I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water, then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally. All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

On 1/14/2016 10:40 AM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I
can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small
diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure
like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged
first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there
are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear
out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually
got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water,
then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the
hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally.
All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I have some devices that use water pressure to that end.
They have a place for a garden hose to be attached. They
are then inserted into the drain. The water pressure expands
their outer diameter until they fit snuggly in the drain opening.
The water coursing through them then pushes any obstructions out
of the drain.

The biggest issue with these are the typical vents associated with
most drains. These must be plugged lest the pressure never develop.
Note where the drains vent in your tub, sink, etc.

Things similar to:
http://www.amazon.com/G-T-Water-Products-186-Attachment/dp/B0000CBIWC

I have a couple of different sizes.

On 1/14/2016 11:40 AM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water, then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally. All this worked, but it took a lot of time.



Just a random thought here. Air is compressible and water is NOT.
That's why the plumbers recommend using the accordian bellows type
"plumber's friend." They have a hollow handle that unscrews from the
bellows to allow the air to leak out and be replaced by water. Once
it's filled with water, you tighten the handle and give it a push. That
shoots a solid wall of water at the obstruction hopefully dislodging it.
Since most drain obstructions are partial (or even if near total) air
would just leak around the obstruction and accomplish nothing.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 11:45:51 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

Things similar to:
http://www.amazon.com/G-T-Water-Products-186-Attachment/dp/B0000CBIWC

These worked for me, clearing stuck twigs/leaves blocking a pool line.
I was thinking (dangerous) the OP could try a wet-dry shop-vac to
vacuum the clogs out of the washer drain line.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water, then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally. All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I tried clearing a clog with pressure and all I did was fill the
bathroom sink with poop.
(it is virtually impossible to plug up the overflow/vent)

I ended up pulling the crapper and using my snake.

wrote in message ...
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water, then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally. All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I tried clearing a clog with pressure and all I did was fill the
bathroom sink with poop.
(it is virtually impossible to plug up the overflow/vent)

I ended up pulling the crapper and using my snake.

Thanks all - good info!! I'll try the boiling water tonight. I'll try the snake as a last resort because it's a real pain to get it to make the turns and harder to get it back out. Last time I boiled 4 large pots of water with 25% ZEP cleaner/degreaser and poured them all down one after the other. Then flush with hot water and then use Drano a couple of times.

Water lines are under pressure, about 45 psig in my area. They're designed that way.

Waste lines drain through gravity. Most of the time there's no pressure at all on them, except when draining, and that's brief and minimal. They aren't necessarily designed to resist pressure.

I'd be cautious of any pressure technique.

Would a fernco hold 45 psig? On a 3 inch drain line? Maybe but I wouldn't risk it.

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 4:11:05 PM UTC-5, TimR wrote:
Water lines are under pressure, about 45 psig in my area. They're designed that way.

Waste lines drain through gravity. Most of the time there's no pressure at all on them, except when draining, and that's brief and minimal. They aren't necessarily designed to resist pressure.

I'd be cautious of any pressure technique.

Would a fernco hold 45 psig? On a 3 inch drain line? Maybe but I wouldn't risk it.

Fernco No-Hubs, even the heavy duty kind, are pressure tested
to a max of 4.3 PSI. Yes, I said four *point* three.

Last line of the Specifications section:

https://www.fernco.com/plumbing/shie...-hub-couplings

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 13:06:33 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

wrote in message ...
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water, then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally. All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I tried clearing a clog with pressure and all I did was fill the
bathroom sink with poop.
(it is virtually impossible to plug up the overflow/vent)

I ended up pulling the crapper and using my snake.

Thanks all - good info!! I'll try the boiling water tonight. I'll try the snake as a last resort because it's a real pain to get it to make the turns and harder to get it back out. Last time I boiled 4 large pots of water with 25% ZEP cleaner/degreaser and poured them all down one after the other. Then flush with hot water and then use Drano a couple of times.


Some times it helps to know where the clog is. Are there any drains
that seem OK?
Be aware on multilevel houses, if the ones downstairs are plugged,
don't even bother looking farther up. You can flood your basement with
poop if you put too much water in from upstairs.
I am on a slab so I start from the cleanout at the exit from the house
and work back from there. Watch the line there and run some water from
each fixture up the line one at a time until you stop seeing the flow.
Getting as close to the clog as you can will improve you chances with
the plunger.
The snake works best from a crapper hole tho because there are usually
not many turns on that line until it hits the main trunk.

In ,
typed:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe
blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many
elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have
experience using pressure like this? . . . ,

I tried clearing a clog with pressure and all I did was fill the
bathroom sink with poop.
(it is virtually impossible to plug up the overflow/vent)

When I read this topic, I started wondering if I could do the same thing to
clear the line in my bathroom sink -- it drains very slowly; a chronic
problem. It's one of those with the old lead drain lines and it is a pain
to try to get the snake to make the whole trip to the end when it enters
into the cast iron sewer line. I have done that in the past and it does
work, but it is a pain.

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

On 1/14/2016 2:44 PM, TomR wrote:

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

You still have the vent up to the roof to contend with. The pressure
solutions really only work to dislodge "dislodgeable" obstructions :
I find them preferable to resorting to chemicals as those are easily
overused.

But, if someone has made a special effort to clog your drain
(e.g., roots infiltrating the sewer line), no amount of pressure is
going to help. (a motorized snake with cutting head for root
problems)

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 13:21:25 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 4:11:05 PM UTC-5, TimR wrote:
Water lines are under pressure, about 45 psig in my area. They're designed that way.

Waste lines drain through gravity. Most of the time there's no pressure at all on them, except when draining, and that's brief and minimal. They aren't necessarily designed to resist pressure.

I'd be cautious of any pressure technique.

Would a fernco hold 45 psig? On a 3 inch drain line? Maybe but I wouldn't risk it.

Fernco No-Hubs, even the heavy duty kind, are pressure tested
to a max of 4.3 PSI. Yes, I said four *point* three.

Last line of the Specifications section:

https://www.fernco.com/plumbing/shie...-hub-couplings

I have a couple in my pool plumbing and they do OK at 10-12 PSI

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 16:44:06 -0500, "TomR" wrote:

In ,
typed:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe
blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many
elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have
experience using pressure like this? . . . ,

I tried clearing a clog with pressure and all I did was fill the
bathroom sink with poop.
(it is virtually impossible to plug up the overflow/vent)

When I read this topic, I started wondering if I could do the same thing to
clear the line in my bathroom sink -- it drains very slowly; a chronic
problem. It's one of those with the old lead drain lines and it is a pain
to try to get the snake to make the whole trip to the end when it enters
into the cast iron sewer line. I have done that in the past and it does
work, but it is a pain.

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.



That would be step one in any drain cleaning operation anyway. Why
complicate the process with a bunch of parts that are this easy to
remove. You might find your problem before you even get to the wall.
You can usually get to the trunk line with a closet auger once you get
to the wall stub.

Drop all of those parts in a bucket of water with a splash of bleach
and they will look like new overnight.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 14:55:40 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 1/14/2016 2:44 PM, TomR wrote:

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

You still have the vent up to the roof to contend with. The pressure
solutions really only work to dislodge "dislodgeable" obstructions :
I find them preferable to resorting to chemicals as those are easily
overused.

But, if someone has made a special effort to clog your drain
(e.g., roots infiltrating the sewer line), no amount of pressure is
going to help. (a motorized snake with cutting head for root
problems)

If you really have roots clogging your drain, a backhoe is the more
appropriate tool. You can cut them back somewhat with a snake but they
will be right back. I suppose you could kill the tree but you can
still use the backhoe to dig out the stump and while you are there,
fix the pipe ;-)

I just did something similar myself with a mini Kabota.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure like this?

The "plumbers helper" has been used for decades and more - and there
is a modification to the old standard that has a pump cyl in the
handle that provides a good shot of air. I've had one for over 15
years and it works GREAT for clearing drains.

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water, then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally. All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I would limit pressure to 30 PSi -and it will clean blockages but not
the kind you get in a washer hose with 4 elbows in it. Flushing with
hot water like you did is the best way to purge a soap-scum and lint
blocked disaster in waiting.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 19:53:44 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure like this?

The "plumbers helper" has been used for decades and more - and there
is a modification to the old standard that has a pump cyl in the
handle that provides a good shot of air. I've had one for over 15
years and it works GREAT for clearing drains.

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water, then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally. All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I would limit pressure to 30 PSi -and it will clean blockages but not
the kind you get in a washer hose with 4 elbows in it. Flushing with
hot water like you did is the best way to purge a soap-scum and lint
blocked disaster in waiting.
OOPS - got an extra zero in there - limit to about 3 psi. - that's
5.1 pounds of pressure on the bung in a 1.5" pipe.

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 3:06:53 PM UTC-6, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
wrote in message ...
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water, then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally. All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I tried clearing a clog with pressure and all I did was fill the
bathroom sink with poop.
(it is virtually impossible to plug up the overflow/vent)

I ended up pulling the crapper and using my snake.

Thanks all - good info!! I'll try the boiling water tonight. I'll try the snake as a last resort because it's a real pain to get it to make the turns and harder to get it back out. Last time I boiled 4 large pots of water with 25% ZEP cleaner/degreaser and poured them all down one after the other. Then flush with hot water and then use Drano a couple of times.

Which variety of Drano are you using: Acid or Alkali? Lint is probably the problem in your drain; I suggest using the alkali version if you haven't already.

wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 14:55:40 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 1/14/2016 2:44 PM, TomR wrote:

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

You still have the vent up to the roof to contend with. The pressure
solutions really only work to dislodge "dislodgeable" obstructions :
I find them preferable to resorting to chemicals as those are easily
overused.

But, if someone has made a special effort to clog your drain
(e.g., roots infiltrating the sewer line), no amount of pressure is
going to help. (a motorized snake with cutting head for root
problems)

If you really have roots clogging your drain, a backhoe is the more
appropriate tool. You can cut them back somewhat with a snake but they
will be right back. I suppose you could kill the tree but you can
still use the backhoe to dig out the stump and while you are there,
fix the pipe ;-)

I just did something similar myself with a mini Kabota.

first try a cutting snake followed by a root killer.

"Don Y" wrote in message
...
On 1/14/2016 10:40 AM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages.
I
can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small
diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure
like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be
plugged
first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where
there
are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear
out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all.
Eventually
got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot
water,
then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from
the
hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed
normally.
All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I have some devices that use water pressure to that end.
They have a place for a garden hose to be attached. They
are then inserted into the drain. The water pressure expands
their outer diameter until they fit snuggly in the drain opening.
The water coursing through them then pushes any obstructions out
of the drain.

The biggest issue with these are the typical vents associated with
most drains. These must be plugged lest the pressure never develop.
Note where the drains vent in your tub, sink, etc.

Things similar to:
http://www.amazon.com/G-T-Water-Products-186-Attachment/dp/B0000CBIWC

I have a couple of different sizes.



ditto. They work well, depending on the nature of the clog. I generally
have not bothered to plug other vents or drains. I just push the hose in as
far as it will go, and I figure I am about at where the clog is. It is a
simple first step approach.

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 7:31:48 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 14:55:40 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 1/14/2016 2:44 PM, TomR wrote:

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

You still have the vent up to the roof to contend with. The pressure
solutions really only work to dislodge "dislodgeable" obstructions :
I find them preferable to resorting to chemicals as those are easily
overused.

But, if someone has made a special effort to clog your drain
(e.g., roots infiltrating the sewer line), no amount of pressure is
going to help. (a motorized snake with cutting head for root
problems)

If you really have roots clogging your drain, a backhoe is the more
appropriate tool. You can cut them back somewhat with a snake but they
will be right back. I suppose you could kill the tree but you can
still use the backhoe to dig out the stump and while you are there,
fix the pipe ;-)

I just did something similar myself with a mini Kabota.

I use Root-X twice a year. Haven't had a blockage since I started doing that about
4 years ago. I've had the line scoped and I've seen the problem. Roots are entering
the top of the pipe at a junction between 2 sections.

$5K to have it lined, not sure of the cost to have it replaced or $75 a year to introduce
2 lbs of Root-X through the clean out in the spring and fall. I consider it just another
maintenance item.

rootx.com

Others have suggested rock salt but the beauty of Root-X is that it foams up, fills the pipe
and coats the roots that are coming into the top of the pipe. Salt water will only contact
the roots that hang low enough to reach the flowing water. Since low roots aren't my
problem, I need something that gets the ones on top.

On 01/14/2016 09:13 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I use Root-X twice a year. Haven't had a blockage since I started doing that about
4 years ago. I've had the line scoped and I've seen the problem. Roots are entering
the top of the pipe at a junction between 2 sections.

$5K to have it lined, not sure of the cost to have it replaced or $75 a year to introduce
2 lbs of Root-X through the clean out in the spring and fall. I consider it just another
maintenance item.

rootx.com


I had a tree root problem, cheapest solution was to remove the tree. Roots stopped growing, problem solved.

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 12:41:12 PM UTC-5, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water, then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally. All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I bought a CO2 powered drain unclogger; it uses the same CO2 cartridges that I use in my seltzer bottle. Works pretty well but I have to cover the vent hole in the sink with a wet rag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwxPltLENic

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 10:02:51 PM UTC-5, Wild Bill wrote:
On 01/14/2016 09:13 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I use Root-X twice a year. Haven't had a blockage since I started doing that about
4 years ago. I've had the line scoped and I've seen the problem. Roots are entering
the top of the pipe at a junction between 2 sections.

$5K to have it lined, not sure of the cost to have it replaced or $75 a year to introduce
2 lbs of Root-X through the clean out in the spring and fall. I consider it just another
maintenance item.

rootx.com


I had a tree root problem, cheapest solution was to remove the tree. Roots stopped growing, problem solved.

It's not my tree but I wouldn't remove it even if it was. It's not always about the money or
even the inconvenience.

The cheapest solution is not always the best.

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I
can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small
diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure
like this?


Why not use a plunger? Same idea. Less money.
I find a plunger often works for minor clogs. If
it doesn't then a snake is probably going to be
needed.

wrote in message ...
On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 3:06:53 PM UTC-6, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
wrote in message ...
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be plugged first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain, where there are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not all. Eventually got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot water, then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection from the hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed normally. All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I tried clearing a clog with pressure and all I did was fill the
bathroom sink with poop.
(it is virtually impossible to plug up the overflow/vent)

I ended up pulling the crapper and using my snake.

Thanks all - good info!! I'll try the boiling water tonight. I'll try the snake as a last resort because it's a real pain to get it to make the turns and harder to get it back out. Last time I boiled 4 large pots of water with 25% ZEP cleaner/degreaser and poured them all down one after the other. Then flush with hot water and then use Drano a couple of times.

- Which variety of Drano are you using: Acid or Alkali? Lint is probably the problem in your drain; I suggest using the alkali version if you haven't already.

Alkali. Thanks.

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 4:55:13 PM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:
On 1/14/2016 2:44 PM, TomR wrote:

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

You still have the vent up to the roof to contend with. The pressure
solutions really only work to dislodge "dislodgeable" obstructions :
I find them preferable to resorting to chemicals as those are easily
overused.

But, if someone has made a special effort to clog your drain
(e.g., roots infiltrating the sewer line), no amount of pressure is
going to help. (a motorized snake with cutting head for root
problems)


ahh to clear tree roots just mix rock salt or softener salt in very hot water, and that kills tree roots fast, but doesnt harm the trees

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 9:13:33 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 7:31:48 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 14:55:40 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 1/14/2016 2:44 PM, TomR wrote:

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

You still have the vent up to the roof to contend with. The pressure
solutions really only work to dislodge "dislodgeable" obstructions :
I find them preferable to resorting to chemicals as those are easily
overused.

But, if someone has made a special effort to clog your drain
(e.g., roots infiltrating the sewer line), no amount of pressure is
going to help. (a motorized snake with cutting head for root
problems)

If you really have roots clogging your drain, a backhoe is the more
appropriate tool. You can cut them back somewhat with a snake but they
will be right back. I suppose you could kill the tree but you can
still use the backhoe to dig out the stump and while you are there,
fix the pipe ;-)

I just did something similar myself with a mini Kabota.

I use Root-X twice a year. Haven't had a blockage since I started doing that about
4 years ago. I've had the line scoped and I've seen the problem. Roots are entering
the top of the pipe at a junction between 2 sections.

$5K to have it lined, not sure of the cost to have it replaced or $75 a year to introduce
2 lbs of Root-X through the clean out in the spring and fall. I consider it just another
maintenance item.

rootx.com

Others have suggested rock salt but the beauty of Root-X is that it foams up, fills the pipe
and coats the roots that are coming into the top of the pipe. Salt water will only contact
the roots that hang low enough to reach the flowing water. Since low roots aren't my
problem, I need something that gets the ones on top.

if you use hot water the steam containing salt kills all the roots.

our main sewer line has roots in all clay pipe joints but one......

this has been my solution for near 20 years

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 18:13:27 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 7:31:48 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 14:55:40 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 1/14/2016 2:44 PM, TomR wrote:

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

You still have the vent up to the roof to contend with. The pressure
solutions really only work to dislodge "dislodgeable" obstructions :
I find them preferable to resorting to chemicals as those are easily
overused.

But, if someone has made a special effort to clog your drain
(e.g., roots infiltrating the sewer line), no amount of pressure is
going to help. (a motorized snake with cutting head for root
problems)

If you really have roots clogging your drain, a backhoe is the more
appropriate tool. You can cut them back somewhat with a snake but they
will be right back. I suppose you could kill the tree but you can
still use the backhoe to dig out the stump and while you are there,
fix the pipe ;-)

I just did something similar myself with a mini Kabota.

I use Root-X twice a year. Haven't had a blockage since I started doing that about
4 years ago. I've had the line scoped and I've seen the problem. Roots are entering
the top of the pipe at a junction between 2 sections.

$5K to have it lined, not sure of the cost to have it replaced or $75 a year to introduce
2 lbs of Root-X through the clean out in the spring and fall. I consider it just another
maintenance item.

rootx.com

Others have suggested rock salt but the beauty of Root-X is that it foams up, fills the pipe
and coats the roots that are coming into the top of the pipe. Salt water will only contact
the roots that hang low enough to reach the flowing water. Since low roots aren't my
problem, I need something that gets the ones on top.

If you can identify the spot within a few feet, fixing it should not
be that expensive. A few hours of a machine, a pipe cutter, a couple
of no hub fittings and some pipe.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 19:05:51 -0800 (PST), Pavel314
wrote:

I bought a CO2 powered drain unclogger; it uses the same CO2 cartridges that I use in my seltzer bottle. Works pretty well but I have to cover the vent hole in the sink with a wet rag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwxPltLENic

When I lived in an apartment, I used a CO2 fire extinguisher to clear
a chronically clogged toilet (wooden Q tips flushed)
It worked great and we never had another clog. Unfortunately I had
blown the pipe open down in the storage area below and we pretty much
flooded the place before they found it.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 19:11:03 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 10:02:51 PM UTC-5, Wild Bill wrote:
On 01/14/2016 09:13 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I use Root-X twice a year. Haven't had a blockage since I started doing that about
4 years ago. I've had the line scoped and I've seen the problem. Roots are entering
the top of the pipe at a junction between 2 sections.

$5K to have it lined, not sure of the cost to have it replaced or $75 a year to introduce
2 lbs of Root-X through the clean out in the spring and fall. I consider it just another
maintenance item.

rootx.com


I had a tree root problem, cheapest solution was to remove the tree. Roots stopped growing, problem solved.

It's not my tree but I wouldn't remove it even if it was. It's not always about the money or
even the inconvenience.

The cheapest solution is not always the best.

I had a nice big red maple cut down - right over my sewer line -
before it gave me problems. It wasn't cheap. It was the best
solution.
Also saved me from climbing on the roof yearly to clean the gutters.
I've still got plenty of nice trees.
It was a thoughtless act to plant a tree right over the sewer line 50
ago years ago, but they probably didn't know better.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 23:02:59 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 18:13:27 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 7:31:48 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 14:55:40 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 1/14/2016 2:44 PM, TomR wrote:

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

You still have the vent up to the roof to contend with. The pressure
solutions really only work to dislodge "dislodgeable" obstructions :
I find them preferable to resorting to chemicals as those are easily
overused.

But, if someone has made a special effort to clog your drain
(e.g., roots infiltrating the sewer line), no amount of pressure is
going to help. (a motorized snake with cutting head for root
problems)

If you really have roots clogging your drain, a backhoe is the more
appropriate tool. You can cut them back somewhat with a snake but they
will be right back. I suppose you could kill the tree but you can
still use the backhoe to dig out the stump and while you are there,
fix the pipe ;-)

I just did something similar myself with a mini Kabota.

I use Root-X twice a year. Haven't had a blockage since I started doing that about
4 years ago. I've had the line scoped and I've seen the problem. Roots are entering
the top of the pipe at a junction between 2 sections.

$5K to have it lined, not sure of the cost to have it replaced or $75 a year to introduce
2 lbs of Root-X through the clean out in the spring and fall. I consider it just another
maintenance item.

rootx.com

Others have suggested rock salt but the beauty of Root-X is that it foams up, fills the pipe
and coats the roots that are coming into the top of the pipe. Salt water will only contact
the roots that hang low enough to reach the flowing water. Since low roots aren't my
problem, I need something that gets the ones on top.

If you can identify the spot within a few feet, fixing it should not
be that expensive. A few hours of a machine, a pipe cutter, a couple
of no hub fittings and some pipe.

Up north where there's a frost line it not that easy. My sewer lines
in a suburb of Chicago are about 7-8' deep.
And you don't need a pipe cutter. Clay pipe.
Just a hammer. And a trencher capable of going 8' deep.
And plenty of men and shovels.
Probably cost 10-15 grand to replace the pipe from my house to the
city sewer line, about 60' feet.

In ,
typed:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 19:05:51 -0800 (PST), Pavel314
wrote:

I bought a CO2 powered drain unclogger; it uses the same CO2
cartridges that I use in my seltzer bottle. Works pretty well but I
have to cover the vent hole in the sink with a wet rag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwxPltLENic

When I lived in an apartment, I used a CO2 fire extinguisher to clear
a chronically clogged toilet (wooden Q tips flushed)
It worked great and we never had another clog. Unfortunately I had
blown the pipe open down in the storage area below and we pretty much
flooded the place before they found it.

Oops. Funny story.

"bob haller" wrote in message ...
On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 4:55:13 PM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:
On 1/14/2016 2:44 PM, TomR wrote:

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

You still have the vent up to the roof to contend with. The pressure
solutions really only work to dislodge "dislodgeable" obstructions :
I find them preferable to resorting to chemicals as those are easily
overused.

But, if someone has made a special effort to clog your drain
(e.g., roots infiltrating the sewer line), no amount of pressure is
going to help. (a motorized snake with cutting head for root
problems)


ahh to clear tree roots just mix rock salt or softener salt in very hot water, and that kills tree roots fast, but doesnt harm the trees

I remember years ago hearing that copper sulfate was good for killing roots, but never tried it. No root problems here yet.

In ,
typed:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 16:44:06 -0500, "TomR" wrote:

In ,
typed:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe
blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many
elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have
experience using pressure like this? . . . ,

I tried clearing a clog with pressure and all I did was fill the
bathroom sink with poop.
(it is virtually impossible to plug up the overflow/vent)

When I read this topic, I started wondering if I could do the same
thing to clear the line in my bathroom sink -- it drains very
slowly; a chronic problem. It's one of those with the old lead
drain lines and it is a pain to try to get the snake to make the
whole trip to the end when it enters into the cast iron sewer line.
I have done that in the past and it does work, but it is a pain.

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the
issue of trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of
whether the pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap
come apart, made me hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed
the expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line,
would that work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an
option.

That would be step one in any drain cleaning operation anyway. ...

You are probably right about that. I just looked at the problem bathroom
sink again this morning. It has a 1 1/4 inch metal P trap that goes into
the wall, then a 90 down to below the floor, then a 90 and across the
ceiling (above the ceiling, below the floor -- I have the ceiling below
opened up) to the main 4-inch cast iron sewer line where the toilet ties in.
It's about a 7 foot horizontal run of a narrow lead pipe drain line with
almost no pirch to it.

The "clog" or partial obstruction always appears to be near the end of the
narrow lead pipe run down close to, or at, the place where it meets the
toilet sewer line. It is a chronic slow draining problem that recurs a
month or two after snaking out the line. Other evidence that the clog is
near the end of the line is that it takes awhile of running water into the
sink before the water starts to back up into the sink. So, I think the
whole pipe etc. has to fill up before it backs up into the sink -- meaning
the clog is not right at or near the sink.

After looking at it this morning, I think that I may decide to cut the
horizontal part of the P trap and put a Fernco there. Then, to snake out
the line, I will disconnect the Fernco and put the drain snake in and it
will only have to make two 90 degree turns to get all the way to the end of
the line.

While looking at what is there now, and thinking about the water pressure
device that others mentioned, I started thinking that I could invent a
fitting that attaches to a hose on one end and the other end of the fitting
would screw tightly onto the P trap up underneath where the curved part of
the P attaches to the horizontal piece. It would be a specifically designed
fitting -- maybe in two sizes -- one for 1 1/4 drain lines and one for 1 1/2
drain lines.

But, then my alarm clock went off and I woke up, and the dream was over.

In ,
taxed and spent typed:
"Don Y" wrote in message
...
On 1/14/2016 10:40 AM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe
blockages. I
can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a
small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience
using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be
plugged
first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain,
where there
are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to
clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not
all. Eventually
got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot
water,
then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection
from the
hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed
normally.
All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I have some devices that use water pressure to that end.
They have a place for a garden hose to be attached. They
are then inserted into the drain. The water pressure expands
their outer diameter until they fit snuggly in the drain opening.
The water coursing through them then pushes any obstructions out
of the drain.

The biggest issue with these are the typical vents associated with
most drains. These must be plugged lest the pressure never develop.
Note where the drains vent in your tub, sink, etc.

Things similar to:
http://www.amazon.com/G-T-Water-Products-186-Attachment/dp/B0000CBIWC

I have a couple of different sizes.

ditto. They work well, depending on the nature of the clog. I
generally have not bothered to plug other vents or drains. I just
push the hose in as far as it will go, and I figure I am about at
where the clog is. It is a simple first step approach.

The first time that I saw or heard of this device was once when a washing
machine drain line was backing up. The washing maching discharge hose went
directly into a 1 1/2 inch vertical PVC line and not into a laundry sink.
We decided to just call a plumber and he put that device inside the PVC pipe
and badda bing, badda boom, the clog was cleared. It was a no-brainer that
I easily could have done myself had I even known about that device and
bought one at Home Depot or Lowes.

The convenient thing is that in laundry areas, there are already hose
connections there. That makes me think that it might make sense to install
a garden hose valve fitting in a hot water supply line in other locations
such as under a bathrrom or vanity sink, or in an access panel behind a tub,
etc.

On Friday, January 15, 2016 at 8:37:51 AM UTC-5, Vic Smith wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 23:02:59 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 18:13:27 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 7:31:48 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 14:55:40 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 1/14/2016 2:44 PM, TomR wrote:

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the issue of
trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of whether the
pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap come apart, made me
hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed the
expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line, would that
work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an option.

You still have the vent up to the roof to contend with. The pressure
solutions really only work to dislodge "dislodgeable" obstructions :
I find them preferable to resorting to chemicals as those are easily
overused.

But, if someone has made a special effort to clog your drain
(e.g., roots infiltrating the sewer line), no amount of pressure is
going to help. (a motorized snake with cutting head for root
problems)

If you really have roots clogging your drain, a backhoe is the more
appropriate tool. You can cut them back somewhat with a snake but they
will be right back. I suppose you could kill the tree but you can
still use the backhoe to dig out the stump and while you are there,
fix the pipe ;-)

I just did something similar myself with a mini Kabota.

I use Root-X twice a year. Haven't had a blockage since I started doing that about
4 years ago. I've had the line scoped and I've seen the problem. Roots are entering
the top of the pipe at a junction between 2 sections.

$5K to have it lined, not sure of the cost to have it replaced or $75 a year to introduce
2 lbs of Root-X through the clean out in the spring and fall. I consider it just another
maintenance item.

rootx.com

Others have suggested rock salt but the beauty of Root-X is that it foams up, fills the pipe
and coats the roots that are coming into the top of the pipe. Salt water will only contact
the roots that hang low enough to reach the flowing water. Since low roots aren't my
problem, I need something that gets the ones on top.

If you can identify the spot within a few feet, fixing it should not
be that expensive. A few hours of a machine, a pipe cutter, a couple
of no hub fittings and some pipe.

Up north where there's a frost line it not that easy. My sewer lines
in a suburb of Chicago are about 7-8' deep.
And you don't need a pipe cutter. Clay pipe.
Just a hammer. And a trencher capable of going 8' deep.
And plenty of men and shovels.
Probably cost 10-15 grand to replace the pipe from my house to the
city sewer line, about 60' feet.

In addition to the frost line issue, in my case the gas service and
water main are all in that same "line". They all enter/leave the house
in the same corner. The gas service is on top, then the water main, then
the sewer pipe. Any digging done with a machine could be hazardous,
especially if done by a rookie (me). The gas service is less than 3
years old, but the water main may be original. It's just not something
I would feel comfortable disturbing.

We might as well toss in the landscaping that would need to be done, etc.

$5K to have someone line the pipe for me, and give me a warranty, seems
like the better option in this case. For now, I'll stick with the Root-X
since it's really easy to apply via the clean-out and has worked for the past
few years.

On Fri, 15 Jan 2016 10:44:53 -0500, "TomR" wrote:

In ,
typed:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 16:44:06 -0500, "TomR" wrote:

In ,
typed:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 09:40:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe
blockages. I can see that could be useful where there are too many
elbows in a small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have
experience using pressure like this? . . . ,

I tried clearing a clog with pressure and all I did was fill the
bathroom sink with poop.
(it is virtually impossible to plug up the overflow/vent)

When I read this topic, I started wondering if I could do the same
thing to clear the line in my bathroom sink -- it drains very
slowly; a chronic problem. It's one of those with the old lead
drain lines and it is a pain to try to get the snake to make the
whole trip to the end when it enters into the cast iron sewer line.
I have done that in the past and it does work, but it is a pain.

But, like you, I think that if I used the pressure approach the
issue of trying to get the overflow plugged, plus the question of
whether the pressure would make the slip joints in the sink trap
come apart, made me hesitant to try it.

Then I thought, what if I took apart the sink trap, and I installed
the expandable pressure piece directly into the sink drain line,
would that work? I haven't tried it yet, but maybe that would be an
option.

That would be step one in any drain cleaning operation anyway. ...

You are probably right about that. I just looked at the problem bathroom
sink again this morning. It has a 1 1/4 inch metal P trap that goes into
the wall, then a 90 down to below the floor, then a 90 and across the
ceiling (above the ceiling, below the floor -- I have the ceiling below
opened up) to the main 4-inch cast iron sewer line where the toilet ties in.
It's about a 7 foot horizontal run of a narrow lead pipe drain line with
almost no pirch to it.

The "clog" or partial obstruction always appears to be near the end of the
narrow lead pipe run down close to, or at, the place where it meets the
toilet sewer line. It is a chronic slow draining problem that recurs a
month or two after snaking out the line. Other evidence that the clog is
near the end of the line is that it takes awhile of running water into the
sink before the water starts to back up into the sink. So, I think the
whole pipe etc. has to fill up before it backs up into the sink -- meaning
the clog is not right at or near the sink.

After looking at it this morning, I think that I may decide to cut the
horizontal part of the P trap and put a Fernco there. Then, to snake out
the line, I will disconnect the Fernco and put the drain snake in and it
will only have to make two 90 degree turns to get all the way to the end of
the line.

While looking at what is there now, and thinking about the water pressure
device that others mentioned, I started thinking that I could invent a
fitting that attaches to a hose on one end and the other end of the fitting
would screw tightly onto the P trap up underneath where the curved part of
the P attaches to the horizontal piece. It would be a specifically designed
fitting -- maybe in two sizes -- one for 1 1/4 drain lines and one for 1 1/2
drain lines.

But, then my alarm clock went off and I woke up, and the dream was over.


If you do any cutting into that pipe at all, I would suggest
increasing the pitch. Shorten the vertical at the sink end. You could
replace the 90 with a sanitary tee and create a cleanout but with
better pitch, you might never need it.

"TomR" wrote in message ...
In ,
taxed and spent typed:
"Don Y" wrote in message
...
On 1/14/2016 10:40 AM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe
blockages. I
can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a
small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience
using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be
plugged
first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain,
where there
are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to
clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not
all. Eventually
got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot
water,
then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection
from the
hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed
normally.
All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I have some devices that use water pressure to that end.
They have a place for a garden hose to be attached. They
are then inserted into the drain. The water pressure expands
their outer diameter until they fit snuggly in the drain opening.
The water coursing through them then pushes any obstructions out
of the drain.

The biggest issue with these are the typical vents associated with
most drains. These must be plugged lest the pressure never develop.
Note where the drains vent in your tub, sink, etc.

Things similar to:
http://www.amazon.com/G-T-Water-Products-186-Attachment/dp/B0000CBIWC

I have a couple of different sizes.

ditto. They work well, depending on the nature of the clog. I
generally have not bothered to plug other vents or drains. I just
push the hose in as far as it will go, and I figure I am about at
where the clog is. It is a simple first step approach.

The first time that I saw or heard of this device was once when a washing
machine drain line was backing up. The washing maching discharge hose went
directly into a 1 1/2 inch vertical PVC line and not into a laundry sink.
We decided to just call a plumber and he put that device inside the PVC pipe
and badda bing, badda boom, the clog was cleared. It was a no-brainer that
I easily could have done myself had I even known about that device and
bought one at Home Depot or Lowes.

The convenient thing is that in laundry areas, there are already hose
connections there. That makes me think that it might make sense to install
a garden hose valve fitting in a hot water supply line in other locations
such as under a bathrrom or vanity sink, or in an access panel behind a tub,
etc.

I have connected a 50-ft hose to the hot water connection at the washer and run it wherever needed.

On 1/15/2016 9:01 AM, TomR wrote:
In ,
taxed and spent typed:
"Don Y" wrote in message
...
On 1/14/2016 10:40 AM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
I have seen these gadgets that use air pressure for drain pipe
blockages. I
can see that could be useful where there are too many elbows in a
small diameter pipe for a regular snake. Anyone have experience
using pressure like this?

First thought I had was that all the other drains might need to be
plugged
first. And also what's a reasonable high pressure limit?

I have had this trouble with a 1-1/2 inch washing machine drain,
where there
are 4 elbows before it gets to the main house drain. I was able to
clear out part of the piping with a small diameter snake, but not
all. Eventually
got it cleared out alternating boiling water, then flushing with hot
water,
then drano, water flush, snake, etc. Also make a tight connection
from the
hot water faucet to the 1-1/2 standpipe and ran it until it flowed
normally.
All this worked, but it took a lot of time.

I have some devices that use water pressure to that end.
They have a place for a garden hose to be attached. They
are then inserted into the drain. The water pressure expands
their outer diameter until they fit snuggly in the drain opening.
The water coursing through them then pushes any obstructions out
of the drain.

The biggest issue with these are the typical vents associated with
most drains. These must be plugged lest the pressure never develop.
Note where the drains vent in your tub, sink, etc.

Things similar to:
http://www.amazon.com/G-T-Water-Products-186-Attachment/dp/B0000CBIWC

I have a couple of different sizes.

ditto. They work well, depending on the nature of the clog. I
generally have not bothered to plug other vents or drains. I just
push the hose in as far as it will go, and I figure I am about at
where the clog is. It is a simple first step approach.

The first time that I saw or heard of this device was once when a washing
machine drain line was backing up. The washing maching discharge hose went
directly into a 1 1/2 inch vertical PVC line and not into a laundry sink.
We decided to just call a plumber and he put that device inside the PVC pipe
and badda bing, badda boom, the clog was cleared. It was a no-brainer that
I easily could have done myself had I even known about that device and
bought one at Home Depot or Lowes.

They work well in kitchen sinks (if you ensure the "other sink" -- in case
you have two side-by-side -- is covered) and bathroom sinks (the vent is
usually easy to cover with your palm/fingers.

Bathtubs are a bit more of a chore as the vent is usually part of the
drain "closing" mechanism: remove it, clear any hair that's caught
in it while you're at it then cover it with your palm or one of those
rubbery aids used to open tight jar lids.

Other great tools to have are "Lonn Water Savers":

http://lonn.net/water/water-savers-water/heavy-duty-water-saver-handle-option-jet-stream.html
a couple of different varieties.

The convenient thing is that in laundry areas, there are already hose
connections there. That makes me think that it might make sense to install
a garden hose valve fitting in a hot water supply line in other locations
such as under a bathrrom or vanity sink, or in an access panel behind a tub,
etc.

Not sure it is worth the effort. A (new, never laid in the outside dirt)
50 ft hose can usually tackle most "in home" uses while connecting to an
outdoor bibb.

On 1/15/2016 5:54 AM, Vic Smith wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 19:11:03 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 10:02:51 PM UTC-5, Wild Bill wrote:
On 01/14/2016 09:13 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I use Root-X twice a year. Haven't had a blockage since I started doing that about
4 years ago. I've had the line scoped and I've seen the problem. Roots are entering
the top of the pipe at a junction between 2 sections.

$5K to have it lined, not sure of the cost to have it replaced or $75 a year to introduce
2 lbs of Root-X through the clean out in the spring and fall. I consider it just another
maintenance item.

rootx.com


I had a tree root problem, cheapest solution was to remove the tree. Roots stopped growing, problem solved.

It's not my tree but I wouldn't remove it even if it was. It's not always about the money or
even the inconvenience.

The cheapest solution is not always the best.

I had a nice big red maple cut down - right over my sewer line -
before it gave me problems. It wasn't cheap. It was the best
solution.
Also saved me from climbing on the roof yearly to clean the gutters.

I've felled all of the original trees on the property (last one we
had to hire-out as a mistake would have done serious damage to any
of the four homes it could fall on!) -- largely to eliminate the
maintenance issues and "risks" (we have lots of microbursts in the
neighborhood that easily topple 70 ft, 36" dia pines!).

I'd hoped that the last tree (pine) would result in eliminating the
pine needles that accumulate on the (flat) roof. But, apparently,
those that are still accumulating there are fom neighbor's trees
behind us. I guess the wind carries them pretty far when they fall
off from those heights!

Neighbors grumbled when I took the deciduous trees down:
"Oh, the leaves were so pretty in the Fall...!"
(WTF? They were just YELLOW! Not the vibrant reds and oranges
from Maples, etc.)
"Yeah, well I never saw any of you guys helping to rake them
and *bag* them..."

I've still got plenty of nice trees.

We've settled on citrus (because they produce edible fruit) and
"Mimosa" trees -- smallish (perhaps 15 ft tall/wide) with delightful
flowers that the hummingbirds ado
http://spiritrisingherbs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/mimosa-flower.jpg

No fear that they'll be toppled onto the house/car. And, I can take one
down in a matter of hours -- leaving no sign of it's presence!
(contrast with days/weeks/months for some of the larger trees that
I felled)

It was a thoughtless act to plant a tree right over the sewer line 50
ago years ago, but they probably didn't know better.

We had one in our front yard like that. When I dug up the root system
(removing ~20 yards of soil), I found a 6" diameter root following the
clay sewer pipe *under* the house! Tricky removing it without
damaging the pipe.

The mimosa planted in its place will never develop as complex/intense/deep
of a root system.