I was lucky. Because I had caught it relatively early, there was only a hiss of escaping sewer gas and a slow seepage of water around the threads. If I had waited until the toilets were flushed a few more times, the basement floor would have been a disaster zone.
I own a 25-foot hand-crank drain auger (a plumbing snake). I unspooled the cable and fed it into the open cleanout. It slid in easily for the first ten feet. Then, I felt it.
| Method | How it works | Best for | |--------|--------------|-----------| | | A flexible cable with a cutter head breaks up or retrieves the clog. | Soft blockages (wipes, grease, hair) | | Hydro-jetting | High-pressure water (up to 4,000 psi) scours pipe walls clean. | Grease, soap scum, scale, and roots | | Video inspection | A small camera on a rod locates the exact problem. | Diagnosing root intrusion, cracks, collapsed pipes | | Trenchless repair | Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) or pipe bursting fixes breaks without digging up yard. | Damaged but structurally repairable lines | | Excavation & replacement | Full dig-and-replace of a section or whole line. | Severely collapsed or root-crushed pipes |
Thud.
I watched the water hit the stainless steel. I listened.
Pour cooking grease into a container and throw it in the trash—never down the sink.