LMHmedchem
Member
Hello,
I have a clogged main line that allows some slow drainage. I have tried main line cleaner (which has worked in the past) but that did not do the trick and I need to look at more direct methods. I could really use some advice at this point.
This house was built sometime in the 1870s. A few years ago I replace the water line. At that point, the city inspector said that the line that was replaced was installed in 1920 (concrete lined steel pipe). My guess is that the sewer line was installed at the same time. The house may not have had indoor plumbing before that.
There is a 1950s double sink in the basement that is right next to the stack. That is where things always back up when there is an issue. I guess that's not such a bad place if it has to happen. The sink drains into 2" PVC that picks up the drain from the washing machine and the empties into the stack below the floor. A few years ago I re-did the plumbing under the sink because it didn't have enough pitch. At that point I put a union into the sink vent to give me some access to the main. Here is a picture of the setup,
The distance between the floor and the first flange in the pipe is a bit less than 44". The cast iron pipe is 4" OD. The 2" PVC to the left is the plumbing from the double sink. The horizontal 2" PVC at the bottom is the drain from the washing machine. The union in the 2" PVC is in the vent for the sink. The 2" PVC enters the stack below the floor somewhere. I didn't do that so I have no idea what the junction looks like.
If I run the basement sink, the sink it will eventually fill with water. The water will go down slowly, so some water it getting through. If I flush a toilet when the sink has water in it, that will end up in the sink as well. I have tried a gallon of main line cleaner by going overnight without using any water to hopefully let all the water drain down to the blockage. I then opened the union and poured the gallon in and left if for 8 hours without using any water. Then I flushed with hot water.
I can run the snake in further then I could before but I am still hitting an obstruction and the sink is still filling with water if I let it run. Based on my measurements with the snake, the obstruction is just on the other side of the outside wall, which puts it under the front porch. What is odd is that the snake hits something where I cannot push the snake through by hand. If I apply a little power with the drill, the snake goes right forward. I have done this with the sink full of water and punching through does not seem to affect the rate of drain. I have gone forward and backward with the snake. I have powered the snake in some and then pulled it back by hand. I have powered the snake in some distance and then ran it backwards while pulling it out. None of this seems to make any difference, which doesn't make sense. How can the snake go through but the drain not clear at least some?
There used to be access to a "house trap" about 3' in front of where the stack goes into the floor. There were wooded boards that you could take up and see the pipe surrounded with gravel. The pipe had a threaded plug. I took up the carpet and was very surprised to find no sign of the clean-out. It must have been concreted over when the carpet was put down. I don't remember doing that but it just isn't there anymore.
At any rate, I need access for a camera (I am not sure I can get a scope down the 2" with the union and through the elbow) or a power auger, or both. The old clean-out was just a "T" and wouldn't have allowed access with the power auger anyway (unless it was a very small diameter snake). My first thought was to brace the horizontal on the first Y on the stack and cut into the the 44" vertical section of 4" cast iron pipe. I could then use Fernco fittings to install a 4" DWV PVC "Y" fitting there. I am worried that the stack could be weakened by that and crate a disaster above. The other option would be to cut open the floor and find the old clean-out and replace that with a Y. That has me a bit worried about breaking the pipe while trying to get to it, though I could likely replace anything that broke.
Sorry for the rather long post but I could really use some advice here.
Thanks,
LMHmedchem
I have a clogged main line that allows some slow drainage. I have tried main line cleaner (which has worked in the past) but that did not do the trick and I need to look at more direct methods. I could really use some advice at this point.
This house was built sometime in the 1870s. A few years ago I replace the water line. At that point, the city inspector said that the line that was replaced was installed in 1920 (concrete lined steel pipe). My guess is that the sewer line was installed at the same time. The house may not have had indoor plumbing before that.
There is a 1950s double sink in the basement that is right next to the stack. That is where things always back up when there is an issue. I guess that's not such a bad place if it has to happen. The sink drains into 2" PVC that picks up the drain from the washing machine and the empties into the stack below the floor. A few years ago I re-did the plumbing under the sink because it didn't have enough pitch. At that point I put a union into the sink vent to give me some access to the main. Here is a picture of the setup,
The distance between the floor and the first flange in the pipe is a bit less than 44". The cast iron pipe is 4" OD. The 2" PVC to the left is the plumbing from the double sink. The horizontal 2" PVC at the bottom is the drain from the washing machine. The union in the 2" PVC is in the vent for the sink. The 2" PVC enters the stack below the floor somewhere. I didn't do that so I have no idea what the junction looks like.
If I run the basement sink, the sink it will eventually fill with water. The water will go down slowly, so some water it getting through. If I flush a toilet when the sink has water in it, that will end up in the sink as well. I have tried a gallon of main line cleaner by going overnight without using any water to hopefully let all the water drain down to the blockage. I then opened the union and poured the gallon in and left if for 8 hours without using any water. Then I flushed with hot water.
I can run the snake in further then I could before but I am still hitting an obstruction and the sink is still filling with water if I let it run. Based on my measurements with the snake, the obstruction is just on the other side of the outside wall, which puts it under the front porch. What is odd is that the snake hits something where I cannot push the snake through by hand. If I apply a little power with the drill, the snake goes right forward. I have done this with the sink full of water and punching through does not seem to affect the rate of drain. I have gone forward and backward with the snake. I have powered the snake in some and then pulled it back by hand. I have powered the snake in some distance and then ran it backwards while pulling it out. None of this seems to make any difference, which doesn't make sense. How can the snake go through but the drain not clear at least some?
There used to be access to a "house trap" about 3' in front of where the stack goes into the floor. There were wooded boards that you could take up and see the pipe surrounded with gravel. The pipe had a threaded plug. I took up the carpet and was very surprised to find no sign of the clean-out. It must have been concreted over when the carpet was put down. I don't remember doing that but it just isn't there anymore.
At any rate, I need access for a camera (I am not sure I can get a scope down the 2" with the union and through the elbow) or a power auger, or both. The old clean-out was just a "T" and wouldn't have allowed access with the power auger anyway (unless it was a very small diameter snake). My first thought was to brace the horizontal on the first Y on the stack and cut into the the 44" vertical section of 4" cast iron pipe. I could then use Fernco fittings to install a 4" DWV PVC "Y" fitting there. I am worried that the stack could be weakened by that and crate a disaster above. The other option would be to cut open the floor and find the old clean-out and replace that with a Y. That has me a bit worried about breaking the pipe while trying to get to it, though I could likely replace anything that broke.
Sorry for the rather long post but I could really use some advice here.
Thanks,
LMHmedchem
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