Major main drain help needed!

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What do I do with cast iron corner?

  • Leave it

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Replace it

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Efudge

New Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2018
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Location
Seattle, Washington
Hi there

I've got some major drain line issues,I'll try to explain this all as brief as I can. I moved into a house last September, and I have had the main drain line clog 4 times since moving in. I have had some plumbers come look at it and it has a number of issues with it and it needs some work. The flow goes as follows:
4 inch pvc from previous renovation into 4 inch cast iron for a 90 degree turn made by using two back to back 45s. After turn a secondary 4in cast line join main line. This secondary line comes through the foundation wall, on other side it's built on top of a slab with flooring over it, in other words it's inaccessible except the 8 inches on this side of the foundation. Moving on, the main 4in cast line is then REDUCED to a 3 inch pvc pipe which goes through the front foundation wall. Outside after 4 ft it comes to a T junction which has a 3 inch clean out, and also swoops down where it connects to 3 or 4inch concrete pipes which immediately S with two 90 degree angles and then goes one to connect to 6 inch concrete line which runs to street.

Phew! That's a lot of info, but here are the major issues I've been told I have.
1. 4-3inch reduction.
2. Back to back 90's at the bottom of the T.
3. T junction itself isn't the best.
4. Cast iron corner is a little tight.

Of the four clogs, one has been at the reduction and three have been at the two concrete 90's (I was told the pvc and concrete are a little offset which causes the issue.)

Here are my solutions from 2 different plumbers:
Local larger plumbing company guy: Fix everything from beginning 4 inch pvc out, replacing tight corner, reduction, T junction and S corners. Make longer corner inside, figure out a way to connect secondary old cast line to new pvc corner. Hope it doesn't break in to process. Cost 4000 bucks.

Plumber 2, small business, one man show: leave the cast corner and secondary cast connection as is. Not worth risking breaking secondary line because then I'm tearing up floor to get to replace that line, and I haven't had a specific problem with the corner. Replace everything after the corner, including reduction, T, and S. Cost if I do the digging 1200-1500 bucks. If he digs, highest end estimate of 3500 but probably closer to 3000.


I'll attach pics, mainly I need help deciding if replacing the corner is a priority or not a major issue right now. I'm trying to be economical with a baby on the way, but also want this taken care of! Any input is greatly appreciated!
 

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Yes that's sump pump, I know it's illegal in most places but neither plumber said anything and I couldn't find anything saying it's illegal in our local codes. I don't live in Seattle city limits, I know its illegal there. I live in a small town about 40 minutes outside Seattle.
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I gotcha, thanks for asking around for me. And my uncles in the trades in the northeast and that was the first thing he said when he saw it.
 
Have the lines jetted not power rodded.
Or power rodded with chain flail in cast iron.
Looks pretty flat,no pitch, could be sludged up.
 
Looks like pump discharge is 2" which is probably a sanitary pump.
At any rate that helps everything downstream.
 
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