I learned that with some finesse and a powerful drill, a power auger can clear a clog quite far down the line. Using the power snake from the sink wouldn't have worked either, because it was likely to head toward the drain vent rather than the clog running down the pipe. The clog was under the house and past the length of my hand snake. He stepped it up to a power snake, which did the trick.Ī power snake, which costs about $12, attaches to a power drill and slowly twists down the drain to clear stubborn clogs. After about an hour of indoor work, the acrophobic plumber had to attack the problem from the roof vent. The smell of the open under-sink pipes convinced my wife we had to call a plumber. After a few frustrating attempts and much coiling of the snake in the drain, I still couldn't reach the clog. The next stop was the neighborhood hardware store for a manual drain auger (or snake). As an alternative, the EPA suggests 'one-half cup of white vinegar followed by one handful of baking soda instead of drain cleaners.' This link also has a list of reliable homemade cleaners, as well as other ways to reduce waste. Moreover, the caustic cleaners are unhealthy, they can eat away at pipes while eating away at clogged hair, and they don't work on some clogs, as I discovered. The cleaners can kill off beneficial bacteria and poison waterways. Since then, I found an official Environmental Protection Agency warning about the environmental impact of drain cleaners. Time for the heavy arsenal: Against my better tree-hugger judgment, I poured a bottle of drain cleaner down the sink. I also struck out with a pot of boiling water, which can normally be quite effective. I thought it was a minor clog that a plunger could fix, but the plunger did nothing. Only after a longer and heavier flow of water did the sink start to fill with water, then drain very slowly. Nothing seemed amiss after washing my hands to the tune of 'Happy Birthday' (a recital takes roughly 20 seconds, the amount of time recommended by the Centers for Disease Control for proper hand washing).

Two months ago, the drain started to have issues, although it never completely stopped working. It's a drain-clogging combination that has caused problems before, but nothing that a plunger or commercial drain cleaner could not fix. I have what some might call robust facial hair growth, and my wife has long, thick hair. The plumber cleared the clog, but I learned how to clear stubborn clogs with a $12 power tool. My wife was convinced we needed to call a plumber. I was convinced I could clear a bathroom drain. 'Sometimes you can't make it on your own,' sings the band U2.

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