Main sewer line leaking - Plumbing Forum

didyouseeroy · 09-29-2011, 12:59 AM

So here is the deal - where the main sewer line exits my basement I just started to get water leaking. If I run the shower, it starts. It seems to be getting slightly worse as the days go on. As far as I can tell it is coming through the concrete patch (that was there when I bought the house). It gets to a point that there is a stead stream that runs back down off the pipe.

I am somewhat plumbing clueless, but relatively handy. Do you think there is damage to the pipe beyond the wall? Is it clogged somewhere out to the street? I thought about taking out all the patch work and trying a hydraulic cement re-do - but with something simple as a bath running to cause that must mean it is pretty clogged right?

It is all cast iron and looks like it has seen better days.

Any thoughts would be appreciated - here are a few pics of it:

http://www.moshimonsterstoys.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG00199-20110928-1925.jpg

**johnjh2o** · 09-29-2011, 01:12 AM

If the water only appears when your using water chances are you have a broken line just outside the wall. This is very common. What happens is if there is settlement in the ground outside the foundation wall the line will break because the section going through the wall can't move, causing the line to separate.

John

didyouseeroy · 09-29-2011, 01:27 AM

So the house shifts, the line (assuming it is cast iron?) cracks/breaks = water just stays near foundation and comes rushing back in through that patch? I would think the ground would hold or disperse it enough not to have so much coming back in but maybe not?

Do I need to dig it out from the outside and take a look? Can I unscrew that clean-out plug in the picture and see if the issue is within the next 10 feet or so?

Sounds like might cost some $?

Thanks in advance.

**johnjh2o** · 09-29-2011, 01:37 AM

You may be able to see it through the clean out. It's probably not very far down the line.

John

didyouseeroy · 09-29-2011, 01:49 AM

And when I find a broken pipe? Dig it and replace that section?

Thanks.

**johnjh2o** · 09-29-2011, 02:02 AM

You got it. When you find the broken line post a picture and some one on the forum will advise you how to make the repair. There are many qualified plumbers on this site that are more then willing to help.

John

didyouseeroy · 10-03-2011, 07:22 PM

I am having a hell of a time getting the end cap off - it is brass so per all of the suggestions I will be drilling/chiseling it out in the next day or two. I bought one of those tightening ruber gasketed plugs with the wing nut to expand it - hopefully that will work in the short term until I can figure out where the break/leak is.