Can you rent a big roto rooter yourself instead of paying a plumber big bucks to do something I think I can?
Question:I know the pipes are sometimes made out of clay and I suppose I could damage them but watching the plumber do it (and charging over two hundred dollars) doesn't look very difficult or risky.
Answers:
I have seen them in rental centers and watched a neighbor use one starting at the clean out plug and slowly adding more extension. Only problem I saw was he was having a difficult time with it wanting to coil up into a knot coming off the reel.
I think with some instruction of opperation you should do fine with one.
You can rent a big snake but not what plumbers use.
you can rent them your self be careful a damaged pipe will cost you a lot more the $200.00
You can definately rent them at a rental center or perhaps Home Depot. You should be able to do it easily from the clean out. Although pipes can become a bit brittle if you have a really old home, you should be fine. Your pipes will never be made from clay as it would break down from water, chemicals and use over time. Most pipe will be either iron or PVC. Just take it slow, particularly if you feel yourself coming to elbows.
If you do it yourself. Make sure to wear leather gloves to prevent the cable from cutting up your hands. You will also want to wear safety glasses. The rental units do not have a power feed unit on them. The task of retrieving the cable will be quite difficult if you encounter a ball of roots. GOOD LUCK!
Yes it is quite simple. In my previous 130 year old house we used to get tree roots in our drain tile every year. It would cost about $40 for four hours of rental from the equipment rental store. The machine was called a power auger and I received very good instructions the first time I used it. A little messy, but not bad if you had it done already and so you know which clean out to put it in.
The money is better spent hiring a professional Roto-Rooter type. Every once in a while I rent, I EVEN BOUGHT, a drain cleaner/sewer cleaner. I kick myself every time. Let the pros do it.
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