# drain cable snapped off



## sethro1981 (Oct 31, 2016)

ok so its all of ours worst nightmare the possibility of a cable snapping off ive always ran tri max got it stuck a few times but always got it loose no where near snapping it off ...have any of you real experienced guys ever had cables break off in the line on you and if so how does the liability work?


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

I've never broken a cable in the line. However, I broke an auger head and it never came back out of the line. When I pulled my cable back, the auger head wasn't there. I told the lady that there was an unusual situation going on with her sewer line and that further investigation was needed. She was also informed that her line would eventually back up again. Never heard back from her.

In my toolbox which came with my Ridgid K-60, there are a few different auger heads. I also purchased additional heads. One of the heads is called a retriever head and it is specifically designed to hook onto and retrieve a broken or lost cable that is down a drain line. If for some reason I were ever to lose a cable down a sewer line, drain line or vent stack, I would run another cable down that line with the retriever head to hook onto the lost cable. Then pull back the lost cable. Or if that is not do-able, cut that line open downstream somewhere to retrieve your cable. 

I have gotten my K-60 7/8" cable hung up more than once down in a septic tank causing me to dig up the septic tank lid, open the lid and fish out my cable with my manhole tool.

With regard to liability, the argument could made that the customer's defective sewer line caused your cable to break. Since a properly installed sewer line won't cause a drain cable to hang up or break. I would argue that their line is defective with either a crushed, collapsed, cracked or broken drain line.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

I dont do drain cleaning on any type of regular basis, just a kitchen or bathroom sink or tub, but with anything we do, you need to have protective clauses in your contract that will cover if you break something your working on, as said above a properly installed plumbing system should not catch nor break a cleaning cable and if it happens there must be a defect in the piping...if you do break something, finding the cause should be paid by the customer, unless you know for a fact you screwed up and then its up to you to be honest with the customer on what happened...


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## sethro1981 (Oct 31, 2016)

Tommy plumber said:


> I've never broken a cable in the line. However, I broke an auger head and it never came back out of the line. When I pulled my cable back, the auger head wasn't there. I told the lady that there was an unusual situation going on with her sewer line and that further investigation was needed. She was also informed that her line would eventually back up again. Never heard back from her.
> 
> In my toolbox which came with my Ridgid K-60, there are a few different auger heads. I also purchased additional heads. One of the heads is called a retriever head and it is specifically designed to hook onto and retrieve a broken or lost cable that is down a drain line. If for some reason I were ever to lose a cable down a sewer line, drain line or vent stack, I would run another cable down that line with the retriever head to hook onto the lost cable. Then pull back the lost cable. Or if that is not do-able, cut that line open downstream somewhere to retrieve your cable.
> 
> ...


 yeah it seems like all the larger companies around kansas city have that clause and if something breaks they just tell the customer it has to be dug and replaced then bill them for it ...i however dont have the tooling for a replacement


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

sethro1981 said:


> yeah it seems like all the larger companies around kansas city have that clause and if something breaks they just tell the customer it has to be dug and replaced then bill them for it ...i however dont have the tooling for a replacement












You've got to cover yourself and limit your liability. If you get a cable hung up, break a cable or lose an auger head {from getting cable stuck} then you must explain to your customer that there is an unusual situation where further investigation is needed due to a break or something similar in their sewer line.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I snapped off half my 5" cutter in a line yesterday. Took an extra hour to push it out of the line. At one end was a 3" flange, the other 6" clay in a pit and no good way of retrieving it.

Best investment I ever made was a camera.


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

sethro1981 said:


> yeah it seems like all the larger companies around kansas city have that clause and if something breaks they just tell the customer it has to be dug and replaced then bill them for it ...i however dont have the tooling for a replacement


If you don't have the tools you can rent them. Before I bought my camera I rented a nice Ridgid from Home Depot. I have a small rotary demo hammer but when I need a big jackhammer I rent it. As long as you have the skill set to do it, make the money.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Debo22 said:


> If you don't have the tools you can rent them. Before I bought my camera I rented a nice Ridgid from Home Depot. I have a small rotary demo hammer but when I need a big jackhammer I rent it. As long as you have the skill set to do it, make the money.













Yes agreed. Or sub-contract out the work and add a markup. I had to abandon a deep well on a bank-owned property. The bank paid me to abandon the well. I subbed it out to a well company since I don't have the expertise or license to do it. Then I added my markup.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

sethro1981 said:


> yeah it seems like all the larger companies around kansas city have that clause and if something breaks they just tell the customer it has to be dug and replaced then bill them for it ...i however dont have the tooling for a replacement




I don't do cleaning but I can do replacement. 

Give me a call sometime if you would like to talk. 
http://kcplumberpro.com/

I work by myself and have an excavator, camera & locator. If you do lose a cable down the road I would be happy to work with you to retrieve it and make a repair. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## panther (Oct 27, 2010)

Tommy plumber said:


> Yes agreed. Or sub-contract out the work and add a markup. I had to abandon a deep well on a bank-owned property. The bank paid me to abandon the well. I subbed it out to a well company since I don't have the expertise or license to do it. Then I added my markup.


Home Depot rents sewer cameras?


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

panther said:


> Home Depot rents sewer cameras?












I don't know about home cheapo, but I have rented them at tool rental stores before.
Someone else stated home cheapo renting them.


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

​


panther said:


> Home Depot rents sewer cameras?


The one by me does, probably varies by location


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

With a jetter and marco spring steel push rods, it should be fairly easy to remove a broken cable.


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