Did water back up into your bathtub, utility sink or other household plumbing fixture? If so, it could mean that your home’s main drain is clogged. Depending on your comfort level with DIY plumbing tasks, you may want to try clearing the obstruction on your own. Here’s how to do it:
Supplies Needed
In order to unblock your home’s main drain, you’ll need a pipe wrench, a cold chisel ($13), a hammer, a can of penetrating oil ($5), pipe compound ($4) and a drain-and-trap auger ($30). You’ll also want to have plenty of old towels and buckets to catch any water that may spill out when you open the main drain.
Locate the Access Areas
Start by turning off your home’s water supply and locating the main drain’s access areas. The main drain is often accessible from two locations. The first place to check is near the bottom of your home’s soil stack. The soil stack is essentially a pipe that runs from your home’s roof to its lowest point. The access area near the soil stack is referred to as the main cleanout. You will recognize the area because the pipe formation resembles the letter “Y.” The second place to check is your basement’s floor. The access area in the floor is referred to as the house trap. The house trap typically has two caps that attach to a U-shaped pipe.
Remove the Drain Cap
Once you have located the main drain’s access areas, you’ll need to remove the access pipe’s cap. Depending on how long the cap has been there and what condition it’s in, this could prove to be a challenging task. If you are lucky, a few counterclockwise twists with a pipe wrench will remove the cap. If you are unlucky, you may need to use penetrating oil, a cold chisel and a hammer in order to get the cap to move.
Use the Drain-and-Trap Auger
If you are working from the house trap area, remove the cap that is closest to the main cleanout area. After the access cap has been removed, set it aside and take out the drain-and-trap auger. Once that is done, carefully insert the drain-and-trap auger into the drain. You will want to try and clear the U-shaped portion of the pipe first. It is often a large part of the problem. If that section of pipe appears clear, you’ll need to switch directions. Remove the second house trap cap and run the auger in the opposite direction. If the clog is not in the house trap area, try accessing the main drain from the cleanout area. Once you gain access, run the auger through the main cleanout towards the sewer line and remove any clogs.
Finishing Touches
After the clog has been cleared, you’ll want to flush out the main drain with the aid of a garden hose and replace the access caps. When replacing the access caps, coat the threads with pipe compound. It will help to provide a better seal.
Source: Personal Experience
Killeen Gonzalez has a history of completing DIY home improvement projects with her family.
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