Totally agree about going gentle with the snake—seen too many tenants crank on it and cause leaks later. Also worth mentioning: if you're dealing with older metal pipes, you might wanna check their condition first. Had a tenant once who poked through a rusty pipe trying to unclog it, turned a simple fix into a bigger headache. Quick inspection can save a lotta hassle down the road.
Good point about rusty pipes. But honestly, sometimes even a quick inspection doesn't show everything. I checked mine before snaking and still ended up with a small leak—old pipes can be sneaky like that. Now I just keep some plumber's epoxy handy for quick fixes until I can replace the whole section. Better safe than sorry, I guess...
Keeping epoxy handy is smart, but honestly, I'd also suggest grabbing a moisture detector—pretty cheap online. It saved me from a hidden leak behind drywall. Old pipes are tricky, better to catch issues early than deal with mold later...
"Old pipes are tricky, better to catch issues early than deal with mold later..."
Definitely agree on catching issues early. Moisture detectors are handy, but have you thought about a small inspection camera too? They're pretty affordable now, and you can snake them behind drywall or under cabinets to visually confirm leaks or corrosion. Saved me from tearing out half my bathroom wall once—turned out the leak was way smaller than I thought. Anyone here used one before, or do you usually just rely on moisture meters and guesswork?
Inspection cameras are handy for sure, but honestly, they're not always as easy to use as they seem. I've tried one a couple times, and while it did help me spot a leak behind the sink cabinet, the image quality wasn't great—especially in tight spaces or around corners. Plus, if you're not used to navigating the camera cable, it can be pretty frustrating trying to figure out exactly what you're looking at.
Personally, I've found moisture meters combined with just some careful observation (checking for discoloration, soft drywall, or musty smells) usually gets the job done without too much guesswork. Cameras definitely have their place, but they're not always the quick fix you'd expect. Maybe I just got a dud though...
