How to Clean the Sewer Drain with a Machine

Keep your sewer drain clean with a machine.

The only thing worse than a blocked sewer drain is having to unclog it. The sewer drain (also called the main) carries the sewage from your house out to your municipal waste treatment lines or to your septic tank. When these mains clog, it puts all the water fixtures in your house out of commission. Thankfully, this isn't the type of job you have to do by hand. You can clean the sewer drain with a machine, called a sewer snake, which can take care of just about any blockage.

Things You'll Need

• Wrench
• Gloves
• Plumbing snake

Instructions

1. Locate the sewer drain access hatches. In most houses there will be one somewhere along the outside of the front wall at ground level. The second one will be near the curb or the street. Both of these will have circular covers about 4 inches in diameter with a square or hexagonal attachment for a wrench.

2. Open the access cover closest to the house by grabbing the hexagonal attachment with a wrench and turning it counterclockwise. On older houses, this may be difficult. A larger wrench, such as a plumber's wrench, can make this job easier.

3. Position the electric sewer snake next to the access hole. Loosen the wire nut at the front and feed the snake into the sewer opening.

4. Turn on the power for the snake. Some snakes have a foot pedal that allows you to control the forward motion by pressing or releasing the pedal. This allows you to feed the snake with your hands while controlling the speed with your feet.

5. Continue to feed the snake out. When you feel it hit an obstruction, stop feeding and cut the power. Reverse direction and pull the snake back in about 1 foot. Then begin feeding it forward again, slowly. Repeat this process, going forward and then backward until the snake moves forward again without interruption.

6. Open the access cover located closest to the street.

7. Have a friend or assistant run some water inside the house (flush a toilet or turn on a faucet). While the water is running, shine a flashlight down into the sewer drain. You should be able to see the water running by when the blockage is cleared.

Tips & Warnings

• You can rent snakes of different sizes at your nearest hardware store or plumbing supply shop.

• Always wear gloves and wash your hands immediately afterward when working with snakes and other sewage clearing equipment.

References

• Drains and Plumbing: Snaking a Drain
• This Old House: Clear Any Clogged Drain

Resources

• HammerZone: Sewer and Drain Problems