with the appropriate drum cable attachment
| Question | Answer | Application | Attachment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Used in drain lines for final removal of ma- terial and roots adhering to pipe walls | A. Sharktooth cutter | |
| 2 | Used on drain lines that have become badly greased with detergents and have to be opened | B. Four-blade sawtooth cutter | |
| 3 | Used in drain lines leading from garbage disposal units and associated waste lines | C. Retrieving auger | |
| 4 | Used on drain lines to recover a lost or broken drum cable | D. Funnel auger | |
| 5 | Used in drain lines after a straight auger to break up remaining obstructions | E. Straight auger | |
| 6 | Used in drain lines that are coated with hardened material such as chemical de- posits | F. Spiral sawtooth cutter | |
| 7 | Used for easier entrance into drain lines from back-to-back fixtures | G. Drop head auger | |
| 8 | Used in drain lines where heavy and dense roots require hooking to break them up | H. Grease C cutter | |
| 9 | Used in drain lines to follow up after an auger has cleared a floor drain | I. Spiral bar cutter | |
| 10 | Used in main sewers blocked by roots, leaf debris, sticks, sawdust, cloth, or sacking | J. Chain knocker | |
| 11 | Used in drain lines blocked heavily with roots; has a feature that allows it to be removed from damaged pipe without locking | K. Spade cutter | |
| 12 | Used in drain lines that require scale re- moval or even boiler tubes during service | L. Expanding finish cutter | |
| 13 | Used in drain lines to clear general mate- rial that may be attached to the pipe walls | M. Hook auger | |
| 14 | Used to retrieve a drain blockage sample that determines proper attachment | N. Grease cutter | |
| 15 | Used in drain lines to clear multiple ob- structions such as roots, rags, and sticks | O. Sawtooth cutter |
- What two pieces of PPE are essential when undertaking a drain-cleaning procedure?
- Hard hat and safety glasses
- Rubber safety shoes and safety glasses with side shields
- Rubber safety shoes and gloves
- Gloves and safety glasses with side shields
- What is the proper procedure to follow when sending a cutter attachment into a drain line and a blockage stops the cutter?
- Allow the cable to twist until the stoppage is cleared.
- Use short forward and reverse movements and allow the machine to work on the blockage.
- Force the attachment forward to break up the obstruction.
- Return the cable to the surface and attach a larger attachment.
- What is the best tool to use when a building sewer is draining slowly and you suspect it has collapsed?
- Drum auger with a retrieving attachment
- Video inspection machine
- Water jetter machine
- Drum auger with a chain knocker attachment
- What device does an on-surface pipe locator communicate with inside a drain line?
- Drain-cleaning attachment on the end of a cleaning cable
- Ball with an internal magnet
- Tracer wire
- Camera/transmitter on the end of the video inspection cable
- Other than the location of a problem area inside a drain line, what other information is available to the operator at ground level when using a pipe locator?
- Depth of burial of the drain line
- Condition of the drain pipe
- Type of pipe material
- Drain pipe’s proximity to the property line
- Why is a hand-powered drum auger not meant to be sent down a toilet bowl to clear an obstruction?
- The cabling is too short and fragile and will snap inside the bowl.
- Toilets require more force than can be obtained from a hand-operated machine.
- The cable will mark the porcelain finish on the bowl surface.
- The cable is not flexible enough to navigate through the integral trap found in toilet bowls.
- What feature does a closet auger have to help protect the finish on the inside of a closet bowl?
- Plastic cable
- Plastic boot on the hooked foot of the tool
- Re-usable rubber bowl liner
- What loosens and tightens the chuck onto the cable when using a small pipe diameter power drum auger?
- A hex wrench
- The chuck is hand-tightened and loosened.
- The tool’s motor automatically tightens and loosens the chuck.
- The cable is not tightened or loosened at the chuck.
- What rotation direction is the normal forward feed position when using a large pipe diameter drum auger?
- Clockwise
- Counter-clockwise
- If you are using a large pipe diameter drum auger and you encounter an obstruction that stops the rotation of the cutting attachment, what is the proper procedure to avoid snapping the cable?
- Continue in the forward direction.
- Continue in the forward direction, pull hard on the cable, and allow it to spin backward once released.
- Place the machine in reverse to relax the tension on the cable.
- Stop the machine and hand-feed the cable through the blockage.
- What is typically the maximum water pressure used with drain-cleaning water jetter machines?
- 7,000 kPa (1,000 psig)
- 14,000 kPa (2,000 psig)
- 21,000 kPa (3,000 psig)
- 28,000 kPa (4,000 psig)
- Which pipe location is best to introduce a water jetter hose into a clogged line?
- Closest upstream cleanout above the obstruction
- Closest downstream cleanout below the obstruction
- Furthest upstream cleanout above the obstruction
- Furthest downstream cleanout below the obstruction
- What is the best tool to use when you suspect that a building sewer is frozen because it is not buried deep enough?
- Drum auger with a root-cutting attachment
- Steam cleaning machine
- Water jetter machine
- Drum auger with a chain knocker attachment
Answer Key: Self-Test D-5.1 is on the next page.
