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Is there a simple man's fix for a main pipe clog?


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This happened 3 months ago.  The plumber took all of 5 mins to fix it for X amount of money to fix it.

The main pipe between the house and the street is stopped up causing water to flow back out of our downstairs toilet when using water anywhere else in the house.  

I got the cap off in the front yard.  The clog was not bad enough to cause any type of pressure release when the cap was opened which tells me it could be a small issue.  Problem is that, of course, the snake I have is only about 5 feet long and the clog could be anywhere between our house and the street. FWIW, the sewer water level is about a foot below the top of the cap.

Would pouring a bottle of liquid Drano do anything?  Any other ideas?  

 

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Maybe you can purge it with a maximum flow of wastewater...turn on all your faucets & tub spouts, station a friend or family member at each commode, and do a synchronized flush. Maybe that will build enough pressure behind the clog to break it loose.

This may cause some flooding at the first floor commode you mentioned so be ready for that.

Disclaimer: I'm not a plumber and I'm not responsible for any damage, costs, or injuries directly or indirectly resulting from anything I've said in this post. But if you try it, please post a video.

 

 

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Can you see down into the cleanout? If it’s full of shit then the blockage is down stream. No shit, upstream. Might help you aim the snake. 

If it is roots, they have a head that will cut through them, but it could turn into a big problem if/when the pipe gets fully crushed/destroyed. I’ve got a rent house that I’m just waiting for that to happen with. 

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Thanks for all the advice.  Gonna rent one of the 50-footers from Home Depot - $25.  I'm about 99% sure it's not a root issue.  When the plumber came out 3 months ago, the clog was a wad of paper towels.  We had guests at the time and I think the kid was flushing them for some reason.  There are no trees anywhere between our house and the street.

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