Way OT: Plumbing Clog

[Milo]

Just had a serious complete backup clog of the shower and bathtub. My house was built in '94 and this is the first clog I've ever had.

Went to the local grocer and bought that Liquid Plumbr Foaming Pipe Snake. Poured it in and in about 3 minutes my drains were draining like new.

$4.00... Highly recommended product... two thumbs up!

 

[rbeckey]

Milo, there is a device that looks like a snake with a button on one end and a retractable claw on the other, about 2 feet long. Usually get them in the dollar store. Unscrew the central bolt on the tub drain and reach in there with the claw, and pull out what you can. The foam will open it temporarily, but the stuff that is left will clog it up again soon enough. I won't describe what you will pull out of there, suffice it to say that you will want a trash can in the tub to put it in.

Get a little tub of plumbers putty in case you need to redo the seal on the drain. It costs about $1.50.

 

[Milo]

I had already gone into both the shower and tub and pulled out some of the most toxic looking stuff I have ever seen. I then tried the plunger for a while and that caused it to spit out a little more but I still was unable to get it completely free until I tried the foam. I'll keep my eye on it.

I assume the foam just burns a hole through what is clogging the drain and doesn't remove the entire clog?

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

Am I the only one who finds that product name revoltingly funny. Sounds like the title of a mid sixties b horror flick starring a rabid reptile that got flushed.

Rates right up there with the Garden Weasel.

 

[11bravo]

My father was a plumber and I got more exposure to this than I ever really wanted.

I assume the foam just burns a hole through what is clogging the drain and doesn't remove the entire clog?

Pretty much. More or less.
Plunger and/or snake is really the best way.
One thing that most people get wrong with plungers is that they push down hard to use the compression to blow out the clog.
You want to do it the other way around; put some water in the tub or shower (or toilet, eeww!) make sure you get water between the plunger and clog, get a good grip and give a good YANK!
Reseal and compress carefully, and YANK! again.
Bring the mess towards you (double eeww!!) instead of trying to force it down the drain.

Good luck.

Greg

Well, OK, you don't WANT to do it that way.
You WANT to blow the clog away from you, but the method I describe really is the best way.
Sorry to have to tell you that.

Greg again

 

[11bravo]

Originally posted by Hospital_Rocket
Am I the only one who finds that product name revoltingly funny. Sounds like the title of a mid sixties b horror flick starring a rabid reptile that got flushed.

Rates right up there with the Garden Weasel.

Not as bad as the Weather _____.
What is that thing called?
You know, the thing on top of the barn.

Greg

 

[rstaff3]

I personally think this was one steeenkin' post

 

[rbeckey]

The thing on top of the barn is called a Weather Vane.

 

[powderburner]

I just had a back-up a month ago.
I tried several bottled products and nothing worked.
We had a 99 percent blockage in the kitchen plumbing but the nearby laundry-room plumbing (and half-bath) were running fine. It was only about 25 feet away, I figured if I could 'snake' that much of the plumbing I ought to get to wherever the clog was.
Problem was: my house was built about 25 yrs ago, before building codes required clean-outs around here, and the only way into the kitchen sink line was to remove the p-trap and go in under the sink through the cabinet. A really fun place to work.
The initial attempts were with a 3/8 inch x 25 foot snake. In and out about ten times and no luck; the clog still defied me.
Back to the hdwre store for another 15 ft x 1/4 inch snake. I screwed the butt end of the small one into the butt end of the big one with about one full inch of interference fit. That joint was never going to come apart and I am not afraid of the two separating and leaving the small snake somewhere down the line.
I worked most of a weekend putting 40 feet of snake through the pipes about ten times more with absolutely no luck. I cannot figure out where that snake went if it did not reach the clog and the laundry room was still running fine. Also got rather frustrated: wondered if a few gallons of RFNA might do the trick.
Went back and got another 15 foot x 1/4 inch snake and stuck that into the front end of the other small snake, overlapped about 1/2 inch and TIGHTLY screwed together (if you ever want to do this yourself you will need two BMF vice-grips). It only took two passes with my 55 foot snake to find the clog----but it takes an hour (or so) each time to work that thing into the pipes. Anyway, now had the problem of withdrawing 55 feet of coiled steel spring wire, through the kitchen, with much of the snake covered in brown muddy material (you guessed it). I did finally get the snake out but I spent the rest of the day washing myself about 4-5 times.
I was happy to have the plumbing working again. I am considering dynamite for the next incident.