Semi Emergency

[tstex]

Last summer our shower drain plugged up. The plumber had a battery operated air plunger. He filled the drain with water, then stuck the nozzle in the drain. Whoose the drain was clear. We have a grey water system for the shower and sink drains. They go into a basin about 100’ from the house and cottonwood trees use the water. I was standing at the pipe outlet outside when he hit the drain with the air plunger. A flood of nasty black/grey water came rushing out and the drain was clear. He made some easy money for sure. This might be worth a try.

Thanks. My key objective now is to remove 30-35ft of 1/2" stuck Auger in my upstairs bath sink drain.

 

[EddieWalker]

All drain pipes are SCH 40 PVC; all water transports are copper

If your drain lines are SCH 40 PVC all the way to the septic tank, then roots are not going to be an issue unless they where not connected properly. That's pretty rare, but I've seen it done before. In that case, the pipe pulled apart at an elbow where the line from the bathroom joined the main line to the septic tank. Once I dug it up, the owner of the house, and the guy who installed it, admitted that he ran out of cement and just slid them together. His wife wasn't happy!!!!

I'm not sure what the soap is going to do? I also don't see anything that would be hurt by dumping the soap in the line.

 

[bmaverick]

A real "semi" emergency.

 

[Jstpssng]

I thought that having a drain cleanout was standard. Here I believe that it's code. If you have one, that may be the easiest way to access the snake/clog.

 

[bmaverick]

I thought that having a drain cleanout was standard. Here I believe that it's code. If you have one, that may be the easiest way to access the snake/clog.

I had to add a clean-out at the end of a 35FT run. This was the kitchen sink. After 2 years of clogs and messing around, we had to remove carefully the pipe out of a finished basement, then realized the pipe vent going up to the roof was clogged by a birds nest that fell in the air vent of the pipe.

With the drain part of the pipe out, we then got a 2-inch expanding bladder and 3 5-gallon bucket to force the old birds next out. What a chore. Then we capped the roof with a mesh to prevent the air vent from being messed up again. Finally replaced the 35FT section. Took 2 weekends.

 

[ultrarunner]

I’m generous with clean outs because many places don’t have them pre WWII

Deepest was 6 feet down to the lateral… sometimes only a foot.

I like to install Kelly clean outs if mid line so I can snake both ways.

Have to say never have had a exposed ABS line blockage I couldn’t clear with a hose and balloon.

The 100 year old underground clay and above ground cast iron often not so simple.

Short of opening the pipe how much pulling force exerted?

 

[jyoutz]

Thanks. My key objective now is to remove 30-35ft of 1/2" stuck Auger in my upstairs bath sink drain.

Understand. I’m suggesting you try that once the auger is removed.

 

[orezok]

The Maintenance Dept at the School District where I was a Facilities Manager had to pull “stuff” out of drain lines weekly. Didn’t matter if it was Elementary, Middle or High. Kids like to flush things.

The High schoolers particularly liked M80’s. BOOM

 

[MossRoad]

Orangeburg, ...

Had my first experience with this stuff last week. Grrrrr! It just crumbles. Every joint had roots infiltrating the pipe.

Removing sod for a shallow 8" wide trench to plant tulips. Pulled up the sod and saw gray water. Hit the washing machine drain line the previous owner had installed just a few inches deep out to a mystery drain field. I managed to pull out several reducers he had installed and piece together some rubber reducers, band clamps and a piece of 4" pvc to patch it. Ground is already frozen 2" down. I'll dig it all out next summer and put in some PVC drain line and 55 gallon drum dry wells instead.

 

[MossRoad]

Question:

Does anyone see a drawback against squeezing a plastic container of liquid dish soap into the pipe where the snake auger is stuck to help lubricate the ID of the PVC? I've enclosed a pic of what i am referring. I know there is going to be suds galore, and didn't want to complicate things for flow of water and other.

If there is another option that you've used thst is better than soap, please let me know?

Thank you very much !

Yes, you'll get a lot of suds if you run a hose down there.

Can't the plumber just back the machine away from the pipe entrance and pull the snake out by hand, or is it completely lodged in there? I'd think he could disassemble the machine, detach the snake, untangle the snake until it is strait, then use some wrenches to twist it counterclockwise to get it backed out of the jam.

 

[ultrarunner]

Had my first experience with this stuff last week. Grrrrr! It just crumbles. Every joint had roots infiltrating the pipe.

Removing sod for a shallow 8" wide trench to plant tulips. Pulled up the sod and saw gray water. Hit the washing machine drain line the previous owner had installed just a few inches deep out to a mystery drain field. I managed to pull out several reducers he had installed and piece together some rubber reducers, band clamps and a piece of 4" pvc to patch it. Ground is already frozen 2" down. I'll dig it all out next summer and put in some PVC drain line and 55 gallon drum dry wells instead.

The late 1950's was the heyday here for Orangeburg because it was cheap and easy to handle.

It does make for easy burst pipe method to pull new seamless plastic...

 

[MossRoad]

The late 1950's was the heyday here for Orangeburg because it was cheap and easy to handle.

It does make for easy burst pipe method to pull new seamless plastic...

I never knew the name of it until today. I looked up bituminous pipe, only because that's what it looked like to me... layers of delaminating tar paper.

This is the first thing that came up....

Orangeburg pipe - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

If we only knew how well things would hold up 50-100 years out...

 

[ultrarunner]

I never knew the name of it until today. I looked up bituminous pipe, only because that's what it looked like to me... layers of delaminating tar paper.

This is the first thing that came up....

Orangeburg pipe - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

If we only knew how well things would hold up 50-100 years out...

Only one home with it and as luck would have it the run is 300+ feet.

I bit the bullet and replaced with plastic and 2 years later the city declared it a priority due to leaching into the seasonal creeks and opted to replace at no cost all my neighbors Orangeburg...

If only I had waited I could have saved myself a lot of hillside digging and about 3k in expense...

 

[MossRoad]

Grrrr!

 

[ultrarunner]

Grrrr!

I became tired of snaking so much line every 3 to 4 months from root problems...

I'm hoping the OP had a little luck today retrieving the stuck cable especially being the property is occupied...

 

[RayIN]

I was using a friends 50' power snake on a problematic yard drain, it had roots invading it. Anyway, he calls and said son in law coming over to get it for his house. Fine, I asked him to return it here when done as I was not finished using it. I came back with the snake all Fed up, actually reversed direction mid feed when recoiling. I wound up pulling the whole 50' out and rewinding properly. It works like a charm. Dunno if this helps

To clear a drain of roots, use copper sulfate crystals on a periodic basis, perhaps a hand-full a month.. Be aware if that is tree roots it will kill the tree too if too much copper sulfate is used.
I have a white oak in my yard that has never fully recovered from copper sulfate I used 20 years ago; about half the branches have died and fallen off through the years, but the trunk is now 3' diameter @ 5' high. I have to pick up dead branches before every time i mow.

 

[Williy]

Where the drain pipe comes down from upstairs you should have a clean out?? and this would enable to help get the snake out, There should be a clean out some place before the line goes outside the house.

willy

 

[1Mech]

A real "semi" emergency.

View attachment 2032680

My son, an OTR driver says SWIFT is an abbreviation for Sure Wish I Finished Training! Looks like this guy needs to go back to truck driving school!

 

[Streetcar]

Orangeburg, Sections of Clay, Cement Asbestos, Plastic, Cast Iron, Galvanized, Black Pipe, Copper and Lead all used around here for sewer pipe… about the only thing I have not come across is wood pipe.

Every sale here means lateral replacement if not plastic.

As a property manager no matter what’s down there it starts out as my problem…

Back in the days of cloth diapers kids would flush them and then the fun begins.

I’m guessing no amount of pulling has been able to get the cable to budge?

I have found wood pipes for drains in some hundred year old houses. Also seen remains of wood water main

 

[sixdogs]

Any updates on the drain situation? I can empathize with the situatuation.