How to Clean a Roof Vent With a Mini-Rooter

Locate the clogged vent by looking for a short, straight pipe that emerges from the roof. Most houses have more than one such vent, but you should be able to find the one you need by checking its proximity to the problem area.

Lean a ladder securely against the house and onto the roof. Carry the MiniRooter with you or have an assistant hand it up to you once you are off the ladder. For high roofs, you can tie a rope to the handle and pull it up once you are on the roof.

Set the MiniRooter near the vent. It should be within 2 feet of the opening. Make sure the switch is set to off and plug in the machine. It has a 10-foot power cord, but if that won’t reach an outlet, use a heavy-duty grounded extension cord. Put on leather gloves and goggles.

Pull the cable out of the rooter’s cage by hand and feed it into the vent opening. Keep feeding it into the pipe until it stops. Pull out a little more cable, so there is enough slack in the cable that it is slightly bowed.

Place the air foot pedal in a location that is easy for you to reach. Set the power switch to on and grasp the cable with both hands. Press the foot switch and use firm pressure to guide the cable into the drain. Don’t force it. If you push the cable too hard, you could break it or injure yourself.

Stop the rooter if you feel resistance in the drain, and slide the cable up and down a few inches until the resistance ceases. Continue the process until you have cleaned out the entire vent pipe.

Use a hose to wash down the inside of the vent while the cable is still in place. This will both wash out any loose debris and clean the cable.

Pull the cable back out of the drain, coiling it back into the cage as you go. Run the machine in forward as you bring out the cable. Reverse is only used if the cable gets stuck, and only for a few seconds at a time. Turn the machine off when the end of the cable is at the top of the vent.