Grease and Soap Scum: Grease, soap scum, and hair are common culprits for slow drains. These substances can build up on the walls of the pipes over time, making it difficult for water to flow freely even after the main clog has been removed.
If snaking a clogged drain doesn't work there is a good chance that an old clay tile sewer has collapsed. Use a video snake to see down the sewer to find what is clogging. You may have to dig up the sewer and replace it.
You might try sucking the drain out with a shop vac and then try snaking it again, if there is debris in the bottom of the trap it can be difficult to get the snake to turn.
Pour one cup of fresh baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup of white vinegar. Place a rubber stopper or other sink hole cover over the drain opening. Wait 15 minutes to allow the vinegar and baking soda to unclog your drain, Then take out the drain cover and run hot tap water down the drain to clear the clog.
Drain Snaking Can Impact the Clog If Done Incorrectly
Drain snaking requires proper knowledge and skills to do it right the first time. When done incorrectly, the materials of which the clog consists can wrap around the snake and become lodged in the pipe.
A drain snake is used to physically remove blockages. This method can take anywhere from fifteen minutes to almost an hour, depending on how complex your clog is. For more severe or deeper blockages, your plumber might use hydro-jetting.
It could be a bend or the clog causing the stoppage, and the standard procedure is to tighten the setscrew then crank the snake clockwise while applying moderate pressure. That should get you past the bend easily without any pipe breaks. If it does not move, then you reached the clog.
The fizzing reaction and gas created may help loosen some small blockages. However, it is not typically strong enough to break down larger clogs or remove hard-to-reach debris. As a result of the above facts, if you have a serious drain clog, using baking soda and vinegar is unlikely to be effective.
Pour one-half cup table salt down the drain, followed by boiling water. Or try a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar—let it bubble, wait 15 minutes, then pour boiling water down the drain. You can also try a cup of baking soda and a half-cup of salt; let it sit for several hours, then flush with boiling water.
Heat 2 or 4 liters of water on your stove or in a kettle to just short of boiling. Add about 1/2 cup of salt. Try pouring this down the drain, then wait 15 minutes before seeing if it will clear more easily. If you need a stronger cleaning, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then add 1/2 cup of vinegar.
A standard 25 ft or 50 ft drain snake should be used for kitchen drain cleanings. If the stoppage is before the clean-out, then you might have to disconnect the P-trap. The P-trap can be found under the kitchen sink.
Treatment of Snake Impaction
In some cases we might be able to give a lubricant by feeding tube, warming it up, rehydrating with the fluids, and even massaging the area to get it to pass. Placing it in warm water to soak for 15-30 minutes daily can be a big help in some cases.
Cleaning drains typically takes us a few hours, accounting for a few factors such as the size and severity of the blockage. Within those few hours, our team will have set up all the equipment, installed water hoses that go into the drain pipes, and pumped high-pressure water, clearing all the debris and waste.
The first step when using a drain snake is to slowly feed the auger tip of the plumber's snake into the wall pipe (or P-trap/trap arm if you did not remove them. If you didn't, run cold water as you snake the line). As you feed the auger head into the pipe, don't use excessive force or you could damage the pipe.
Your plumbing system has a vent that allows air to flow through the pipes. If the vent is blocked, it can cause water to drain slowly. You can check the vent outside your house to make sure it's not blocked by leaves or other debris.
Plumbers choose hydro jetting equipment for the most stubborn, deep-set clogs. This drain clearing tool uses high-pressure water to flush your pipes and remove years of buildup. The water jet is so strong that it can even break up any tree roots that have found their way into your sewer line.
Hydro jetting costs $475 on average but range from $350 to $600. A plumber can give you a quote and get rid of your sewer clog. Having to keep your plumber on speed dial is no fun for any homeowner. If chronic sewer clogs are giving you issues, it might be time to call in the big guns.
Pour hot water down the drain, followed by a cup of baking soda. Let it sit for a few minutes to work its magic on the gunk. After a few minutes, add a mixture of hot water and vinegar. This chemical reaction generates fizz, which can help break down the nastiest clogs.
Drain Line Material
Chlorine bleach can quickly eat away at not only the line but the glue and cement joining the line to the fittings and the condensation pan. If your drain line is PVC, stick to white distilled vinegar for clearing clogs and debris, particularly during winter.
What happens if you put too much baking soda down a drain? Too much baking soda put down a drain can clog it. It can harden and become a solid, cement-like mass.
Avoid kinking by going slower: Forcing the snake down the drain too fast may cause it to kink or bend back on itself. You may even find that the cable bends completely back and comes augering out the same drain pipe you just inserted it into.
If you use the wrong type of drain snake for the drain line, the snake could loop back on itself or scrape the sides of the plumbing pipe, causing damage that could lead to leaks and/or the need to replace the damaged piece of pipe.