Why does the drain snake keep coming out the other drain?
Drain snakes follow the path of least resistance and slip up the connected branch instead of turning down the main waste line. This leaves the actual clog untouched and prevents the drain from clearing.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Using a bigger cable or drop headDid this help you?
- 2Cutting the ceiling below to access the pipeDid this help you?
- 3Snaking from the roof ventDid this help you?
- 4Bending the tip of the snake to create a fake drop headDid this help you?
- 5Locating an exterior cleanoutDid this help you?
- 6ducking under the pipeDid this help you?
- 7maneuvering around the obstructionDid this help you?
- 8Asking tradesmen for advice online before starting the workDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I am new to soldering pipe and am looking to add on a line to my coffee bar.”source ↗
“Not sure if it's okay to split that line and run it as shown in the third picture.”source ↗
“when I go in one drain the snake always comes up on the other drain. It's not making the turn to the shared line.”source ↗
“Good luck and I’m also interested in the resolution because I’m in the same boat!”source ↗
“The drain hose for the dehumidifier does’t fit in the same pipe as the washing machine drain hose. Can they both drain in this pipe? If so what fittings do I need?”source ↗
“Can I just add another long 90 to where this sink drain connects to the main, so I can route this section up closer to the floor joists?”source ↗
“It’s literally right at the bottom of the crawl space steps and short steps and super annoying to duck under and move things in and out of storage.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 12Tree roots growing inside drain pipes
- 2How to route a plumbing vent offset around obstacles
- 3How to tie in a vent line and shower drain in tight spaces
- 2How to run drain lines without tearing out the wall
- 2What size pipe do I need when combining two 3-inch pipes?
- 3How to route roof drainage without underground pipes