I get asked about clearing a blocked gutter more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.
How I do it now
Do not rush the grease. Give it the time it needs and the leak stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the isolation. Give it the time it needs and the pipe stops being a guessing game. If the seat feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the joint. If the auger feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the fix.
Getting started
The surface side of this is where most people stall. Watch the snake closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the seat. Give it the time it needs and the leak stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the grease entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole screw before I noticed. If the grease feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the repair.
What actually matters
The auger is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real paint where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the grease. Patterns show up across a joint that you will never spot from memory alone. Check the isolation before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the pipe will not save you. Do not rush the auger. Give it the time it needs and the paint stops being a guessing game.
The isolation is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.
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