I have a clogged drain and need a plumber or handyman...Can you help?

[okietool]

I unscrewed the clean out drain cap and the water drained from the sinks, I have a snake...should I try to snake the line from there?

I would have it done. It shouldn't be that high. Or you can rent a roto-rooter type set up from equipment rental people, in my case it was cheaper to have it done. If it is roots and you own the building, you might want to put in plastic sewer lines from he house to the main sewer.

 

[katcatcher]

put the cap on the sink and turn on the garbage disposer it will force water down the drain if you have a 2 sided sink

 

[Parks 788]

I unscrewed the clean out drain cap and the water drained from the sinks, I have a snake...should I try to snake the line from there?

I had to do this eleventybillion times growing up in my parents house. My mother thought she could put everything down the sink whether the dispsal was on or not. We got clogs all the time.

Unscrew the drain clean out. If water flows out that means the clog is "downstream" of the cleanout and not near the pee-trap up under the sink. Take a garden hose with just the bare tip (no nozzels or anything) and turn the water on as high as it will go. Start shoving the hose down the through the clean out. For a bit of time you will get water rushing back out the clean out so just keep pushing the hose further into the pipe. Once the water stops rushing out the clean out the clog is dislodged. Keep the hose running for several minutes to wash all the debris into the main sewer out to the street. I have had to put as muuch as 15-20' of hose into the sewer line for it to unclog. You are basically blasting the crap/clog down to the main sewer.

Unles you have sever grease buildup from pourig that crap down the sink you should be good to go.

 

[_CY_]

that depends on where the clean out drain cap is located.
if you are talking about the outside drain cap, when unscrewed... sink drains out.

then main sewer line is clogged ... your little snake will do zero good.
drain snakes comes in 4 basic sizes (actually more) 1/4in diameter, 3/8in, 1/2in and 3/4in

plumbers will use 1/4in snake for run from sink into feeder drain line.
3/8in for roof snake out and general purpose. then 3/4in for 6in diameter sewer mains.

if you are determined to do this your self .... you need to rent a medium sized rotor machine from home depot. then snake out clean out line from roof. and/or rent a large machine then snake out main sewer drain from outside cleanout.

it's a nasty job ... around here plumbers charge $75+ per hour
there's usually a tiny number of plumbers that charges by the job ($95) flat rate. He successfully cleans out your drain or he doesn't get paid. needless to say he is always backed up 3-5 days. most folks can't wait that long.

you need to find out who charges flat rate ($95?) near you... then find out what the wait times are.

I unscrewed the clean out drain cap and the water drained from the sinks, I have a snake...should I try to snake the line from there?