Dearest Plumbing Friends- Half the House Will Not Drain

[Fiat1]

In older homes one of the main problems are collapsed main drains.
Look for a plumber that will give you a free camera scope of you drains. Good luck.

 

[boomerang]

IIRC, you live in this neck of the woods. Maybe it was Troy?

http://www.rotorooter.com/rochestermi/

 

[iamwiz82]

I'm in Rochester Hills, so closer to Roto Rooter .

I have a plumber coming out at 12 to snake it. We shall see.

Also some updates, at least one of the far drains (north side) is gurgling when flushing the toilet.

 

[DrPizza]

Re: tub draining - as the line slowly drains, it leaves room for more water behind it. That's why the tub drained. Had you flushed first, that probably would have drained, but then, not the tub.

Anyway, clog is past the cleanout. My first thought would be, "why the hell is the cleanout open??" Any enemies? Anyone mad at you? Pouring a bag or two of concrete mix down that pipe would be pretty easy. And, due to settling, it wouldn't completely block off the pipe. Or, perhaps kids unscrewed it and shoved a ball down there (that barely fit).

Myself - I'd attempt snaking it first (with my own snake) - only because that solution is free. If I couldn't get it, it would be pro time.

 

[DrPizza]

I'm in Rochester Hills, so closer to Roto Rooter .

I have a plumber coming out at 12 to snake it. We shall see.

Also some updates, at least one of the far drains (north side) is gurgling when flushing the toilet.

Wait a second.. when he flushes, with that cleanout cap off, water should be pouring out of the cleanout, unless there's a check valve. Do you only have one line out to the street? Or two lines out to the street? Keep flushing that other toilet - does it eventually back up that line?

 

[JEDI]

iamwiz82
Lifer
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,191

woah.. it's been a long time since i saw you post? had to check to make sure this wasnt a necro thread.

now refresh my memory.. are you Lola's wiz or was that someone else?

 

[iamwiz82]

Number of lines is unknown to be honest. The house is old and the original is on the north side, but the cleanout is closer to the middle of the house.

I just checked and at the cleanout during a flush about 1qt of water came out.

 

[iamwiz82]

10 minutes and $65 later we have draining again. Looks like the clog was jut downstream of the cleanout. It was not a root issue and the drain is clear to the street so whatever it was must have come from the house.

 

[CZroe]

10 minutes and $65 later we have draining again. Looks like the clog was jut downstream of the cleanout. It was not a root issue and the drain is clear to the street so whatever it was must have come from the house.

I posted this yesterday but it never showed up:
Stop pouring grease down the drain. It creates a grease ball. Sometimes it takes repeated snaking because the snake just smooshes through without clearing it.

 

[iamwiz82]

I posted this yesterday but it never showed up:
Stop pouring grease down the drain. It creates a grease ball. Sometimes it takes repeated snaking because the snake just smooshes through without clearing it.

Grease almost never goes down, I keep a stock of empty cans for grease collection.