gurgling pipes
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Mike Swearingen
New Member
You can open up clean-outs and snake the drain lines with a rented heavy-duty plumber's snake, all the way from the clean-out to the street or septic system.
Do NOT use caustic drain cleaners, such as Drano. If you want to try a liquid drain cleaner (which I have great luck with), use only an enzyme-based drain cleaner such as DrainCare. Just follow the directions on the jug. Caustic drain cleaners are harmful and dangerous to use. Enzyme-based drain cleaners will not harm you or a sink or fixture, and will eat out most organic clogs overnight, which are then flushed down with hot water.
Good luck!
Mike
Do NOT use caustic drain cleaners, such as Drano. If you want to try a liquid drain cleaner (which I have great luck with), use only an enzyme-based drain cleaner such as DrainCare. Just follow the directions on the jug. Caustic drain cleaners are harmful and dangerous to use. Enzyme-based drain cleaners will not harm you or a sink or fixture, and will eat out most organic clogs overnight, which are then flushed down with hot water.
Good luck!
Mike
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Redwood
Master Plumber
Megan, I would strongly recommend calling a pro for this job!
Mike Swearingen
New Member
Meghan,
I didn't realize newby was a Meghan. Yep. I agree. Call a pro. A main drain line clean-out can be very difficult work.
Mike
I didn't realize newby was a Meghan. Yep. I agree. Call a pro. A main drain line clean-out can be very difficult work.
Mike
Redwood
Master Plumber
Meghan, Please excuse this Mike guy.... He's such a sexist pig... I would advise any person man or, woman to call in a pro on a main line problem. It is difficult/dangerous work that requires a lot of experience to become proficient at. I often tell my new guys that they will be doing it about a full year before they get really good at it!
Mike Swearingen
New Member
Oink! LOL
(My wife agrees with Redwood.)
I'm not a pro plumber, just a long-time DIYer, so I've only done a few main line heavy-duty plumbing snake jobs for myself, family or friends, which is no job for the average woman and a lot of men these days (oink).
Being an avid DIYer for more than 50 years, I usually give things a shot myself to get a job done. If I can't for some reason or if I just don't feel like it, then I call a pro, but that's me. Only DIY nutcases like me would DIY this particular job.
However, as Garth Brooks says in one of his latest songs "some of the best cowboys ain't cowboys at all", so it always depends. (He allegedly wrote that song after a female ranch hand of his stayed out all night holding a rifle and tending a campfire to keep wild animals off of the body of his favorite horse that had died out on his range while he was away.) There are always exceptions to every oinker rule. LOL
Good Luck!
Mike
(My wife agrees with Redwood.)
I'm not a pro plumber, just a long-time DIYer, so I've only done a few main line heavy-duty plumbing snake jobs for myself, family or friends, which is no job for the average woman and a lot of men these days (oink).
Being an avid DIYer for more than 50 years, I usually give things a shot myself to get a job done. If I can't for some reason or if I just don't feel like it, then I call a pro, but that's me. Only DIY nutcases like me would DIY this particular job.
However, as Garth Brooks says in one of his latest songs "some of the best cowboys ain't cowboys at all", so it always depends. (He allegedly wrote that song after a female ranch hand of his stayed out all night holding a rifle and tending a campfire to keep wild animals off of the body of his favorite horse that had died out on his range while he was away.) There are always exceptions to every oinker rule. LOL
Good Luck!
Mike
No one asked if you were on a septic tank.
If you are and it hasn't been pumped for a long time I would have it pumped first, as calling a pro and having the line snaked may only empty your wallet and not fix the problem. If you are on city sewer then call in a reputable drain cleaning company.
Most times having a tank pumped when this noise starts will cure the problem with out having the line snaked.
If you are and it hasn't been pumped for a long time I would have it pumped first, as calling a pro and having the line snaked may only empty your wallet and not fix the problem. If you are on city sewer then call in a reputable drain cleaning company.
Most times having a tank pumped when this noise starts will cure the problem with out having the line snaked.
Thanks for the defense, Redwood.
I had a feeling my gender may play a role in the responses I received. You got to let a person surprise you every once in a while. I've learned quite a few things in the time that I have owned my home, just by asking questions, doing my research and making friends with the right people. I've never learned anything from calling in a professional, except that most of them make the same assumptions that Mike did, that I'm not capable and not interested.
p.s. I am not on a pump, I am on city sewer.
I had a feeling my gender may play a role in the responses I received. You got to let a person surprise you every once in a while. I've learned quite a few things in the time that I have owned my home, just by asking questions, doing my research and making friends with the right people. I've never learned anything from calling in a professional, except that most of them make the same assumptions that Mike did, that I'm not capable and not interested.
p.s. I am not on a pump, I am on city sewer.
Redwood
Master Plumber
Hang around and watch and talk with the pro. Many (if they are good) will show you what they are checking and why they are doing it. When you see them start cutting into a root socket you'll see him/her earn their money... Just stand back and watch They don't need any distractions at that point. You can ask questions when they take a break. When that machine is under heavy load it can be compared to holding a 100' long spring that is all torqued up with 2 hands. If it gets away from you it can hurt! All in a fraction of a second.
Many of the jobs I go to are ones where the home owner has been trying for a week to clear a clogged line with no success. Frankly the equipment they rented was so beat up... It had kinks in the cable from all the inexperienced users. Downright dangerous equipment.
Many of the jobs I go to are ones where the home owner has been trying for a week to clear a clogged line with no success. Frankly the equipment they rented was so beat up... It had kinks in the cable from all the inexperienced users. Downright dangerous equipment.
Mike Swearingen
New Member
Meghan,
I apologize.
Mike
I apologize.
Mike
GrumpyPlumber
Licensed Grump
My wife is 5'-2", 100 lbs soaking wet.
If she were to try using a professional grade drum or sectional snake, she'd get flung around like a rag doll, if she could even get it into the house in the first place...thats not sexist or assumptive.
The snake itself on those machines cause injury even to seasoned pro's...they tend to whip or snap under tension (mentioned above).
The fact that both the lav & toilet have trouble when other fixtures are draining indicates it's probably trouble on your 3" or 4" main...a simple hand snake or auger won't do the trick on that one.
If she were to try using a professional grade drum or sectional snake, she'd get flung around like a rag doll, if she could even get it into the house in the first place...thats not sexist or assumptive.
The snake itself on those machines cause injury even to seasoned pro's...they tend to whip or snap under tension (mentioned above).
The fact that both the lav & toilet have trouble when other fixtures are draining indicates it's probably trouble on your 3" or 4" main...a simple hand snake or auger won't do the trick on that one.
Gary Swart
In the Trades
I'm reminded of a Clint Eastwood line in one of the Dirty Harry movies. Harry said, "A man's (or woman) got to know his limitations". Too often we macho DIY types figure we can handle any piece of equipment there is and end up breaking the equipment, the thing we are trying to fix, and/or ourselves.
Dunbar Plumbing
Master Plumber
Wow, I'm so glad women like me have the ability to understand the logic of a professional when I hire them to do work in my home. Women definitely fall short of the equal status, that's for sure.
Tabitha
Tabitha
I was working a 100 foot cable early on, not being real good at fishing the cutters through the roots, the cable started flipping around and wrapped me up before I could cut the power.
The watch on my left wrist was broken under the pressure of the cable pressing against my arm.
Lucky for me, the homeowner was watching, and he helped me unwind the cables from around my body.
I called in for help, and the more experienced plumber was able to show me how to pull the cable back when it started to bind, and then slowly let it have another go at it.
The next day, I related the story to the other young plumber there, and he pointed to his thumb,
"See this? The cable pinned my thumb against my wrist, breaking the tendon."
Ouch!
I don't own one of those bad boys.
I refer snaking jobs out.
And I still have all my fingers and thumbs.
The watch on my left wrist was broken under the pressure of the cable pressing against my arm.
Lucky for me, the homeowner was watching, and he helped me unwind the cables from around my body.
I called in for help, and the more experienced plumber was able to show me how to pull the cable back when it started to bind, and then slowly let it have another go at it.
The next day, I related the story to the other young plumber there, and he pointed to his thumb,
"See this? The cable pinned my thumb against my wrist, breaking the tendon."
Ouch!
I don't own one of those bad boys.
I refer snaking jobs out.
And I still have all my fingers and thumbs.
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I'm capable of knowing my limitations. I just want to figure out what the problem is before I call someone in. I'd like to make sure it gets resolved correctly. I prefer knowing what I'm getting into so I don't end up buying some line some workman feeds me while cleaning my pipes
No one seemed to bite on the possibility of it beng a clog in the roof vent.
Let me restate the problem. The kitchen sink gurglings when the washing machine (further from the main) dumps. The toilet just above where the water comes in and out of the house burps up air. Am I wrong in thinking it could be a vent clog??
Now, tell me about all the ways I don't know anything. Better from perfect strangers then a man in my basement.
No one seemed to bite on the possibility of it beng a clog in the roof vent.
Let me restate the problem. The kitchen sink gurglings when the washing machine (further from the main) dumps. The toilet just above where the water comes in and out of the house burps up air. Am I wrong in thinking it could be a vent clog??
Now, tell me about all the ways I don't know anything. Better from perfect strangers then a man in my basement.
Mike Swearingen
New Member
Meghan,
It could possibly be a partially clogged vent, but it is more likely a partially clogged drain line. If it were a clogging problem with the main vent, running drain water through the drain system would most likely siphon a trap to create another "vent", causing sewer gas to enter your home. That's usually the first clue about a vent problem.
Gurgling usually is a partially clogged drain line.
Mike
It could possibly be a partially clogged vent, but it is more likely a partially clogged drain line. If it were a clogging problem with the main vent, running drain water through the drain system would most likely siphon a trap to create another "vent", causing sewer gas to enter your home. That's usually the first clue about a vent problem.
Gurgling usually is a partially clogged drain line.
Mike
Cookie is right, even when she is wrong she is right, sometimes frost can close a vent also I have seen homes that the plumbers left the vent caps on after the final inspection was over and the people had problems for years until I went up on the roof found them on and removed them.
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