# Things I've learned cleaning drains



## Doubletap (May 5, 2010)

When there is S$%t flying everywhere....don't lick your lips

Even if a sewer pump is "broken" go ahead and unplug it before you lift it out of sump pit.


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## saysflushable (Jun 15, 2009)

I've learned always always dig up the septic and check to see if it is improperly full. I've also learned it is imposible to control 40 or 80 gallons of sewage flying out of a 4" cleanout at head height because the septic is improperly full.


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## saysflushable (Jun 15, 2009)

I've also learned a master plumber should never be aloud to do any new construction until he has served an apprentiship drain cleaning.

Only then will a plumber under stand clean outs are a good thing not ment to be hidden and a very important part of a proper plumbing system.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Ive learned to turn the water off to the building, and drain it down, if you need to remove a cleanout plug. 

Even if you tell them not to run any water......................or flush.


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## MarkToo (Dec 17, 2011)

1. Never assume a building does not have a sewage pit.

2. Only feed the amount of cable that is sensible when doing drains. If too much is fed, the tip may find it's way out an unusual spot. Hopefully no one is sitting on that unusual spot.

3. The questions you ask and the answers you get before rodding/snaking can be just as important and productive as the physical work done.

4. Kitchen sink drains can hold a surprising number of knives and straws.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

Be thorough in testing the line afterward. 

Never assume you have run enough cable. I don't care how close that manhole looks you never can know what someone did many years ago. 

Not all plumbers can be good at drain cleaning.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Research

Patience

No shortcuts


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

Glove selection is important....


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## RGPlumber (Jan 30, 2012)

Around here I NEVER use the cleanout in the basement or crawl space. I go to the septic tank to start rodding the main building drain. Keeps the mess outside and 9 time's out of 10 it is an obstructed baffle.


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## Michaelcookplum (May 1, 2011)

I carry about 70' of 5/8" cable for my rigid k50, when snaking a drain, kitchen for example, I may hit the obstruction 20' down or so. Numerous times I pull the snake out, hook up the trap and what do you know, i didnt clear the line. After doing this a number of times, I now run all the snake I have to make sure it's clean. 

The lesson I learned is run what you got once and you feel more confident you succeeded before hooking back the trap


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## High-plumbing (Jan 8, 2012)

Never assume anything. Went to open a clean out in a finished basement above the sewage pump. Did not seem right way too much water coming out of it. Drilled a hole in it took out 22 five gallon buckets. Could not get it cleared. Used camera. Turned out the line had eight houses on it and my clean out was the low point. Took the city to dig it up and clear it. They did not even know it was there. Did I mention homeowners were a lawyer and insurance adjuster? The whole time I have a twenty year new construction guy with me telling me to just pull the cap there can't be that much water in it.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

I learned despite what it says on the box(A customer showed me) tampons are not flushable, and most things that are are not either.


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## RGPlumber (Jan 30, 2012)

I don't do drain cleaning as such more like clearing. Up here there are alot of older and new cottage's and home's. We get a fairly cold winter as well. (30-40 Celcius) It doe's not mater how many time's you tell someone NOT to drive their snowmobile's and atv's over a certain area they do. Frozen septic line's from the house to the tank can be a puke at time's. It's not only the Ice I have to that out sewage take's a little longer.
I use my 1/2" manual drum auger to feed a garden hose attached to a 30 Gallon water heater I rigged up with a small pump to thaw out the line from the septic side. Not quite a steamer but close. LOL


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## drs (Jun 17, 2011)

When you ask a customer "Did you use any Drain Cleaner?" and they say "NO", they just lied to you.

I got burned by a combo of Acid and Lye mix a Bar put down a drain 1 day before I got there. I now have no skin on my Right knee from it. They all knew and the easy thing to do is Lie to me.

And they wonder why I am mad as hell at them.


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## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

Tarp your work area!!! My cable bound up and released in a greasy kitchen line sending a million black specks over a stucco wall in basement bathroom. Took a hour to clean all the nooks and crannys.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

drs said:


> When you ask a customer "Did you use any Drain Cleaner?" and they say "NO", they just lied to you.
> 
> I got burned by a combo of Acid and Lye mix a Bar put down a drain 1 day before I got there. I now have no skin on my Right knee from it. They all knew and the easy thing to do is Lie to me.
> 
> And they wonder why I am mad as hell at them.


 





I never had a bad experience with drain cleaning chemicals. But after reading several posts on here, I will be more cautious.

Many customers have tried 'Liquid Plummer' or 'Draino' before calling the plumber. Understandably it's cheaper to pay for a bottle of 'Draino' than pay for a service call for a drain cleaning job.


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## HOMER (Jun 5, 2011)

When using a top snake through pop-up(strainer)to clear a basin(lavatory) drain in a condo or an apartment make sure you're not back to back with an adjoining basin drain in a different unit.

I have sent my cable up an into someone elses apartment and tore their bathroom up on a back to back situation like that.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Take the time to inspect the area and find the proper place to rod from, and make sure you are not dealing with back to back drains.
Use the right machine for the right job. ( I was with a guy that wanted to rod a main with the K-50)
Keep your drain cleaning equipment in good working order, it sucks to have a machine break while rodding.
Carry baking soda on the truck to put in the drains that there is acid in.
Carry PH testing strips to see if there was any drain cleaners used.
Check the basic distance of a line, this way you can make sure you use the right amount of cable. Too little you may not clear the whole line, to much you might knot up in the larger pipe or manhole.
When dealing with a clog in a main line do not start with the large cutters. You can just spin your wheels and waste time, but the bigger issue is the large cutters like to hit the blockage and turn around on you. Knotting up a cable in a line is a PIA.
If a customer threatens you that they are not going to pay if you get one spec of dirt on their floor/carpet, or if you can not get the line open or any other threat. Tell them you are going to get the tools needed and get in your truck and leave. I did this once on my uncles job, two weeks latter they ended calling my dads company, he and my uncle went there. The guy never said anything about getting the carpet dirty or not paying. Guess he learned his lesson.
If the home owner calls you for service to a rental unit, you tell him he has to pay you not the tenant. If a tenant calls you to do service, you tell him he needs to call the owner and have them call you. I used to tell the tenants if they call me they have to pay me and they can chase their money from the owner. But I realized if I did something the owner didn't like or in the same manor if the tenant did something wrong the owner can come after me for damages.


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## Prof.plumb (Apr 5, 2012)

If you gotta snake the main through a toilet branch in lieu of an accessible c/o, keep in mind that it may ride up the stack and out onto the roof. Knew a guy that found this out the hard way. 20' of cable wrapped up in a garbage heap in the customer's backyard with the dog freaking right out at it.


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## snapchain (Apr 4, 2012)

Never attempt to snake lead drains.


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## BigDave (Mar 24, 2012)

when snaking a 2" kitchen line from an outside wall clean out, get your snake a few feet down the line and go back in the house and turn on the hot water.
The drain will continue to run water out the clean out until you reach the problem. The flow of water will warm the grease and help to carry all the crud into the larger diameter pipes of the system, making a call back less likely. The hot water will also clean your snake cable on the way out so your truck will smell nicer. NOTHING smells worse than that black grease from a kitchen drain line.


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Cutters can be lost in the wink of an eye if you let them bang around for too long inside of a septic tank.


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## vinpadalino (Aug 27, 2010)

Make sure on your invoice if a pipe breaks due to cleaning the drain you're not responsible for the damage.


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

Take the time to assess the drain. To see how long it is, where it runs, and where it joins the main sewer, or septic. Small cutters first, then large. Also a rubber disc plunger (fits inside the pipe), can be invaluable Also never ever bite your fingernails:laughing:. Eat your sandwich to the corner and throw the corner piece away:laughing:


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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

I learned not to keep my cigs or chew in my pants pocket.

I was working on a sewer line and discovered the blockage was at the street. I sent the guy with me to dig up the tap. It could not be cleared and we ran a camera down the line and discovered Verizon had run their cable through the lateral. The county showed up, he broke out a test cap on the y tap and the hole filled up with raw sewage. It was up to his waste. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled his chew out and put a little between his cheek and teeth. YUMMIE


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

Also take all valuables out of top pockets, I once was inspecting a 12' shaft- 4" pipe (what we call a boundary trap). Leaned over shining the torch, Zippo does a 1 and a half pike dive, straight down the pipe, also had a cell phone do the same but it was only 2' deep- got it back but it was fuzxed!


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## quarter450 (Apr 1, 2012)

Doubletap said:


> When there is S$%t flying everywhere....don't lick your lips


Hilarious!


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## AndersenPlumbing (Jan 23, 2010)

HOMER said:


> When using a top snake through pop-up(strainer)to clear a basin(lavatory) drain in a condo or an apartment make sure you're not back to back with an adjoining basin drain in a different unit.
> 
> I have sent my cable up an into someone elses apartment and tore their bathroom up on a back to back situation like that.


I did the same thing trying to clear out a kitchen drain. Little old lady came into the kitchen and said you are in the hallway......The cable was actually making its way down the hallway and back towards the kitchen!!! :laughing:


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

RedRubicon2004 said:


> I did the same thing trying to clear out a kitchen drain. Little old lady came into the kitchen and said you are in the hallway......The cable was actually making its way down the hallway and back towards the kitchen!!! :laughing:


Thats what happens when you spend to much time at the DIY site


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## AndersenPlumbing (Jan 23, 2010)

OldSchool said:


> Thats what happens when you spend to much time at the DIY site


Not sure I follow ya


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

RedRubicon2004 said:


> Not sure I follow ya


Sorry I though you were REX :laughing:


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## okcplum (Jul 16, 2011)

And there will be blood in the town square..


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## seanny deep (Jan 28, 2012)

When you pull hair out of the kitchen sink drain like I did today sometimes its a squirel like it was today. It came thru the inch and a half abs like an accordian.


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

That when you get enough recurring drain calls that you know what to expect when you arrive, it's a beauty.


The main line call I did today:


Wifey already pulled the toilet, laid an old towel down on the floor in the bathroom, she knows the routine. :thumbsup:


12 minutes later on my footstool waiting for the line to clear and the obvious "burp" of sewer gases into the room. 

$140 later and not even 30 minutes at the residence... I'm off to another. Wouldn't even let me set the toilet back as she knows my back is bad. No complaints from them at all. Great customers. Always supply them with a wax ring so they don't have to go get one at the store.

It's a beautiful thing, wish they all went that smoothly.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Sometimes the customer does not believe the 8" of mud on your cable is mud. Go ahead and pack up then, it means they are cheap.


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## jtrooter1 (Nov 30, 2011)

after rodding a kitchen line that u believe is open take the time to go down to the basement to make sure that black crude oil aka drain sludge isnt boiling out of the floor drain...


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## niteowl (Mar 2, 2010)

*Never prejudge a house as in:*

Pull up to old very unkept house with bad pipes=they have money in checking account to pay your fee and do not question your price-great customer.

Pull up to a new very nice house with bad pipes=no money in checking account and credit card declines-decides your price is to high.


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## SewerRat (Feb 26, 2011)

Don't chew on a mainline blockage for too long without investigating with a camera. The blockage could rupture and worse yet ignite. (cross-bore) I've not been in this business nearly as long as many of you but have already camera'd a live gas crossbore firsthand.

Wear safety glasses. My brother, partner, and right arm of our business got a fungal infection on his cornea on the 15th of February. Only able to work part time, hasn't driven in two months, incredible pain, unable to open his eye, can only function with a black patch on his right eye, thousands of dollars in meds, today was his 21st eye appointment since it happened if my count is accurate. Optometrist, ophthalmologist, and surgeon (cornea specialist) working as a tag-team to save his eye. Not only is it painful, inconvenient, and expensive, his downtime has cost our business untold amounts in lost revenue and inefficiencies. Nobody knows where the fungus came from but..... in this business..... are safety glasses really such a hassle?


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

DUNBAR PLUMBING said:


> $140 later and not even 30 minutes at the residence....


Only $140 to drag the machine inside? Not judging, just surprised.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

If you are hung up on the roof, and not knowing why but crawl under building and see a *rug spiraled up *( yes a rug in the crawl space), beware and have assistant go on roof to be sure snake is relaxed. Even then that auger will have some spin to it. Handle with care.


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

Epox said:


> If you are hung up on the roof, and not knowing why but crawl under building and see a *rug spiraled up *( yes a rug in the crawl space), beware and have assistant go on roof to be sure snake is relaxed. Even then that auger will have some spin to it. Handle with care.


Ha ha That reminds me, rodding a storm water drain, feel a bit of resistance.... hear a yell... Old guy HO " i saw it in the pit and it got tied up so i tried to free it" BY HAND deep cuts all the way up his arm. silly bugger.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

Case in point. Those augers are mean. I handled with caution and sure nuff there was torque on that (RELAXED) cable, glad I had my body free and clear.


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

Epox said:


> Case in point. Those augers are mean. I handled with caution and sure nuff there was torque on that (RELAXED) cable, glad I had my body free and clear.


Yeah real nasty, General sidecutters... slightly worn- sharp and jagged.


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## JAraiza (May 7, 2012)

Never loose a head on your coil again by duck tapping around the pin lock.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

My father took a brass plug of various sizes and cut a hole where the square was. He use these on over head sewers so he can run water while rodding and it does a great job protecting the threads.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

JAraiza said:


> Never loose a head on your coil again by duck tapping around the pin lock.


Never loose your cutter assembly ny using new double males, roll pins, and replacing worn ends.


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## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

SewerRatz said:


> My father took a brass plug of various sizes and cut a hole where the square was. He use these on over head sewers so he can run water while rodding and it does a great job protecting the threads.
> 
> 
> QUOTE]
> ...


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## Affordable (May 22, 2012)

SewerRatz said:


> Never loose your cutter assembly ny using new double males, roll pins, and replacing worn ends.


never lost a head in my time yet. of course i always used spartan . they use steel expanding pins and u use a punch and stand to get them out.. pretty good thing to have too.. unless u lose your punch ... but soon as i get a kinked cable .. off it goes... throw a new one on.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Affordable said:


> never lost a head in my time yet. of course i always used spartan . they use steel expanding pins and u use a punch and stand to get them out.. pretty good thing to have too.. unless u lose your punch ... but soon as i get a kinked cable .. off it goes... throw a new one on.


If you notice the roll/punch pin removes to easily replace the pin. When you order cable, cutters, or blade holders always ask for a few extra pins.

Another thing to watch for is when you slide the male end into the female end, there should be no side to side play. If you do have play in the joint replace the female end.

Sent from my Motorola Photon using Plumbing Zone app for Droid.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

Affordable said:


> never lost a head in my time yet. of course i always used spartan . they use steel expanding pins and u use a punch and stand to get them out.. pretty good thing to have too.. unless u lose your punch ... but soon as i get a kinked cable .. off it goes... throw a new one on.





I've had a Spartan roll pin fall out now I replace them every 6 months.


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## Plantificus (Sep 17, 2009)

when you are cleaning a kitchen sink line; always have the HO flush the toilet before putting on the trap. Put your ear near the stub and if the line is open you'll hear the flush-- then it's time to hook everything back up and test. 

I just hate putting everything back together for a failed test:furious:


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

I've learned that an outside clean out made with a tee can be just as handy as two wye's pointing torwards eachother. 

Most of the time gutter drains can be cleared with a garden hose and a good nozzle, 80psi off of the main or well tank helps too.

Galvanized pipe is almost always as terrible on the inside as my ex.

Carry more gloves than Neo has guns.

My camera is worth its weight in gold.

Cleanouts, For an extra 20$ in parts I could have left your brand new toilet on the floor.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Oh, and, DO NOT put anything other than poop, pee, or paper down the drain.

But you will because the number one thing I learned is...............

PEOPLE ARE STUPID, myself included.


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

Post an intro please.


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

skoronesa said:


> PEOPLE ARE STUPID, myself included.


You are living up to your own hype right now.


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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

No intro, ban hammer


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

I just wrote an intro.


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Put a shut off valve on the end of your hose before the blow bag goes on.

Saves time running to the other end of the hose to shut it off.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Who we think is reading this thread...


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Who is really reading this thread...


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

You guys have all worked years to learn these tips and tricks of the trade. It's the knowledge that separates you from the hacks & diy'ers. 

This thread should be private. Many of the guys making these posts from '12 have realized the issue and no longer post here.


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Never pick your nose in front of a customer.

When cleaning sewers, just never pick your nose.


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## cable or root (Oct 7, 2015)

When the tub's full, make sure it is stopped before pulling a stool to clean the line. Yup, I learned the hard way, twice. I carry a rubber tub stopper now.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

plumberkc said:


> Who is really reading this thread...


Remember my Ladies Night analogy.....this is prime example right here.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

gear junkie said:


> Remember my Ladies Night analogy.....this is prime example right here.


That was the first thing that came to mind as I was reading this thread.


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