Before you do ANYTHING to your drain piping, you should ask yourself when the last time you had the main drain line cleared all the way from your house to the septic tank or sewer under the middle of the street you live on.

If you can't remember when that was done last, or if you don't know if it's ever been done, then you'd do well to have that done before you do anything else. The main drain line from your house gradually clogs up with solids mostly from your kitchen sink, and it's been my experience that a partially clogged main drain line cause more plumbing problems than anything else.

Also, in most cases, simply clearing the main drain line will clear up a plumbing problem, especially with problems with the toilet and/or clothes washer stand pipe backing up.

Also, don't phone the Rooter unless they have a drain clearing sale on. You can get the same job done for half the price if you phone around to the small companies that only have their name in the yellow pages phone book and not a full or half page ad. The rooter hires baby plumbers straight out of trade school to clear your drain. Those baby plumbers learn all the can about cleaning drains while working for the Rooter and eventually go to the Bank of Dad to borrow the money to start their own drain cleaning company. They realize that they can clear a drain for half what the Rooter charges and still make twice as much as the can on that drain working for the Rooter. If you hire a company with only their phone number listed in the Yellow Pages, it'll be a one-man company and the President and CEO of the company will come out to clear your drain, and he'll bring all 40 years of experience with him. The bottom line is that you'll get a better job done for a lower price.