[PonchoV8]

I wonder how you check the vents?

[kai]

I used a pressure washer with a drain cleaning attachment. It cleans the pipe as in propels itself forward with the water pressure. Does a much better job of cleaning the drain versus a snake.

[Qball]

There's a device that I used to use in my old (85 yr old) house. It attaches to a garden hose and its a rubber bladder with a hole on the end of it. It slips into your pipe then you turn the water on. It swells up and creates a seal on your pipe while the water is pressured out the end into your pipe this will force out nearly anything that's blocking your drains.

I had great success with this on my floor drain in my basement.

[steve v]

My mom had the "Roto Rooter" guy try to unclog her kitchen sink a few years back. The day after he ran his snake thru the pipe (and $100 later!) the drain was just as slow as before.

Mom then poured some yeast down the drain, I think it was an old timer trick she remembered her mom doing. I guess the bacteria in the yeast will eat any sludge, grease etc. The next day the sink drains worked like new again & about every 6-12 months she'll run a little yeast down the pipes to help keep them clear. Worth a try anyway.

[Jim Scites]

Originally Posted by Qball

There's a device that I used to use in my old (85 yr old) house. It attaches to a garden hose and its a rubber bladder with a hole on the end of it. It slips into your pipe then you turn the water on. It swells up and creates a seal on your pipe while the water is pressured out the end into your pipe this will force out nearly anything that's blocking your drains.

I had great success with this on my floor drain in my basement.

That's what I mentioned in an earlier post, It works really. And it only costs around $20.

[Qball]

Originally Posted by Qball

There's a device that I used to use in my old (85 yr old) house. It attaches to a garden hose and its a rubber bladder with a hole on the end of it. It slips into your pipe then you turn the water on. It swells up and creates a seal on your pipe while the water is pressured out the end into your pipe this will force out nearly anything that's blocking your drains.

I had great success with this on my floor drain in my basement.

Originally Posted by Jim Scites

That's what I mentioned in an earlier post, It works really. And it only costs around $20.

Doh! I should have read a bit closer!

Also, after you get your drains clear, if you pour a few cups of bleach down the drain @ once a month or so, it'll help keep any more build up from forming.

[sport coupe]

Just had the same situation. The plumber charged $100.00 to snake out the bath tub drain. Withing a week it was slow again. Took his advice to keep it clean. Use a gallon of vinegar. Vinegar will desolve the soap build up. Poured 1/2 gallon down the tub vent and 1/2 gallon down the drain. Wait one hour and run the hot water to flush out the soap. It still ran slow. The next week I did the same using bleach. Don't know why but the bleach caused some nasty chemical reaction. The drain started started bubbling and the smell was nasty. Ran hot water down the tub vent and drain to clean out that mess and now the tub drains with no problem.

[1967Clone]

Originally Posted by Qball

Doh! I should have read a bit closer!

Also, after you get your drains clear, if you pour a few cups of bleach down the drain @ once a month or so, it'll help keep any more build up from forming.

Just to add to this, you should NOT use bleach in a septic system.

[PonchoV8]

Check this. This morning I got sick of the water backing up while I was showering, so I grabbed the plunger and went at it. This time I could feel the water in the drain 'working' back and forth with the plunger--and it burped nicely followed by fast draining water again. I guess it's clogged with my wife's long hair--and my rapidly receding hair.

[Qball]

Originally Posted by Qball

Also, after you get your drains clear, if you pour a few cups of bleach down the drain @ once a month or so, it'll help keep any more build up from forming.

Originally Posted by 1967Clone

Just to add to this, you should NOT use bleach in a septic system.

Good point. I didn't take that into consideration.