Using Air Pressure to Clear a Drain

[SM Racing]

Can it be done. Have a slight restriction in the shower drain. (Cat Hair) Was thinking about making a fitting that would allow me to screw in an air fitting on the backside and plug the drain hole with. Then use my portable airtank to blast the drain line with 20psi or so of air.

A: is this a really bad idea?
B: Will this back up the rest of the system and blow water or **** out?
C: Will it hurt the pipes? (I don't think so)

Fill me in.

 

[89GLH]

Cast? PVC? Copper?

 

[trbomax]

I tried that some 30 odd yrs ago when the bathromm sink clogged. I ran an air line from the shopbecause they were attached and it was easy. Anyway, as I remember,my wife was in the shop turning up the regulater,but not paying attention to the pressure. It did clear the blockage,but when it let go it also evacuated the toilet,which of course had the lid up,and because we had very young kids at the time,was loaded.

Bottom line in this case was that it would have been a lot easier to dismantle the drain and auger it than clean and sanitize the bathroom.

so my ans is , A,yes,B , yes, C, maybe.

 

[SM Racing]

Mostly cast and some PVC. The older part of the house has cast iron, (which is where this bathroom is).

 

[petee_c]

what's your cat doing in the shower?

youtube DIY's suggest using a piece of Romex and making a hook on the end.... snake it in and pull out the gunk?

Works for me in my rental place (some years, it has girls in it, - talk about hairballs)

P

 

[slickgt1]

I have 4 tenant girls in one appt. They clog the show once every two months guaranteed. I got a little $15 sears 1/4" manual snake. 15', works like a charm and is easy to maneuver.

 

[54FordPanel]

I tried that one time, and it didn't do much.
I do like the ones that are bladder that hook to your garden hose. The have a little restriction in the end, and the water pressure causes the balloon to inflate, sealing the drain. Then the water pressure pushes the clog out. They work well.

 

[Warrenator]

Anyone ever use a Clog Hog? http://cloghog.com/index.html It is a sewer jetter that hooks up to your pressure washer, uses one forward facing jet to bust the clog and three rearward facing jets to pull itself into the pipe, seems like just the ticket for your situation, I'm getting one soon.

I have old cast iron sewer pipes with leaded couplers, and am on a septic tank so I don't want to use any chemicals at all, this seems to be a pretty non invasive way to really get all the gunk out rather than just push it around with a snake.

 

[KEH]

I just use a bathroom plunger. Has worked so far on bathroom lavatory and bathetub.

KEH

 

[KrisKustomPaint]

I used a fishing pole on a shower with hair in the drain. Just stick the end of a junk fishing pole down the drain twist it around a bit an pull out some seriously nasty hair balls. Sorta like that commercial with the giant barbed zip tie.

 

[JamieK]

Sorta like that commercial with the giant barbed zip tie.

Looks like it would work good on hair.

 

[ibedayank]

pvc + airpressure= BOMB.... its gonna get stinky and REALLY dirty
They make what i think is called a cogbuster goes on the end of a garden hose
shove it down the hole turn water on it exspands and a jet of water comes out
works great on grease clogs and other not so nice smelling clogs use cold water because hot will burst cheap hoses



don't ask how i know!!!

 

[MoonRise]

A: mostly

B: possible

C: possible

Drain lines are pretty much made to drain via gravity and are NOT made or designed to handle (much) pressure at all. Hence the DWV designation.

Also, depending on exactly where in the line the clog/restriction is, apply pressure might do no good at all. Example: Clog is in the drain line AFTER where the T or Y joins to the vent line, apply air pressure and all you do is have air going up the vent. Unless you have the 'inflatable bladder to seal of the drain line right before the clog' thingy.

Use a snake or other 'grabby thingy' in general to remove 'hard' clogs. Grease-laden hair clogs pretty much count as a 'hard' clog, in that it will not really soften or break down by itself or with water.

IMHO.

 

[rwhite692]

Why go through all of that trouble, when a good, commercial-grade chemical drain opener, readily available at home depot, will cut through hair (protein) like crazy?

 

[rickairmedic]

I use a small drain auger from Home depot or Lowes for hair cloggs in the shower run it in a few feet and pull up a hairball that will make your cats eyes BUGG out .


Rick

 

[Sr. WiNdTeCh]

Just buy an electricians fish tape - works like a charm and has other uses

 

[cwlo]

I agree with others. Buy the auger at Lowes or Home Depot. Get the one with the shaft on the end to hook it up to your cordless drill. Send it down the line and in a couple minutes, it will be clear. I manage 45 apartments, and have to do this all the time. I aqctually like the cheap ones versus a professional unit for this application, because the cable is thinner, and easier to send down the line. Sure, I have to replace it after 3-5 uses, but small cost considering.

Chris

 

[Frank The Plumber]

HEY!!! **** IT!!!............with a wet dry vac.

 

[Hurricane_Whisperer]

Air won't clear a clog very well.

A little leak could open and dump all your air, while leaving most of the clog.

The above is made by ridgid and you can buy them at Home Depot. Works excellent for the majority of clogs in sinks and showers.

 

[Randy_che]

Looks like it would work good on hair.

This is called a Zip-it and works very well. Just spend $3 and get one.

 

[MadMechMaster]

+1 for the Zip-It. The shower that my wife clogs regularly, stops up within its reach. If the clog is further down you'll need something else.

 

[digdug18]

No, you need some industrial strength hair draino. Found a weird brand at HD that did the job for my shower drain, its with the other draino products, not called draino though, its the only one that comes sealed in a separate plastic bag, overtop of the sealed bottle, and has a giant red sticker that says to wear gloves, goggles, and breathing mask when using the chemical... It worked wonders for me, its a mild acid, I wouldn't use it if you have a septic tank though.

 

[REAL HOT SCHITT]

Make a end up like a clog-hog and use a water blaster.... Also look up "ridgid kollman" pipe cleaner accessories an parts page on their site for ideas .

 

[Stuey]

Bakin soda + vinegar + hand-held cap worked for me.

 

[Imwalkin]

wiating for answer on why the cat is in the shower.

 

[SM Racing]

Wife was washing them after cutting their hair. Also committing homicide on some fleas.

 

[fatboyf150]

http://www.harborfreight.com/general-merch/plumbing/10-ft-spring-steel-drain-trap-cleaner-96043.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/general-merch/plumbing/drain-tornado-96850.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/general-merch/plumbing/medium-drain-cleaning-bladder-99942.html

We also carry one of those zip-it drain cleaners, but i can't find it online from home. it works awesome.