We have a clogged kitchen drain. The plumbing company that came said they would replace the 40 feet for 2000 dollars. They tried snaking it and came across an area clogged by steel wool. A plumbing friend that works at a hardware store mentioned Clobber. Does this have fumes? Is there anything that might be better than replacing the whole drain system?

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clogged by steel wool

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Very strange. Do you have any idea how steel wool could have been put down the kitchen sink.

Is the blockage in the kitchen sink only.

Would be unusual to have 40' of drain line before reaching the main line.

I would expect a drain snake to clear something like a steel wool pot scrubber.

Can you provide any more information. Right now I think I would call another drain clearing company before doing anything else.

What is the drain material and why didn't the snake get the steel wool?

The drain material is 1.5 inch ABS piping. They said the steel wool has been there for so long it can get little bit but keeps clogging right back up when wtaer is ran back through

We live in a mobile home, our kitchen is way on the other side of the mobile home from the rest of the plumbing. Around 40' I do not know how steel wool got down there but it did and he pulled up a couple of pieces with his snake only doing it twice. He said if he did it more than twice it would be 100 dollars per attempt. It is the kitchen sink only, we have 1.5" ABS pipes where it meets the main line with a 3" ABS coming to the drain field.

OK, so the plumber is going to make two passes and if that works, great. If not, he is going to take the money and run any way. Wish I could get 100 dollars per pass for running out 40 foot of drain snake. There are different types of heads that can be used on a snake. If he pulled back bits and pieces but didn't clear it, the steel wool must be rusted to the point of crumbling. Running the snake through it a few times with the pipe filled with water to break it up and wash it to the main.

Before allowing some one to replace piping I would either call another plumber or rent a snake and do it myself. If you do it yourself you can run the snake as many times as you want and you don't have to pay yourself 100 dollars per pass.

If the plumber is any good he can probably tell with in a few feet (5 or 10) how far down the pipe the blockages is. I am not an expert on the plumbing of mobile homes but I would think that the piping is under the floor and accessible from underneath by removing insulation. If the blockage indeed can't be cleared by snaking, that doesn't mean the pipe has to be replaced entirely. Just cut the pipe as close to where you think the blockage is and clear. Reconnect the pipe with couplings. Why replace? Might have to do that in a couple of places to find the blockage but certainly not $2000 worth of work.

As I have said, I am not that familiar with mobile home plumbing but I assume that the only thing covering the plumbing on the underside of the floor is insulation. I don't know what the labor rates are in your area are but $2000 to replace 40 foot of pipe seems out of line unless its is under ground.

Call another plumber or rent a snake.

I agree with Harold, 100%.

Cut out a section of pipe under the trailer, install a full-size cleanout (or a clamp) and snake in both directions! Hot water wash during last pass toward the main drain to finish is best!

Mark

Additional thoughts.

It is not the steel wool that is blocking the flow. It is the food particles that are getting caught on the steel wool that is blocking the flow. A spear head on the snake should clear the blockage. But only temporarily. Blockage should re-occur as additional food particles get caught.

Want to know where the blockage is?
Let drain sit unused for a period so that all water in the pipe drains through the blockage. Fill a gallon container with water. Fifteen feet of 1 1/2" pipe will hold one gallon of water. Pour water down the drain. Since a little water will probably make it through the blockage, figure four feet of pipe for each quart of water.

In reality, the blockage is probably directly below the sink.

Another thought, the drain pipe will probably run in a straight line from the kitchen area to the closest bathroom.

Im agree with all above answers. Just let me add that I would not suggest using clobber or any chemicals to solve this issue. We actually stock clobber, but only use it for extreme emergency purposes, and never sell it to the general public as it is very dangerous in terms of fumes, and serious burn potential.

Could try some vinegar or dilute drain opener Either will eat at iron and should slowly get rid of it. Be very careful with lye(drano) it can burn you badly in concentrated form. Don't know why a root cutter head wouldn't clean it out.