drain clog

[mdickmann]

I have a bathtub drain that is clogged.  Not in the trap, but somewhere way down in the pipe . I can run water for a while and it takes a couple of minutes before I get water backup into the tub.  So, I wanted the plumber to come out and snake out my drain.  But I live in New Jersey, and the state is mostly shut down and the plumber won't come out unless it's an emergency.  Seems like this could be an emergency in the making, but that doesn't count.
Liquid Plumber did not prove sufficient.
I don't know how to approach snaking out this drain, so I am trying to find another method. I tried a toilet plunger and as expected, it was completely ineffective.  I think I just pushed water up the vent and put no pressure on the clog.
What should I do?
I could cover the vent on the roof and maybe that would allow me to get some pressure on the clog with a plunger. Or maybe the water/air would just go up a different vent or out somewhere else. 

suggestions?

Thanks
Mark

[Phil Thien]

If some water is making it through, start boiling water in every pot/kettle you have. Once they're rolling, start sending them down the drain.

Make sure you've let the drain sit for a few hours so what water is in the pipe can clear before starting. That boiling water is going to cool a bit by the time it hits the blockage, you don't want a lot of other water in the drain that will dilute/cool it.

I had to send about ten gallons down ours when we moved in. It took a little while.

Another option is lye. But you'd have to hit a store and I think the boiling water works better.

Don't overdo it and melt your plastic pipes.

[Roly]

I have a bathtub drain that is clogged.  Not in the trap, but somewhere way down in the pipe . I can run water for a while and it takes a couple of minutes before I get water backup into the tub.  So, I wanted the plumber to come out and snake out my drain.  But I live in New Jersey, and the state is mostly shut down and the plumber won't come out unless it's an emergency.  Seems like this could be an emergency in the making, but that doesn't count.
Liquid Plumber did not prove sufficient.
I don't know how to approach snaking out this drain, so I am trying to find another method. I tried a toilet plunger and as expected, it was completely ineffective.  I think I just pushed water up the vent and put no pressure on the clog.
What should I do?
I could cover the vent on the roof and maybe that would allow me to get some pressure on the clog with a plunger. Or maybe the water/air would just go up a different vent or out somewhere else. 

suggestions?

Thanks
Mark

Can you try running a snake down the vent from the roof if there are not cleanouts below.   Roly

[mdickmann]

Can you try running a snake down the vent from the roof if there are not cleanouts below.   Roly

From the roof would be a long ways.
someone tried that on my house before I bought it and broke the snake into pieces inside the pipe.  spent $1200 to hire a plumber to get it out.

[Robert Adams]

Usually that means a hair clog at a sanitee. I have one of our bathrooms with this issue. I have to go under the house and pop the pipe off and clean it out with a screw driver and a wire brush on a drill. (cast iron for the main pipe) It has been causing issues lately and I dumped a bunch of lye in there to get it moving again since I am building a new master bathroom and the current bathroom will become a closet.

           When I build my time machine I am going to eliminate the common screw from existence replace it with robertson and force the stoppage of the use of cast iron and galvanized pipes at their earliest replacement time... Oh and have a few choice words with the guys building houses so crappily back then.

[goaliedad]

For a clogged toilet dish soap helps. You might pour a bunch of Dawn down the drain. Let it set for half an hour then try the boiling water. Seems the detergent helps the clog slide more easily

[Bob10]

For a clogged toilet dish soap helps. You might pour a bunch of Dawn down the drain. Let it set for half an hour then try the boiling water. Seems the detergent helps the clog slide more easily

I wish I had read that earlier today.  My daughter can plug any crapper and that is not a brag it is a sad fact.  I spent a good half hour with the plunger is I didn't want to chance scratching the porcelain with the closet snake.  I will not forget this next time

[EightFingers]

Teach her the “three sheet method”.

[KC]

I have a bathtub drain that is clogged.  Not in the trap, but somewhere way down in the pipe . I can run water for a while and it takes a couple of minutes before I get water backup into the tub.  So, I wanted the plumber to come out and snake out my drain.  But I live in New Jersey, and the state is mostly shut down and the plumber won't come out unless it's an emergency.  Seems like this could be an emergency in the making, but that doesn't count.
Liquid Plumber did not prove sufficient.
I don't know how to approach snaking out this drain, so I am trying to find another method. I tried a toilet plunger and as expected, it was completely ineffective.  I think I just pushed water up the vent and put no pressure on the clog.
What should I do?
I could cover the vent on the roof and maybe that would allow me to get some pressure on the clog with a plunger. Or maybe the water/air would just go up a different vent or out somewhere else. 

suggestions?

Thanks
Mark

Depending on the entry to the drain, if you can get one of these in there I expect it'll take care of it.  


https://www.homedepot.com/s/inflatable%2...ing?NCNI-5

[EatenByLimestone]

Can you determine where the stoppage is? Are some drains clearing normally and after a point not? Cast iron pipes or pvc?

Try the boiling water first with soap. If that doesnt work, you might have to get more invasive. Cast iron can start to close off with rust. I use the condensate from my boiler (acidic) to keep my cast iron pipes clean.