DIY water jet cleaning c.i. pipes

Plumbing Forums

Help Support Plumbing Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Oldpuck

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2012
Messages
10
Reaction score
2
Location
,
I have a 48 yo slab on grade house in Plano, TX with subslab c.i. pipes. One branch is clogged and has given me problems for several years ever since I replaced w/ 1.5g flushers. After I used a 75' snake, my drain line coming from 2 BR's is completely clogged- so much that the water level as seen in the outside cleanouts has not receded at all in 24 hrs. I've been panicking thinking I need pipe reroute w/ PVC. Usually I shove a garden hose w/ a spray nozzle and it will clear the clog but not this time. So then I rented a snake and all it did, I think, was to further pack the clog so that no water is trickling through as seen in the front yard cleanout. I guess if the pipe is holding water level for a day, it's probably not broken or bellied, right??

So my question is: if I rent one of those electric water jet plumbing snakes, is there any level of skill I need or special process to correctly jet out this line? I've watched all kinds of YouTubes and it looks pretty straightforward. Taylor Rental has an electric & gas powered "Jet-Set" water jetter rig for rent quite reasonably priced.

I'm your classic DIYer- I can do most anything that is mechanical, but I just don't have a lot of experience doing any one thing- plumbing is one of them, but I've never had to call a plumber in 30 yrs ...yet! I just don't want to F anything up.
thanks!
 
Hire a pro to snake or water jet, followed by camera inspection.
Old cast iron can build up blockages that feel like solid metal or stone.
The walls can also get very thin, rough crusty texture, or even perforate.
If you do a diy and damage the rusty cast iron sewer under the slab, or out in the yard, you are looking at maybe $5,000 to who knows how high to fix, and maybe busting up the floor.
When everything is finally fixed, consider adding an extra flush or two after a poop, a few gallons of water is cheaper than having the sewer snaked repeatedly.
 
Update: used the garden hose that was straightened out and stiff due to exteme cold we're having rt now- put on a little brass jet nozzle, shoved it in and finally got the clog to break. It was all black and nasty, grease I think. I was snaking from the outside cleanout. No trees. I got lucky on this one. It was a clog on the other side of the house and took 60+ feet of hose to reach it and just kept blasting away. Learned something!
 
Or it’s full of rust......😟. I find cast iron laid flat all the time. 😟
Yes, but if the c.i. pipe was flattened, the water level would've subsided over 36 hours of just sitting there- would've soaked into the soil. Mine did not. Which means my pipes are still intact.
 
Yes, but if the c.i. pipe was flattened, the water level would've subsided over 36 hours of just sitting there- would've soaked into the soil. Mine did not. Which means my pipes are still intact.

Your answer doesn’t relate to my post.

You’ve made a mistake.

I said “ laid flat “ that means they were installed without pitch.

It was a general comment about what I find in the field.
 
Your answer doesn’t relate to my post.

You’ve made a mistake.

I said “ laid flat “ that means they were installed without pitch.

It was a general comment about what I find in the field.
oh, ok, thought you meant flattened by collapse & corrosion. I might have a flat, or nearly flat condition on the longest run but the other shorter branch has never clogged. Next step, camera and water jetting.
 
oh, ok, thought you meant flattened by collapse & corrosion. I might have a flat, or nearly flat condition on the longest run but the other shorter branch has never clogged. Next step, camera and water jetting.
Not a bad plan, I wish you the best.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top