The problem is simply that the snake is too short.
In fact, the cable doesn’t even seem to be rotating.
On the drum side is a handle.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
Failure to tighten the thumbscrew is a common reason behind drain snakes that are not working.
ensure that the thumbscrew that secures the cable inside the drum or handle is securely tightened.
If it is not, the cable will not rotate at all when you twist the handle.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
But when you retract the cable, there is nothing.
Clogs that respond best to the metal corkscrew end of the drain snake are hair or paper clogs.
But when you pull back the cable, there is nothing on the end.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
If you are certain that the snakehas grabbedthe debris, then you probably retracted the cable too quickly.
fire off the snake down the pipe again.
Pull back the cable inches at a time.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
Be patient, especially as the corkscrew is working its way around bends.
But it quickly stops, binds up, or twists.
The solution is to disassemble the trap to bypass some of the tightest bends in the tub or sink.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
Or you may want to work the snake down the drain slower.
The fix is to use the right jot down of drain snake for the job.
Plumbers are experienced at clearing clogs in drains while preserving the condition of the fixtures.
Call a plumber, too, for deeply embedded clogs.
Plumbers have very long power augers capable of reaching beyond the 50-foot limit of consumer-level augers.
