lazy pup is a god!

[riddler1113]

Thank you so much for your help! We would most gladly appreciate you giving us a more detailed instruction on cleaning out that drain. Again thank you so much!!!

[LazyPup]

Ok...grab a cup of coffee and we will begin "Drain Cleaning 101"

First off, you will need some tools and supplies.

1. Drain cleaning machine (Must have a 3" & 4" cutter) (tool rental--
When you rent the tool have the people at the store show you how to change the cutters and where the foot control and motor control switches are.)
2. Toilet wax ring (any hardware store for about $1 to $2.)
3. Channel Lock pliers
4. Toilet plunger
5. Putty knife
6. plastic cup (a styrofoam coffee cup works great.)
7. Large trash bag.
8. a pair of work gloves (Preferably rubber coated work gloves)

Ok, here we go:

1. Locate the toilet tank water supply line and turn the valve off.
2. Disconnect the water line from the toilet tank.
3. Remove the tank lid and set it aside.
4. Flush the toilet. After the flush there will still be some residual water in the bottom of the tank. Use the styrofoam cup to dip it out then use the sponge to remove what you can't get with the cup.
5. Use the toilet plunger to force as much of the water in the bowl down the drain as possible.
6. Locate the toilet mount bolts on the base of the toilet bowl. They are usually covered by little ceramic or plastic caps that will snap off. Pop the caps off and remove the nuts and washers and carefully set them aside where you won't loose them.
7. Open the trash bag, then set it down on the floor near the toilet so you can lift the toilet straight up and set it down on the trash bag, then pull the bag up around the bowl. This will catch any residual water in the trap as you move the toilet and you won't have a mess. I like to set the toilet down on its back in the bathtub. That way the toilet is out of the way, protected from damage by the tub wall and any water that leaks out will go down the tub drain.

Next, open the box for the toilet wax ring and carefully set the wax ring aside. Put your gloves on and grab the putty knife. With the putty knife remove as much of the old wax ring as you can off the closet flange (Toilet drain mount) then clean the excess wax off the bottom of the toilet bowl. As you remove the old wax put it into the box the new wax ring came in and you wont have a mess to handle when discarding it.

Set the drain cleaning machine near the closet flange opening with the cable pointed toward the drain. Select the proper cutter to match your drain pipe size (probably 3") and install the cutter on the end of the machine cable.

Pull 2 or 3 feet of cable out of the machine and fit the end of the cable into the drain opening.

locate the rubber ball foot control switch and lay it near the drain opening where you can control the motor with your toe while feeding the cable into the pipe.

Switch the motor control to "FWD" (forward) and plug the machine in to an outlet.

Hold the cable loosely in your hand and press the rubber foot control with your toe, The machine drum will begin to rotate, which then rotates the cable and cutter. While the cable is rotating pull more cable out of the machine and push it into the drain. Continue feeding cable in this manner. Technically speaking you would only need to go as far as the clog, but you already paid for the machine, pulled the toilet and all that, so I would suggests you run the cable as far as it will go. You certainly can't hurt anything by cleaning more pipe.

Once you have run the cable out stop the machine, switch the motor control switch to "REV" (Reverse) and press the foot control again. This time the drum will begin rotating in the opposite direction. You then pull the cable out of the pipe and shove it into the machine where it will wind up on the cable drum. Continue until you have retrieved all the cable. AS the cable comes out it may be a bit wet and sloppy, that is a good sign, that means you got to the clog. You may want to wipe the cable with a rag as you pull it, but be real careful to be sure the rag doesn't catch on the cable and jerk your hand. For safety I would suggest you stop the machine, wipe a section then run the machine again, continually repeating the process.

Once you have retreived the cable, turn the machine off and set it aside.

Set the new wax ring in place on the closet flange.

Check the "closet mount bolts" (brass toilet bolts) and make sure they are lined up at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions on the closet flange with the bolts standing straigt up.

Set the toilet down on the flange, making sure the bolts line up through the mount holes on the base of the toilet bowl and continue lowering until the toilet makes contact with the wax ring. Now carefully push downward on the toilet to expand the wax until the base of the toilet is resting firmly on the floor. (Do not be tempted to use the bolts to pull the toilet down because there is a big risk of breaking the ceramic base of the toilet bowl if you do.)

Locate the washers and nuts for the mount bolts. Drop a washer in place and attach a nut running it down finger tight. Repeat on the opposite side.

Now use the channel locks to snug the bolts but do not overtighten. The bolts are only intended to insure a good seal between the base of the bowl and the closet flange. Excessive torque can damage the flange or bowl base. Snap the plastic or ceramic trip caps on top of the nuts. (for ceramic nuts I sometimes apply a bit of silicone bathtub caulking to glue them in place.)

Reattach the water line to the toilet tank, tighten the fitting snug then turn the valve on. The tank should immediately begin filling. Visually check the water line connections to be sure there is no leaks.

Replace the tank lid and flush the toilet while someone watches the standpipe. You should have the problem corrected.

If not, there should be a cleanout cap at the base of the waste stack. Open the cleanout cap and run the drain cleaner cable in from there to get further down the line.

Now comes the step that most homeowners always forget. Write a bill for about $50 or $100, drop it in the household budget cookie jar, grab the cash and your significant other and head out for a night on the town, you earned it.