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My basement floor drain backed up right before a family visit

I was finishing the laundry room in my basement in Akron when I saw water pooling around the floor drain. I tried a basic snake, but it hit a hard stop about 8 feet in. I ended up renting a 50-foot power auger from the hardware store, and after a solid hour of fighting it, I cleared a huge clog of roots and old grease. Anyone know a good way to keep those old cast iron drains clear without using harsh chemicals?
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3 Comments
wesley181
wesley1814d agoTop Commenter
Man, that sounds like the worst timing. I've had to fight with those old drains before and it's a brutal job. Maybe try a monthly hot water flush to keep the grease from building up again.
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claire_hart53
Totally agree with the hot water trick, it's a lifesaver. My kitchen sink used to back up every few months and I was ready to rip the pipes out of the wall. Started doing exactly what @wesley181 said, just a monthly boiling water pour, and it's been clear for over a year now. Spencer8 is right, you really don't need the harsh chemicals most of the time. That grease just needs a regular melt to keep things moving.
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spencer8
spencer84d ago
I used to think chemicals were the only way, but @wesley181's hot water flush idea actually works.
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