Cleaning out he Main Drain

[N2CHX]

OK... I live in a big old Victorian house built in the late 1800's. The sewer pipes are OLD and once again I had to rent a snake and clean out the main line to the street.

There is a floor drain in the basement which backs up and that's where I put the snake in. Anyway, I get to about 30 feet and the snake stops dead. However, once I hit that and drill at it for a minute or two, suddenly the flood waters disappear with a giant sucking sound. There's obviously something there, but I don't know what. So far I've not been able to get whatever it is out. Fortunately, even though I had to perform this ritual about 6 times last year, this is the first time since last spring that I've had to do it so I must have done a pretty good job of clearing it last year.

Any ideas on what the hell might be blocking it and how to be done with it once and for all, short of replacing all the pipe out to the street (about a $8,000 project from what I was told).

[ab1ga]

Robotics! :-)

A bit more seriously, a picture may be worth a thousand head scratches. How big is the pipe? A web cam is a plastic baggie plus a white LED or three may give you a bit more insight into the problem. Depending on what's down there, you may be able to run a hook to it and drag it out, once and for all.

Or, if you'd rather not get that into the job, there might be a plumbing service that can take care of it.

[N2CHX]

Robotics! :-)

A bit more seriously, a picture may be worth a thousand head scratches. How big is the pipe? A web cam is a plastic baggie plus a white LED or three may give you a bit more insight into the problem. Depending on what's down there, you may be able to run a hook to it and drag it out, once and for all.

Or, if you'd rather not get that into the job, there might be a plumbing service that can take care of it.

Dang, that's a great idea. Not sure why I didn't think of it. I wonder if they rent those plumber cams? Gonna go check home depot.

[KG4CGC]

Here's to hoping they're not tree roots.

[n2ize]

A couple sticks of dynamite will clear our whatever the heck is stuck down there.

[W5RB]

Roots are the most common recurrent obstruction . They can actually grow through clay sewer pipe .

[ki4itv]

Here's to hoping they're not tree roots.
That is what I was thinking.
If you break the clog in the same place every time, and it takes a while to become clogged again... It could very well be roots.

[NQ6U]

Roots are the most common recurrent obstruction . They can actually grow through clay sewer pipe .

Yep. Speaking as a recovering plumber, I'd almost bet that it's roots.

[suddenseer]

Here's to hoping they're not tree roots.That would be my guess. I had a shrub root system work it's way into the line the septic tank. It required digging to repair, not a pleasant task.

[N2CHX]

So I should throw some copper sulfate down the drain?

[N2CHX]

That is what I was thinking.
If you break the clog in the same place every time, and it takes a while to become clogged again... It could very well be roots.

Yeah, that's pretty much how it seems to be going. And the fact that it clogged again right when the weather warmed up makes sense too.

[W5RB]

I've seen root problems go for years without requiring more than the occasional treatment . Depending on particulars , an adjustment to the tree/bush may be prudent .

[NQ6U]

If you can figure out exactly where the clog is occurring, you can dig down to the pipe at that point and take a look. It might be possible to trim back some roots and then reseal the joints in the pipe well enough to keep it from happening again for a while.

[N2CHX]

I've seen root problems go for years without requiring more than the occasional treatment . Depending on particulars , an adjustment to the tree/bush may be prudent .

Well, there is a tree not far from where the clog is. Unfortunately it's on the neighbor's property. We don't have a lot of room on that side of the house. This is the same neighbor that I drew the giant penis on the sidewalk pointing to his house because he was being a dick to my kids and ruined my daughter's brand new white sneakers with his stupid garden hose. That tree hangs over the power lines too. I've been waiting for it to come down and take out the power in the neighborhood. Maybe I should just dynamite the tree lol.

[N2CHX]

If you can figure out exactly where the clog is occurring, you can dig down to the pipe at that point and take a look. It might be possible to trim back some roots and then reseal the joints in the pipe well enough to keep it from happening again for a while.

The snake I rented is really heavy duty and has a root saw attachment. I'm going to try that and see how it works. I kinda draw the line at digging up the front yard. I'd hire someone to do it if it came to that but no way do I want to do it myself. Anyone want a blow job or two? I'll even supply beer and a shovel to go with it.

[ki4itv]

:lol::lol::lol:

[ab1ga]

...
That tree hangs over the power lines too. I've been waiting for it to come down and take out the power in the neighborhood. Maybe I should just dynamite the tree lol.

Depending on how vengeful you may still be feeling, try calling the power company about that tree. After the past couple of years power companies are a bit quicker to trim back branches which may fall on lines at inopportune moments, causing much overtime pay.

Here in MA, all towns have to have a Tree Warden whose job it is to identify and remedy cases of trees causing hazard to public safety. You call the warden, he looks at the tree, says "eh-yup" or something to that effect and then calls the power company, free of charge. I'm not sure if NY state has such a thing, around heah we hang on to things like tree wardens and fence viewers, keeps that colonial spirit in the air, I suspect.

Good luck with your excavations,

[N9FE]

Kelli its either roots or the pipe is broke. The best thing to do is cut your looses and replace the whole thing with PVC. I know it won't be cheap, And you need to let the ground thaw. But get estimates. Lots of them. Find a young hungry person that won't charge the shit out of you.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

Me? I am all in favor of having someone dig it up.
I use a backhoe myself. ;)
A real sewer cam is a section of fiber optic cable with the camera itself protected inside the cage of the reel.
Mine is a mini transmitter and a section of stiff cable on a reel intended for pipeline work.
One nifty little trick you can do is have someone put their ear near the closed pipe and have someone outside tap on the ground.
A drilling hammer with a bit of string works well, just pick it up a drop it a foot or so.
The vibrations will get stronger the closer to the pipe you are, cheap and dirty locater.
Draw your line out and get an idea of how far the clog is.
If you indeed do need to dig, and it is a clay pipe, dig a section, replace that section if need be.
Or you can wrap that plastic that that is used to wrap pallets with, a few wraps.
Now, 2 sections of cast iron, cut them along the sides and place them to act as a form for concrete or cement.
Plastic will also do but I do this a lot.
Once it has begun to set start to bury the hole, pull your forms out being careful not to damage the concrete.
Now, another 30 minutes or so, a bit of bare copper wire around this, you can leave an inch or 2 spacing but this needs to be bare copper.
Bury the whole thing and you are done.
Tree roots can not grow with the copper present and the concrete helps both to protect the pipe and corrode, and disperse, the copper.
This is as very cheap and effective fix as there is.
I have done hundreds of this with never a callback.

[N7RJD]

Here's to hoping they're not tree roots.

Actually given the age of the system, if it were me I'd just about be praying for tree roots. They can be
nasty but one alternative is that a section of pipe gave way and is allowing the ground to slowly sink into
the system blocking it.

The camera idea really is your best bet. We have had commercial drains scoped a few times. It's not cheap but
neither is snaking the thing out over and over and for my taste it's always better to know what's what than to
keep guessing at it. I'm not saying that knowing is going to solve the problem but it sure will help you decide your
best plan of attack.

[KC2UGV]

I'd bet roots. Sounds like the very issue we have. Twice a year, 100 ft. snake goes down the basement sewer access...

[n2ize]

It would probably be in your best interests to have a new line dug in and installed. Thats what they usually do down here. Don't bother with the old line. It's a waste of time, money, and effort.

Also, do you have actual sewer service or septic systems ? It could be a tank that needs cleaning. Otherwise, abandon that line and dig a new one.

[n6hcm]

This is the same neighbor that I drew the giant penis on the sidewalk pointing to his house because he was being a dick to my kids . . .

this is just too funny!

[ka8ncr]

My parents fought tree roots in a number of bouts. They grew into the clay pipes, then they found a way into the PVC replacements! My sump lines are PVC and I had to extract roots from those as well. I have no idea how the hell they get in there, but they do.

Finally, they had some enterprising guy come out and he encased the new installation with something (concrete, dunno) to thwart the roots, and installed some strategic cleanouts should that fail. Been 10 years, no problems.

[N2CHX]

It would probably be in your best interests to have a new line dug in and installed. Thats what they usually do down here. Don't bother with the old line. It's a waste of time, money, and effort.

Also, do you have actual sewer service or septic systems ? It could be a tank that needs cleaning. Otherwise, abandon that line and dig a new one.

It's municipal sewer and if I had $8,000 to replace it right now, believe me I would. We're going to have to keep putting band-aids on it for another year or two.

[N2CHX]

this is just too funny!

My kids are high-honor roll students and they never disrespect adults [other than their parents once in a while lol]. Not saying they're perfect, but they never do or say anything malicious to anyone. This douche was mad because my girls played with sidewalk chalk. He got the hose out while they were still chalking and washed their chalk drawings away, as well as ruined my daughter's white sneakers by getting mud all over them. He also blamed us for beer bottles tossed in his lawn on the 4th of July the first year we were here. You'd think, as long as he's lived around here that he would know that July 4th is one huge beer party in this town. People come for miles to see the parade the next street over and they close off the main drag entirely to put in amusement rides and lots of food, beer tents and live music all day and night. Junk gets strewn everywhere, yet somehow the beer bottles were our fault even though we didn't even have that kind of beer. When his roofers let shit fly all over our yard I cleaned it up and didn't say a word. Then he had the balls to be a dick to my girls, so yeah, after midnight I went out and used my girls' sidewalk chalk to draw a big dick and hairy balls pointing right at his front door, with the words "Don't be a dick" under it.

The funniest part was his mother coming over the next morning to ask me about it and acting all shocked over it while at the same time claiming she had no idea what it was supposed to be. The guy lives with his mom across the street and has been renovating the house next door for the last 15 years. No one lives in it. No, I'm not kidding. Everyone in the neighborhood loathes this guy. He's a dick to everyone. I became a neighborhood icon after drawing that giant penis.

[KC2UGV]

It's municipal sewer and if I had $8,000 to replace it right now, believe me I would. We're going to have to keep putting band-aids on it for another year or two.

We've been using the bandaid of Roto-Rooter every six months for about 6 years now. They come out, if it's clogged again in 6 months, it's free. So, every other drain clean is free.

Been working so far, and most times, I can just get a snake in there and cut them out. Just go but a 100ft snake (Like $70 or so) with a root saw bit (Or rent it from Home Depot for $15-30 per day).

[N2CHX]

We've been using the bandaid of Roto-Rooter every six months for about 6 years now. They come out, if it's clogged again in 6 months, it's free. So, every other drain clean is free.

Been working so far, and most times, I can just get a snake in there and cut them out. Just go but a 100ft snake (Like $70 or so) with a root saw bit (Or rent it from Home Depot for $15-30 per day).

That's exactly what we've been doing. I just returned the snake to Home Depot. It cost $88 for a day, with insurance and tax. To buy a snake heavy duty enough to do the job is about $1500.