"Oh, that’s not good," Elias whispered, staring into the tub. He uncapped a bottle of industrial-strength drain cleaner—the kind that requires a hazmat suit and a lawyer to pour—and sent it down. It did nothing. The water sat there, stagnant and mocking.

Up came a wet, matted clump of insulation and dry leaves. It was heavy.

The Toolbox Elias realized he needed tools. He retreated down the ladder and raided the garage. He needed three things:

At first, it looked empty. But about three feet down, there was a shadow. He grabbed the garden hose he’d dragged up with him and stuck the nozzle into the pipe.

Common signs of a clogged vent (not a drain blockage):

"Plunging won't work. Snaking won't work," Silas said, sipping his coffee. "Your house is trying to breathe, but it’s got a clothespin on its nose. You’ve got a clogged vent pipe."