Are rubber sewer pipe connectors likely to be damaged by plumber's drain snakes?

[Stephen Tashiro]

Are the thick rubber connectors for sewer pipes (e.g. Fernco's) likely to be damaged when plumbers snake a drain?

[roger wiegand]

If they're straight connectors that have been installed correctly there shouldn't be any exposed rubber for the snake to hit-- the two pieces of pipe should be close to flush against each other inside the joint. If you have other kinds of rubber joints like Tees or reducing couplers then I'd worry about over-aggressive snaking poking a hole or dislodging the coupler.

[Mike Cutler]

A Fernco coupling is pretty stout rubber. I wouldn't worry about putting a snake through one unless there were some really sharp points and edges on that snake.

[Roger Feeley]

Even if a connector failed, it's not inside a wall, right?
All the connectors I've used are just straight couplings so a snake should just go right past them. Also, the pipes I connect are pretty close together so a snake would have to try really hard to even make contact with the rubber.