I’m a plumber in Canada, long family history of master plumbers & carpenters. I just sent my apprentice this video to explain basic drain snaking. This old house is an excellent example for everyone.
You know, I've always been jealous of people who had dads/guardians who taught them basic life skills like how to properly snake a drain since I never had anyone to help me like that. Thanks, This Old House, for filling that void.
I worked for a company with 800 vacation rentals. I got a call every other day about a clogged toilet. The guests would say it's no use, they'd already plunged it. Well, they should have done it like Richard at 1:02 because that's the right way. Actually, don't pull it that hard unless you like poop in your face. No more than two or three "pulls", not pushes, and the clog is gone. And clogged tub? It's hair. It's always hair. It's never anything but hair. Unscrew the popup or pull out the tub drain linkage. Then use needle nose pliers. As I would tell folks, "Look, I pulled out the entire cat." Same for bathroom sinks. It's always hair. Unscrew the popup lever under the sink with a pair of channel locks, pull out the stopper, needle nose pliers down the drain and pull out that fur ball. Good to go.
All great advice. As a municipal maintenance tech ive used all of these options plus a couple more. One thing to note about the rubber bladders is they work well but make sure that no chemicals/ acids have been tried first. The rubber and acid do NOT mix. The acid can cause the rubber bladder to deteriorate and burst...often while being used under pressure. Not fun!
I was able to remove a good sized block from my tub today, all thanks to this video. I was able to go through the vent and remove the block. Thank you very much for the wisdom.
My dad was a plumber/steamfitter and I went on plenty of jobs with him. Tip: if you are blocking the overflow hole to use a plunger it is more effective to use wet rag than a dry one.
I would make one addition to his theory. If you don't fill the basin with water, then when you use the plunger you are just compressing air. That won't do you any good. Water doesn't compress and you will get more of your force to go against the blockage.
@@photoobject Actually, if you're doing drains on a daily basis, you also have an air 'blaster' kit in your arsenal. Once you plug the overflows, you pump up the device and pull the trigger. Often the blast of air will push the clog down the line enough to clean. But the caveat is that it could just push the clog further down the line and stop. So.....we would try the air 'blaster' first and then follow up with a snake and water to clean.
Man i thought they upped a old video but no ! i need to get out the archive and watch them side by side lol . Pretty sure was video was right after Kevin O’Connor got help taking down old wallpaper in his old house then became the new host next season. I love these guys so much years and years helping people
Nice job! I have been clearing drains for years as a maintenance mechanic in a hospital so I was familiar with most of the methods however, the rubber bladder with the hole in it was a new one. Thanks I learned something new today.
I'm not a fan of using pressure bladders or pneumatic RAM's on waste-pipes or drain, especially anything hidden behind walls, under floors or in ceilings - I've seen pipework come apart so would always recommend one of or a combination of snaking cable, Flex Shaft, jetting or a vacuum.
The part where you block the overflow on the sink had not occurred to me since it's years between drain clogs... and frankly, was half asleep when attempting this. I already spent an hour trying to do it with a wire to no avail. Tried boiling hot water. Nada. I thought I'd try a plunger but it was coming out the overflow and didn't think to block it. That was the ticket: plunger with emphasis on the pulling up, not the pushing down...and wrapped up tight paper towels to block the overflow. What a clogged drain... but back to free flowing now. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for the caution given about chemical drain solutions. It is often the go to solution of a home owner. The danger to the repairman is real. I was on the receiving end of a caustic flood once a long run drain was cleared. I had no way to get clear of the flow on a ladder and ended up with chemical burns everywhere it touched.
The tip on the bathtub upper entry aided me in breaking the clog on my plumbing. The auger was able to go 5' down to the clog on the horizontal pipe before the stack. Thank you.
I learned about a wet vac a long time ago. Plug up overflows in sink and other nearby sinks or tubs with wet rags, fill with water, place end of vacuum hose over drain, open sink drain, turn on vac. You will be surprised at all the nasty deposits that come out of the drain. I have also sucked out things from drains without drain guards, such as toy cars and plastic grapes. You can repeat if need be. May as well do nearby drains while you have your tools out.
@tradde11 I've seen Steven Lavimoniere and hvacr videos use it sometimes outdoors on plumbing and hvac clogged condensation line and when there is no p-trap which causes the vacuum to hold water in the line
Yes I use a wet vac, the easiest way ever. On double sinks I just fill both sides with water, plug one side and suck the 😅😅other. It takes two seconds and pulls everything out like a tornado. Boom. On and off. ❤. On bath room tape overflow and suck. Boom in seconds. The other ideas is a waste of time. And you do not have to clean the plunger or snake. Just dump the water vac.
Omfg I absolutely Connor wait to try this. In fact I might intentionally block a drain JUST to do this before my adhd brain forgets I ever learned this
Brilliant! I just unclogged a very stubborn bathroom sink drain with a snake at my uncle’s apartment. It went inside the wall, beyond the p-trap by a good 4 feet. And yes, tissue in the overflow hole is a very good idea, unless you like surprises. Thank you, This Old House!!!
A note about the rubber bladder...You need to make sure you're using it in front of any branches in the plumbing behind the clog. Otherwise you will shoot water up and out of a plumbing fixture...could be a flood if you're not paying attention!
My old man showed me the bladder trick because we lived in an old shot gun house and it would clog weekly. We were poor but this would get us through and I’m glad I learned early to do things yourself. Thanks dad!
The reason plumbers use a cross, as you first described in a double lavatory situation, instead of using the double wye alternative you described is, with a cross, both lavatories are vented out of the top of the cross. When you use a double wye, the lavatories are no longer vented since you have “jumped/broken the vent”. If a plumber who knows the codes and what they are doing was to use a double wye, each arm coming from the trap to the double wye would have to be individually vented between the trap and the double wye. Whenever I snake a double lavatory or a back-to-back fixture/drain, I always use a drop head on my cable (not a wire) so the head will drop down into the vertical drain/stack instead of crossing over and into the drain of the fixture I am not snaking.
I was thinking the same thing. Without the vent it turns it into an s-trap. I don’t know a code that allows s-traps. It’s also the same reason there in a limit on the trap arm length.
@@shadeiland technically, you are correct - while it really doesn’t look like a typical s-trap with the long arm to the double wye, it sort of is an s-trap. You are also correct about the trap arm length. There is a maximum distance from a vent to a trap. This distance depends on what size the trap and horizontal pipe is. The minimum length of any trap arm to a vented stack/tee is two times the diameter of the horizontal pipe size. For example, the minimum length for a 1-1/2” trap arm is 3”, and the minimum length of a 3” trap arm is 6”. The shorter the trap arm is, the more the configuration looks like a typical s-trap.
As someone who unclogs drains for a living, I am begging you to either stagger your back to back drains at different heights or use a wye. Crosses are very hard to unclog. Same thing with back to back toilets. Always use a wye, crosses are impossible to navigate with a cable underwater.
@@brucestorey917 You're on the right path, but not quite correct. What matters in these cases is the total fall of the trap arm, not its minimum length. A trap arm (the pipe which runs from the trap weir to the vent pipe connection) cannot have a vertical fall of more than ONE pipe diameter. That's why you can't use a wye (or double wye) here. Angling the last few inches of the trap arm down at 45 degrees with a wye makes it drop more than one pipe diameter, thus creating a siphon. Use a sanitary tee or sanitary cross and put in a clean out fitting just above it.
Awesome! Always learn something new from Ask This Old House but the pull up with the plunger was a new one and seemed particularly helpful. Can’t wait to try it, oh wait, hope not to have to use it!
Thanks for the garden hose attachment ended up giving me a idea i rigged up a old sink sprayer to clear my sink drain with water pressure an it worked perfectly thanks 🙏
Thank you for this video. I used to watch This Old House with my mom and dad, I learned a lot from the show. This was when Bob Vila was hosting in the 80’s. I am glad there are still videos to learn from. I will be attempting to clear the bathroom dint tomorrow. It is so bad it’s driving me insane. I don’t want to try chemicals again.
There are many homes where the main sewer line is buried beneath a concrete slab, so NO CLEANOUTs at each 90 degree bend. I have a stubborn kitchen sink clog which affects ONLY that fixture. The other 7 drains in the house work perfectly. After removing the trap, when I run the snake in, I don't know if the snake goes DOWN to the main sewer pipe, or UP the vent pipe. Looks like I'm going to need to run a snake straight down the vent from up on the roof. Writing this helped me think through my problem. It won't be fun, but tomorrow I'm heading up the ladder!
I like that last note that liquid plumber can eat through the pipe. so realistically its only good as regular maintenance to avoid clogs on a line that is regular problem, but also it'll break your line if its left to sit, which it probably is unless you can flood the line
Liquid Plumber is made from NoOH (Sodium Hydroxide) which is designed to Not harm your pipes. It only works against organic material. Never ever use NaOH in a stopped-up drain. The water will dilute the concentration rendering it ineffective, and then you have a hazmat situation. The other tip I'd give you is to use it on your drain 1st thing in the morning after the water in a slow drain has gone down the pipe. Then you can be assured that the chemical will contact the blockage at full strength.
Prevent blockages in the first place. Install a tub mushroom and catch all that hair. Don't use a waste disposer, use a compost bucket. Stop washing your hair in the kitchen sink. Use a bidet, give up toilet paper. Finally use root killer once or twice a year in your main drain.
Great video. To clear the drain in my old house I snaked the drain via the air pipe on the roof and it worked! I now have a great sense of accomplishment and the money in my wallet is happy I didn’t have to give it away.
At 4:18, why would Richard say "If the original plumber cared at all about us..." and then introduce an admittedly (4:25) non-code compliant method? IPC and UPC do NOT allow a double combo in this configuration because it can cause the trap to be siphoned (vent connection below the trap weir). The proper alternative, instead of the combo, would have been a cleanout above or below the double sanitary tee.
The Grand Canyon in the old metallic drain. I have seen it from someone that used drain cleaner regiously. A remodel exposed it in the slab. It was my uncles' house
My first step with a toilet is always filling the bowl to the brim with water... The additional pressure of the water on the clog is usually enough to push it out.
Another trick that sometimes works on tub drains is to find a way to block the overflow, fill the drain with water a little above the drain, use a powerful wet vac to suck the clog out. This trick works great on drum traps.
I always thought lavetory was a alias for the toilet and not the sink. You learn something knew all the time. I have a slow draining sick, or lavetory, which I'll look into now with these tips.
I thought the same thing. Only thing I would add to future videos is a quick comment on the terminology; I think that the vast majority of us laymen (and women) who are untutored in the plumbing trade only thing one thing when we hear the word "lavatory."
I’ve pushed a bladder in from the clean out using all of a 25 foot hose to get past the junction with a washing machine drain and was able to blast out a clog that my 25 ft auger couldn’t reach. Not sure that it doesn’t just move and spread the clog sediment/mass further down the line though.
I now used a very large shop vac for all clogs from sink to toilet... Works most of the time.....as a Landlord....I have tried and own most of other tools.....Pressure washer with long hose is last resort.
I recommend equipping it with a pressure gauge on a T-fitting, and a valve to operate it locally. The valve enables you to turn it on and off, without having to walk back to the original hose bib valve, and the pressure gauge enables you to get feedback on when you clear the obstruction. Do a control experiment on the cleaning bladder in an empty piece of pipe open to the atmosphere, and see what its baseline pressure is (about 20 psig in my experience). The valve also enables you to pulsate the water flow, which helps clear it as well. Another recommendation is to temporarily equip your drain with a T-fitting and a valve-operated discharge tube. It is very difficult to turn off these bladders prior to clearing the drain, as water will spray everywhere. Having this auxiliary discharge tube gives you a way to redirect the excess water.
You guys are great. Thank you for your time. I am a self taught Jack of all trades in many of the disciplines I have acquired. I was impressed, I knew all the mechanics of every clogged drain you showed. However, I never really acquired the theory of the processes. A lot of it is logical in the practices. Thanks for the theory. Now in your video you showed the part that you brought from home. the one with the spiral on the end that operates the bathtub drain. I have exactly the same one. However, the spiral end that traps hair. How does that Mechanically work when it corresponds to the directional lever it attaches to or what does it actually do? Cant figure that one out ??????? Thank you in advance Semper Fi
When installed, the cylinder, either brass or plastic depending on the age, is in one of two places. It’s either raised up above the tee, allowing water to drain. When the lever is moved, it drops the cylinder down, preventing water from escaping. Since you’d get your snake stuck in it, it is best to remove it prior to snaking. Just keep pulling up until it all comes out of the overflow. Then manually remove the hair from the cylinder. The threaded rod it’s attached to is adjustable to accommodate for varying tub sizes. Semper Fi.
Thank you This Old House. I wish I were a knowledgeable homeowner. We just bought our first house, and we are, at least I'm, VERY nervous about all the upkeep and knowledge to keep the house functional. Scared & stressed... hopefully I'll learn from your channel 🙏🏽🇺🇲🙏🏽
Your best bet if you're nervous about home maintenance, is to look up preventive maintenance videos on RUclips. They'll help you understand what you're doing and why, and a lot of the preventive maintenance procedures will also help if an emergency arrives. And always remember, although it may cost a lot, calling a professional is nothing to be ashamed of. Sometimes things are just too much for you to handle, and that's ok.
@@FlameStrykeShadowDark OMG! Thank you so very much for your kindness 🙏🏽 Sooooo sincerely appreciated. Yeah, that's what I have been doing so far, calling the experts, which has been really hard on the wallet. Therefore, trying to learn some myself to avoid extra costs as much as I possibly can. Since the home purchase just only recently, I had to call a plumber twice for the boiler, sewage drainage guy, etc. Con Edison been charging $650-740 per month for my simple single family house. Learning the windows lack the insulation etc.... Phewww! I started digging RUclips for ANY help. Lol... I just vented here. But I truly thank you for your kind advice 🙏🏽 Have a good night!
There is nothing you can't learn how to do on youtube. I looks at youtube videos as a tool in and of itself. My advice would be invest in basic tools to do as much as yourself as possible.
4:00 Bingo, this is my problem, old Apartment Building, my kitchen line meets very likely an old T which my bathroom sink line meets also, and grease buildup just overflows BOTH my kitchen and bathroom sinks, together, every 4 months. I snake it both ways, until yucky grease is loosened up, and carry on for a few months. I can't see the in wall exact plumbing, but an old T likely or something else, used in this 70 year old apartment building, in the walls, can't get to without opening the wall. But thanks, your 4:00 problem is similar I think to mine. Patience, snake auger fiddling, is what works for me. Am going to run water my next snaking of my dual lines which get blocked, as that's the thing I've not been doing. So thankyou very much!
I have PVC pipes and a drain. Clay is clogging my pipe about 25 ft from the Sink: kitty litter. I have read not to use hydrochloric acid or any assets because of the drain field. Thank you so much. Great video. Field. Any suggestions please.
i seem to have the case of two basins connected horizontally at a T. was hoping to get a hint on how to unclog that one. is there any way to get snake into vertical section
Another channel says to first try putting Dish Washer Liquid into the drain and let it sit for 10 minutes then Run HOT water into the drain to clear grease build up. Many times this will cause the grease to breakup and move along?
I never thought of it for sinks, but we use this method on the toilet. We live in a 2nd-floor apt. As the water drains slowly from the bowl, hold an upturned bottle of regular liquid dishwashing detergent over the deep part of the bowl so that the concentrated soap will seep into the drain pipe. Put about a cup of it in. Let it sit for half an hour or so. Then slowly pour a 5-gal bucket of very hot -- not boiling -- water into the deepest part of the bowl. Often the water starts draining and clearing before all the hot water is added. If not, it can sit for about 5 min and will probably start draining. If not, just a couple of plunges gets it all flowing. Usually I then pour another bucket of hot water down, just to be sure the clog has moved far enough down the drain. Works great.
Nothing is more appreciated, than a knowledgeable person sharing their expertise to make the lives of their audience better. thank you.
I’m a plumber in Canada, long family history of master plumbers & carpenters. I just sent my apprentice this video to explain basic drain snaking. This old house is an excellent example for everyone.
You know, I've always been jealous of people who had dads/guardians who taught them basic life skills like how to properly snake a drain since I never had anyone to help me like that. Thanks, This Old House, for filling that void.
Sadly... I'm with you. My dad was rich and was a white collar worker.... attorney.
I worked for a company with 800 vacation rentals. I got a call every other day about a clogged toilet. The guests would say it's no use, they'd already plunged it. Well, they should have done it like Richard at 1:02 because that's the right way. Actually, don't pull it that hard unless you like poop in your face. No more than two or three "pulls", not pushes, and the clog is gone.
And clogged tub? It's hair. It's always hair. It's never anything but hair. Unscrew the popup or pull out the tub drain linkage. Then use needle nose pliers. As I would tell folks, "Look, I pulled out the entire cat."
Same for bathroom sinks. It's always hair. Unscrew the popup lever under the sink with a pair of channel locks, pull out the stopper, needle nose pliers down the drain and pull out that fur ball. Good to go.
Waffle stomp. Tub clogs aren't always hair.
Best home show for decades. Never get tired of watching these guys.
All great advice. As a municipal maintenance tech ive used all of these options plus a couple more. One thing to note about the rubber bladders is they work well but make sure that no chemicals/ acids have been tried first. The rubber and acid do NOT mix. The acid can cause the rubber bladder to deteriorate and burst...often while being used under pressure. Not fun!
I work for a state park system. We've been using those black expanders for like 15 years. They work so well. Love them and swear by them.
I was able to remove a good sized block from my tub today, all thanks to this video. I was able to go through the vent and remove the block. Thank you very much for the wisdom.
My dad was a plumber/steamfitter and I went on plenty of jobs with him. Tip: if you are blocking the overflow hole to use a plunger it is more effective to use wet rag than a dry one.
i use a plunger or painters tape.
This guy. Sitcom in the making
I usey wifey finger
I would make one addition to his theory. If you don't fill the basin with water, then when you use the plunger you are just compressing air. That won't do you any good. Water doesn't compress and you will get more of your force to go against the blockage.
@@photoobject Actually, if you're doing drains on a daily basis, you also have an air 'blaster' kit in your arsenal. Once you plug the overflows, you pump up the device and pull the trigger. Often the blast of air will push the clog down the line enough to clean. But the caveat is that it could just push the clog further down the line and stop. So.....we would try the air 'blaster' first and then follow up with a snake and water to clean.
More of this style of real information in a usable everyday scenarios. Bravo
I love you guys! I've been watching you for 40 years and you always have a solution to help me with my DIY fixes! Thanks!
This show/channel is absolutely PRICELESS for homeowners. I've been watching TOH since I was a child though lol. I love this stuff.
Yeah; isn’t it weird seeing Norm and friends these days?
How did we get so old, man?
@@peoplethesedaysberetarded you know what I'm saying? 😭😭😭
Man i thought they upped a old video but no ! i need to get out the archive and watch them side by side lol . Pretty sure was video was right after Kevin O’Connor got help taking down old wallpaper in his old house then became the new host next season. I love these guys so much years and years helping people
Nice job! I have been clearing drains for years as a maintenance mechanic in a hospital so I was familiar with most of the methods however, the rubber bladder with the hole in it was a new one. Thanks I learned something new today.
They have been at harbor freight for years now the worst thing you can buy other then the drain cleaner.
gotta be careful with those rubber ones...things can go bad real fast if your not sure what line goes where...
I'm not a fan of using pressure bladders or pneumatic RAM's on waste-pipes or drain, especially anything hidden behind walls, under floors or in ceilings - I've seen pipework come apart so would always recommend one of or a combination of snaking cable, Flex Shaft, jetting or a vacuum.
@@mrdrains2088 but 1500psi or a nice hard metal snake won’t but air will lol 😂
@@davidblevins9513 I usually run 4000-5000PSI through a 1/8" whip hose on smaller pipes if the mechanical auger or Flex Shaft cant get the job done.
The part where you block the overflow on the sink had not occurred to me since it's years between drain clogs... and frankly, was half asleep when attempting this. I already spent an hour trying to do it with a wire to no avail. Tried boiling hot water. Nada. I thought I'd try a plunger but it was coming out the overflow and didn't think to block it. That was the ticket: plunger with emphasis on the pulling up, not the pushing down...and wrapped up tight paper towels to block the overflow. What a clogged drain... but back to free flowing now. Thanks for posting this.
Ml
⁹
Thanks for the caution given about chemical drain solutions. It is often the go to solution of a home owner. The danger to the repairman is real. I was on the receiving end of a caustic flood once a long run drain was cleared. I had no way to get clear of the flow on a ladder and ended up with chemical burns everywhere it touched.
The tip on the bathtub upper entry aided me in breaking the clog on my plumbing. The auger was able to go 5' down to the clog on the horizontal pipe before the stack. Thank you.
I learned about a wet vac a long time ago. Plug up overflows in sink and other nearby sinks or tubs with wet rags, fill with water, place end of vacuum hose over drain, open sink drain, turn on vac. You will be surprised at all the nasty deposits that come out of the drain. I have also sucked out things from drains without drain guards, such as toy cars and plastic grapes. You can repeat if need be. May as well do nearby drains while you have your tools out.
@tradde11 I've seen Steven Lavimoniere and hvacr videos use it sometimes outdoors on plumbing and hvac clogged condensation line and when there is no p-trap which causes the vacuum to hold water in the line
You are 100% right - Using a wet vac is one of the best ways to clean out a blocked waste pipe or trap - works very well.
Yes I use a wet vac, the easiest way ever. On double sinks I just fill both sides with water, plug one side and suck the 😅😅other. It takes two seconds and pulls everything out like a tornado. Boom. On and off. ❤. On bath room tape overflow and suck. Boom in seconds. The other ideas is a waste of time. And you do not have to clean the plunger or snake. Just dump the water vac.
Omfg I absolutely Connor wait to try this. In fact I might intentionally block a drain JUST to do this before my adhd brain forgets I ever learned this
Brilliant! I just unclogged a very stubborn bathroom sink drain with a snake at my uncle’s apartment. It went inside the wall, beyond the p-trap by a good 4 feet. And yes, tissue in the overflow hole is a very good idea, unless you like surprises. Thank you, This Old House!!!
I enjoy this show so much, I've been watching for over 15 years.
A note about the rubber bladder...You need to make sure you're using it in front of any branches in the plumbing behind the clog. Otherwise you will shoot water up and out of a plumbing fixture...could be a flood if you're not paying attention!
Good info, if you're house is newer. Do an episode on galvanized drain lines, drum traps, and the like!!
I love the patina on the old Waterloo tool box in the background.
Great service, wish we had a similar one over here in the UK. Thank you so much
That was jammed packed with great information. Thank you.
Wonderful videos, long live This Old House!!!!
Great tips here for clogs, especially going down the overflow opening to put the snake down the drain.
I started doing trap maintenance on a tri-monthly basis since COVID. Haven't had to use drain openers ora sink and tub plunger since early 2020.
Great info. I always love Richard's cutaways!
My old man showed me the bladder trick because we lived in an old shot gun house and it would clog weekly. We were poor but this would get us through and I’m glad I learned early to do things yourself. Thanks dad!
This is what I was looking for. Great information on slow draining sinks and plumbing behind it. Thank you for the video 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I've often used a small wet-vac for clearing plugged lavatory drains.
The reason plumbers use a cross, as you first described in a double lavatory situation, instead of using the double wye alternative you described is, with a cross, both lavatories are vented out of the top of the cross. When you use a double wye, the lavatories are no longer vented since you have “jumped/broken the vent”. If a plumber who knows the codes and what they are doing was to use a double wye, each arm coming from the trap to the double wye would have to be individually vented between the trap and the double wye. Whenever I snake a double lavatory or a back-to-back fixture/drain, I always use a drop head on my cable (not a wire) so the head will drop down into the vertical drain/stack instead of crossing over and into the drain of the fixture I am not snaking.
I was thinking the same thing. Without the vent it turns it into an s-trap. I don’t know a code that allows s-traps. It’s also the same reason there in a limit on the trap arm length.
@@shadeiland technically, you are correct - while it really doesn’t look like a typical s-trap with the long arm to the double wye, it sort of is an s-trap. You are also correct about the trap arm length. There is a maximum distance from a vent to a trap. This distance depends on what size the trap and horizontal pipe is. The minimum length of any trap arm to a vented stack/tee is two times the diameter of the horizontal pipe size. For example, the minimum length for a 1-1/2” trap arm is 3”, and the minimum length of a 3” trap arm is 6”. The shorter the trap arm is, the more the configuration looks like a typical s-trap.
I was thinking the same and used drop heads
As someone who unclogs drains for a living, I am begging you to either stagger your back to back drains at different heights or use a wye. Crosses are very hard to unclog. Same thing with back to back toilets. Always use a wye, crosses are impossible to navigate with a cable underwater.
@@brucestorey917 You're on the right path, but not quite correct. What matters in these cases is the total fall of the trap arm, not its minimum length. A trap arm (the pipe which runs from the trap weir to the vent pipe connection) cannot have a vertical fall of more than ONE pipe diameter. That's why you can't use a wye (or double wye) here. Angling the last few inches of the trap arm down at 45 degrees with a wye makes it drop more than one pipe diameter, thus creating a siphon. Use a sanitary tee or sanitary cross and put in a clean out fitting just above it.
Excellent video. Thank you
Awesome! Always learn something new from Ask This Old House but the pull up with the plunger was a new one and seemed particularly helpful. Can’t wait to try it, oh wait, hope not to have to use it!
Thanks for the garden hose attachment ended up giving me a idea i rigged up a old sink sprayer to clear my sink drain with water pressure an it worked perfectly thanks 🙏
I like the information and fishing jokes!
thank you for all your content! Grandma's tub is draining again and I didn't have to call a plumber.
Richard has outlasted all of the hosts.
I trust these guys. All of them through the years. Always have since the very late Seventies.
Very helpful video, thanks!
Draino or like is garbage. I’ve done residential maintenance for a decade. This is gold info.
My friend is the #1 Hometown Custodian!
More than one way to skin a toilet! 🚽
Thank you for this video. I used to watch This Old House with my mom and dad, I learned a lot from the show. This was when Bob Vila was hosting in the 80’s. I am glad there are still videos to learn from. I will be attempting to clear the bathroom dint tomorrow. It is so bad it’s driving me insane. I don’t want to try chemicals again.
Richard is the best!
There are many homes where the main sewer line is buried beneath a concrete slab, so NO CLEANOUTs at each 90 degree bend. I have a stubborn kitchen sink clog which affects ONLY that fixture. The other 7 drains in the house work perfectly. After removing the trap, when I run the snake in, I don't know if the snake goes DOWN to the main sewer pipe, or UP the vent pipe. Looks like I'm going to need to run a snake straight down the vent from up on the roof. Writing this helped me think through my problem. It won't be fun, but tomorrow I'm heading up the ladder!
Good video. I have trouble explaining how things like this work to a large number of people...
I like that last note that liquid plumber can eat through the pipe. so realistically its only good as regular maintenance to avoid clogs on a line that is regular problem, but also it'll break your line if its left to sit, which it probably is unless you can flood the line
Liquid Plumber is made from NoOH (Sodium Hydroxide) which is designed to Not harm your pipes. It only works against organic material. Never ever use NaOH in a stopped-up drain. The water will dilute the concentration rendering it ineffective, and then you have a hazmat situation. The other tip I'd give you is to use it on your drain 1st thing in the morning after the water in a slow drain has gone down the pipe. Then you can be assured that the chemical will contact the blockage at full strength.
Prevent blockages in the first place.
Install a tub mushroom and catch all that hair. Don't use a waste disposer, use a compost bucket. Stop washing your hair in the kitchen
sink. Use a bidet, give up toilet paper.
Finally use root killer once or twice a year in your main drain.
Great video. To clear the drain in my old house I snaked the drain via the air pipe on the roof and it worked! I now have a great sense of accomplishment and the money in my wallet is happy I didn’t have to give it away.
Yoooo cool plunger tip at the very start.. ant wait to try it hahah.
Thank You for All that you are doing for our Planet Earth.... Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste
🙏🏻 😊 ✌ ☮ ❤
NICE STUFF, I was unsure about the word "any". I suppose some would be easier to just replace.
Thanks for the useful and valuable information!
At 4:18, why would Richard say "If the original plumber cared at all about us..." and then introduce an admittedly (4:25) non-code compliant method? IPC and UPC do NOT allow a double combo in this configuration because it can cause the trap to be siphoned (vent connection below the trap weir). The proper alternative, instead of the combo, would have been a cleanout above or below the double sanitary tee.
Richard is the man
Very interesting, never knew about some of those techniques
The Grand Canyon in the old metallic drain. I have seen it from someone that used drain cleaner regiously. A remodel exposed it in the slab. It was my uncles' house
That was a great tip with 2plunger in the shunky, but I've never heard a was basin being called a lavatory.
I'm a fan of the drain jet!
What’s a drain jet?
good lecture.
What about those sewer jetter kits for pressure washers? Like Clog Hog. Any experience with those?
Wonderful presentation! Thank you!
I have been watching video and need your help in up great my house and advice from you
When the caption read "any drain", I was hoping storm drains would be included. Do you have any videos/advice on that? Thanks...
My first step with a toilet is always filling the bowl to the brim with water... The additional pressure of the water on the clog is usually enough to push it out.
Another trick that sometimes works on tub drains is to find a way to block the overflow, fill the drain with water a little above the drain, use a powerful wet vac to suck the clog out. This trick works great on drum traps.
If no overflow is it possible through roof vent?
How DO you unclog the case of the double sink where the pipe runs horizontally?
I always thought lavetory was a alias for the toilet and not the sink. You learn something knew all the time. I have a slow draining sick, or lavetory, which I'll look into now with these tips.
I thought the same thing. Only thing I would add to future videos is a quick comment on the terminology; I think that the vast majority of us laymen (and women) who are untutored in the plumbing trade only thing one thing when we hear the word "lavatory."
Funny & informative ❤
thank you !
Good tips. Thank you! ❤❤❤❤
The combination double wye is legal in Jersey it’s such low flow the venting for the sink will still
Exist under wet conditions
Even though I don't understand it, I can guess the content you shared. Wish you good health
I’ve pushed a bladder in from the clean out using all of a 25 foot hose to get past the junction with a washing machine drain and was able to blast out a clog that my 25 ft auger couldn’t reach. Not sure that it doesn’t just move and spread the clog sediment/mass further down the line though.
I now used a very large shop vac for all clogs from sink to toilet...
Works most of the time.....as a Landlord....I have tried and own most of other tools.....Pressure washer with long hose is last resort.
At 7:07 it got kind of arkward lol! 😂
He makes the closet auger sound so gentle and easy. Its only easy on an unclogged toilet. Clogged ones are much worse.
Great info! Thanks!
7:40 Drain cleaning bladder to inject pressurized water into clogged drains. Really cool.
I recommend equipping it with a pressure gauge on a T-fitting, and a valve to operate it locally. The valve enables you to turn it on and off, without having to walk back to the original hose bib valve, and the pressure gauge enables you to get feedback on when you clear the obstruction. Do a control experiment on the cleaning bladder in an empty piece of pipe open to the atmosphere, and see what its baseline pressure is (about 20 psig in my experience). The valve also enables you to pulsate the water flow, which helps clear it as well.
Another recommendation is to temporarily equip your drain with a T-fitting and a valve-operated discharge tube. It is very difficult to turn off these bladders prior to clearing the drain, as water will spray everywhere. Having this auxiliary discharge tube gives you a way to redirect the excess water.
(4:20) "if the original plumber cared at all about us...." BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
You guys are great. Thank you for your time. I am a self taught Jack of all trades in many of the disciplines I have acquired. I was impressed, I knew all the mechanics of every clogged drain you showed. However, I never really acquired the theory of the processes. A lot of it is logical in the practices. Thanks for the theory. Now in your video you showed the part that you brought from home. the one with the spiral on the end that operates the bathtub drain. I have exactly the same one. However, the spiral end that traps hair. How does that Mechanically work when it corresponds to the directional lever it attaches to or what does it actually do? Cant figure that one out ??????? Thank you in advance Semper Fi
When installed, the cylinder, either brass or plastic depending on the age, is in one of two places. It’s either raised up above the tee, allowing water to drain. When the lever is moved, it drops the cylinder down, preventing water from escaping. Since you’d get your snake stuck in it, it is best to remove it prior to snaking. Just keep pulling up until it all comes out of the overflow. Then manually remove the hair from the cylinder. The threaded rod it’s attached to is adjustable to accommodate for varying tub sizes. Semper Fi.
Thank you This Old House. I wish I were a knowledgeable homeowner. We just bought our first house, and we are, at least I'm, VERY nervous about all the upkeep and knowledge to keep the house functional. Scared & stressed... hopefully I'll learn from your channel 🙏🏽🇺🇲🙏🏽
Your best bet if you're nervous about home maintenance, is to look up preventive maintenance videos on RUclips. They'll help you understand what you're doing and why, and a lot of the preventive maintenance procedures will also help if an emergency arrives.
And always remember, although it may cost a lot, calling a professional is nothing to be ashamed of. Sometimes things are just too much for you to handle, and that's ok.
@@FlameStrykeShadowDark OMG! Thank you so very much for your kindness 🙏🏽 Sooooo sincerely appreciated. Yeah, that's what I have been doing so far, calling the experts, which has been really hard on the wallet. Therefore, trying to learn some myself to avoid extra costs as much as I possibly can.
Since the home purchase just only recently, I had to call a plumber twice for the boiler, sewage drainage guy, etc. Con Edison been charging $650-740 per month for my simple single family house. Learning the windows lack the insulation etc.... Phewww! I started digging RUclips for ANY help.
Lol... I just vented here. But I truly thank you for your kind advice 🙏🏽 Have a good night!
There is nothing you can't learn how to do on youtube. I looks at youtube videos as a tool in and of itself. My advice would be invest in basic tools to do as much as yourself as possible.
@@FlameStrykeShadowDark That sounds great! Thank you so much 🙏🏽
@tradde11 That might be a while for me cos I don't yet know even the most basics:(. I only learned caulking yesterday:) Thank you 🙏🏽
Nice I never had luck with chemical drain cleaners. Good use of time in video
Thanks for the laugh!!! And the wise tips!
Gotta be careful when fishing in a commode. You might just catch a 'Brooklyn Trout' Love your show & videos!
4:00 Bingo, this is my problem, old Apartment Building, my kitchen line meets very likely an old T which my bathroom sink line meets also, and grease buildup just overflows BOTH my kitchen and bathroom sinks, together, every 4 months. I snake it both ways, until yucky grease is loosened up, and carry on for a few months. I can't see the in wall exact plumbing, but an old T likely or something else, used in this 70 year old apartment building, in the walls, can't get to without opening the wall.
But thanks, your 4:00 problem is similar I think to mine. Patience, snake auger fiddling, is what works for me.
Am going to run water my next snaking of my dual lines which get blocked, as that's the thing I've not been doing. So thankyou very much!
i love these guys
I had never thought of using a plunger in a sink, but it unclogged my bathroom sink very effectively, after Drano did nothing at all.
@ 7:18 you get to find out about the birds and the bees 😂😂
Your videos are interesting
I have PVC pipes and a drain. Clay is clogging my pipe about 25 ft from the
Sink: kitty litter. I have read not to use hydrochloric acid or any assets because of the drain field.
Thank you so much. Great video.
Field. Any suggestions please.
❤ thank you
Learned a ton. Thanks!!
The trades are the best kinda jobs to and undertake
Nice 👍
i seem to have the case of two basins connected horizontally at a T. was hoping to get a hint on how to unclog that one. is there any way to get snake into vertical section
Another channel says to first try putting Dish Washer Liquid into the drain and let it sit for 10 minutes then Run HOT water into the drain to clear grease build up. Many times this will cause the grease to breakup and move along?
I never thought of it for sinks, but we use this method on the toilet.
We live in a 2nd-floor apt.
As the water drains slowly from the bowl, hold an upturned bottle of regular liquid dishwashing detergent over the deep part of the bowl so that the concentrated soap will seep into the drain pipe. Put about a cup of it in. Let it sit for half an hour or so. Then slowly pour a 5-gal bucket of very hot -- not boiling -- water into the deepest part of the bowl. Often the water starts draining and clearing before all the hot water is added. If not, it can sit for about 5 min and will probably start draining. If not, just a couple of plunges gets it all flowing. Usually I then pour another bucket of hot water down, just to be sure the clog has moved far enough down the drain. Works great.
Nice video