This Old House Magazine: Clear the Way

Today, Richard says to start with a plunger and gently escalate the action as needed. "Old house plumbing can be delicate," he explains. "You don't want to come in with guns blazing—blasting water down the drain or ramming the clog. You could burst a pipe or blow apart a coupling."

The next attack should come from a hand snake—a coiled metal cable or flat steel wire that winds down the drain and breaks up the clog with gentle twists and tugs. Richard advises a slow, deliberate approach. "Best not to be hasty," he warns. "Most people advance several feet of wire before turning it. Then it either kinks—or flips out, scratching the fixture or splashing mucky water all over you." Feed the snake in one foot at a time, he urges, then turn it, feeling the way. "It's like fishing," he explains. "You sneak up gradually, patiently, and when you get to the clog you can feel it, like a nibble." When you hit the block, work at it gently. While this can take time—"Even the best of plumbers," Richard says, "can lose hours to a clogged line"—it minimizes trauma to both plumber and pipe.

Maintenance Plan
"Periodically cleaning your pipes is one way to prevent clogs," says Richard Trethewey. If his drains begin to slow, Richard applies a cleaner that contains enzyme-producing bacteria, which digest the grease that can coat a kitchen sink line or the soap scum that builds up in a bathroom drain. These products are not hazardous, says Richard, yet they work well at keeping pipes clear if used a couple of times a year.

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