Once on a job for a given length of time, we all come up with little ways to simplify our work, making it easier to perform. This is especially true in the trades. Maybe you have a way of dislodging wood plugs from a hole saw, a method of fixing a leak in a tight space or even a technique for descaling manifolds. Well, some of our readers did. These ideas nabbed their creators the first-place prize in Plumbing & Mechanical’s monthly Tool Tips feature.

The first-place winner will receive a Kinetic Water Ram from General Pipe Cleaners with a retail value of $325. The kit contains the Kinetic Water Ram, 4 in. rubber cone, five rubber plugs and a carrying case. The Kinetic Water Ram uses a burst of compressed air to create a shock wave (kinetic energy) that travels though water to break up a stoppage. It quickly opens clogged sinks, toilets and tubs, and handles rust, grease and scale in lines with diameters up to 4 inches. The Ram has a self-contained pump and pressure gauge, so you can hit the blockage with just the right amount of force. You get instant impact with no pressure build up. The shock wave travels so fast that it bypasses vents and stacks, hitting the stoppage with 98% of its force. The Ram is particularly useful when the problem is on the far side of a drum trap.