Test the Drain — Turn on the Water

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How to Use a Drain Cleaning Bladder (Blow Bag) to Clear a Clog · Step 4 of 6

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After letting the pressure bladder work for several minutes, turn off the water supply. Pull the deflated bladder out of the drain. Then, use the garden hose without the bladder to run a large volume of water into the drain to confirm that it is flowing freely and the clog has been completely removed.

Goal: Verify the drain is clear

Used in this video

Garden Hose (Tool Type: Plumbing Snake, Material: Rubber, Garden Hose Length: 50ft) — Flushing the drain to test the flow.

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FAQs

Can I use a drain cleaning bladder on all types of plumbing pipes?

No, drain bladders are generally safe for most sturdy household pipes but should be avoided with old, brittle, or cracked pipes, which could burst under pressure. Do not use if chemical drain cleaners have recently been used, as mixing chemicals and pressurized water can be dangerous.

How do I determine the correct size drain cleaning bladder for my specific pipe?

Drain cleaning bladders are designed for specific pipe diameters (e.g., 1.5-inch, 3-inch). You'll need to know the approximate diameter of the drain pipe you're clearing. Check the bladder's packaging to ensure it matches your pipe size for optimal sealing and effectiveness.

What water pressure should I use, and how can I prevent pipe damage?

Start with low water pressure and gradually increase it, listening for any unusual sounds. The bladder works by sealing and then forcing water through; excessive pressure can damage older or weaker pipes. Never exceed your home's standard water pressure, and release pressure if water backs up too quickly.

The bladder isn't clearing the clog; what are my next steps?

If the clog persists after several attempts, the obstruction might be too severe or a type the bladder can't clear, like a solid object or root intrusion. You may need to try an alternative method, such as a drain snake, or consider calling a professional plumber.

Transcript

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All right well I just pulled it out, I have no idea if this drain got unclogged, I'll tell you it was really clogged, just back up here with the water and wouldn't go down. But I want to fill it with water and see how it works, let's take a look and see what this does here. Oh look at that swelling up there, okay that is pretty good. Let's see if the water is actually going to go down or not. It doesn't seem to be backing up, I'm going to take this, shove this, either this used to be the old plumber's trick. You'd get a garbage bag and you put a sock in it and then you wrap it around the hose and stuff it down a pipe, that's why it's very confident that this would work. But we'll give it a shot in here and see what happens. All right well I'm going to turn the water here and see if it goes down, see if it fixed it, clogged, then you know it, it's going right down, it unclogged, sure enough. That was sand and gravel in there. Wow, wait a go, look at that, just going, just flowing, flowing like a river down that pipe.

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