Just realized my old method for clearing the sewer line was a disaster waiting to happen.

I used to just dump a whole bottle of chemical drain cleaner down the basement floor drain every fall, but after a plumber in Lakewood told me last month it was eating my old cast iron pipes, I switched to a $75 manual auger. Anyone else have a better fix for those seasonal backups?

3 comments

3 Comments

murphy.abby2mo ago

Wait, are you using a regular pressure washer hose for your sewer line? That sounds risky because the pressure can be way too high for old pipes. I've heard stories of people accidentally cracking their main line or even causing a backup into their house. A drain specific jetter attachment is made for lower, steady pressure that clears without breaking things. Your uncle's place might have newer pipes that can take it, but for old cast iron, that high pressure scares me.

blair_martin2mo ago

Yeah and if you're on a septic system, blasting all that gunk back can mess up the tank balance. The bacteria that break stuff down get overwhelmed.

elizabethg852mo ago

My uncle's house in Akron had the same issue with cast iron. Those chemical cleaners basically turn into acid and just eat through the old metal over time. I use a simple drain snake now too, but honestly, the best thing I did was get a cheap hose attachment for my pressure washer. It blasts out the roots and gunk way better than the auger for me. Takes like ten minutes and I only have to do it every other year.