Need help - Plumbing Issue

[ringtail]

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[edro]

Rotorooter will snake your main lines for ~$300.
They use a big industrial snake.

 

[chusteczka]

Camera should be your first option, as it will tell right away, if it is just a clog or a collapsed pipe. If the pipe is broken or collapsed (and based on the age, it likely is) no amount of snaking or drain cleaning acid is going to fix the issues.

You have a point but the drain is most likely not collapsed. At the most, I expect it would have some roots from the maple tree in his front yard. Also, the camera requires a costly professional service call. He can purchase a small snake from the hardware store or rent a snake from an equipment rental place for cheaper. For these reasons, I would save the camera as a subsequent option.

At least, this is how it has played out in my experience.

 

[Paperdoc]

I have exactly this problem. Like some others, I believe my culprit is a large silver maple in the front yard just about in line with the main sewer line out to the street. The first signs of trouble are that the basement toilet bubbles when the upstairs toilet is flushed, because some air is pushed down the drain stack and it can't flow through the main sewer line fast enough. If I wait too long, it progresses to water backing up into the basement shower stall, then draining slowly.

The solution is relatively simple if you're a home handyman. I go to an equipment rental shop - A to Z is one, and some home improvement stores with rental dept's. is another - and rent a ½" diameter sewer snake at least 50 feet ling, with a root-cutter head suitable for the 4" main sewer line. (Head is typically about 2½ to 3" across.) They have both manual ones (you crank the machine by hand) or motorized ones. Although it is more work, I prefer the manual. When I used the motorized one, I found it very difficult to keep the spiral snake under control when it hit a clog and stalled. The snake whipped around in the air quickly before I could shut it off.

Now, you need access to the main sewer line clean-out in the basement so you can get the snake in. And you need leather gloves to handle the snake and crank. I arrange a hose from a water tap to a sewer input (usually the drain pipe for my washing machine) so I can flush water down the line after some clog loosening.

Feed the snake into the sewer clean-out port and start cranking. To get around curves int the pipe, just keep cranking and push the snake gently down the pipe. Once it's going, just cranking it will cause the snake (a metal spiral) to crawl along inside the pipe. Using a thumbscrew to loosen and tighten, you pull a few feet of snake out of its cage, use one hand to control and guide that loop, and crank with the other hand. When it hits a clog the snake head often stalls and twists up. Crank backwards to undo the snarled loops, then grab the snake and pull it back a bit. Now crank again, but hold onto the snake with one hand and pull back a bit to slow it progress so it has time to chew away at the clog. Go back and forth through the clog area a couple times. Once clear, keep going until you think you've got 'em all, or you run out of snake.

This is when I turn on the flush water so the loosened stuff is flushed down the pipe, and the snake is rinsed off as it is pulled out. Now, keep cranking in the same direction, but use one hand to pull the snake back out. The machines I've used have a metal cage to store the snake in and a thumbscrew to tighten. Pull out lengths of snake, stop and loosen the thumbscrew, feed it into the cage, tighten thumbscrew, and repeat until you've got it all back. You will probably find chopped-up tree roots on the head. Flush water through the sewer line. You might want to repeat the entire process if you're not sure you clog the clog cleared. In my case, there's a good test - if I can turn on as much water flow at sinks as possible, then flush the upstairs toilet with no bubbling happening at the basement toilet, I've removed enough roots.

My tree is not going away, so this repeats about once a year. Each session costs me about $25 in rental of the snake (4 hours) and a couple hours of work, but it's not nearly as expensive as hiring a pro to do it!

 

[chusteczka]

...

My tree is not going away, so this repeats about once a year. Each session costs me about $25 in rental of the snake (4 hours) and a couple hours of work, but it's not nearly as expensive as hiring a pro to do it!

Nice writeup covering numerous important details.

The annual re-work is exactly what I prevent by dumping acid down the drain once each year. The acid kills off any root growth in the past year, preventing it from building up.

I was snaking each year as you mention, until I figured out the acid trick as preventive maintenance.

 

[iGas]

It is likely that you have a clog in the Building Sewer.

The worst thing you can do is pour chemical into the drain, because someone have to deal with it later.

Rent a power snake and run it from the Building CleanOut through the Building Sewer to the Sewer CleanOut and/or Sewer-Y. Measure the drop from top of foor/soil to the bottom of the drain and minus that from the total length of snake toward the property line where the Building Sewer connect to the Sewer C/O and/and or Sewer-Y to find out where the blockage is. Dig to access the broken piping and replace that section (remember to call before you dig).

Building C/O is within 3 feet from the house outside wall (it could be inside the house if the house is older than National Plumbing Code).
Building Sewer is the portion of waste drainage from Building C/O to the property line that connect to the Sewer C/O and/or Sewer-Y.

What you should do if you experience a sewage backup in your home:

Can be PVC, ABS, or Cast Iron.

 

[iGas]

I have exactly this problem. Like some others, I believe my culprit is a large silver maple in the front yard just about in line with the main sewer line out to the street. The first signs of trouble are that the basement toilet bubbles when the upstairs toilet is flushed, because some air is pushed down the drain stack and it can't flow through the main sewer line fast enough. If I wait too long, it progresses to water backing up into the basement shower stall, then draining slowly.

The solution is relatively simple if you're a home handyman. I go to an equipment rental shop - A to Z is one, and some home improvement stores with rental dept's. is another - and rent a ½" diameter sewer snake at least 50 feet ling, with a root-cutter head suitable for the 4" main sewer line. (Head is typically about 2½ to 3" across.) They have both manual ones (you crank the machine by hand) or motorized ones. Although it is more work, I prefer the manual. When I used the motorized one, I found it very difficult to keep the spiral snake under control when it hit a clog and stalled. The snake whipped around in the air quickly before I could shut it off.

Now, you need access to the main sewer line clean-out in the basement so you can get the snake in. And you need leather gloves to handle the snake and crank. I arrange a hose from a water tap to a sewer input (usually the drain pipe for my washing machine) so I can flush water down the line after some clog loosening.

Feed the snake into the sewer clean-out port and start cranking. To get around curves int the pipe, just keep cranking and push the snake gently down the pipe. Once it's going, just cranking it will cause the snake (a metal spiral) to crawl along inside the pipe. Using a thumbscrew to loosen and tighten, you pull a few feet of snake out of its cage, use one hand to control and guide that loop, and crank with the other hand. When it hits a clog the snake head often stalls and twists up. Crank backwards to undo the snarled loops, then grab the snake and pull it back a bit. Now crank again, but hold onto the snake with one hand and pull back a bit to slow it progress so it has time to chew away at the clog. Go back and forth through the clog area a couple times. Once clear, keep going until you think you've got 'em all, or you run out of snake.

This is when I turn on the flush water so the loosened stuff is flushed down the pipe, and the snake is rinsed off as it is pulled out. Now, keep cranking in the same direction, but use one hand to pull the snake back out. The machines I've used have a metal cage to store the snake in and a thumbscrew to tighten. Pull out lengths of snake, stop and loosen the thumbscrew, feed it into the cage, tighten thumbscrew, and repeat until you've got it all back. You will probably find chopped-up tree roots on the head. Flush water through the sewer line. You might want to repeat the entire process if you're not sure you clog the clog cleared. In my case, there's a good test - if I can turn on as much water flow at sinks as possible, then flush the upstairs toilet with no bubbling happening at the basement toilet, I've removed enough roots.

My tree is not going away, so this repeats about once a year. Each session costs me about $25 in rental of the snake (4 hours) and a couple hours of work, but it's not nearly as expensive as hiring a pro to do it!

How many feet of snake go into the cleanout before you hit the blockage?
Minus the drop from the clean out to the bottom (use a string or broom handle is possible) and you will know where the blockage is.
The blockage will be the direct distance from the cleanout to the sewer connection at the property line.

 

[SS Trooper]

Update: I borrowed 25' snake from a friend and ran it through but didn't hit anything. I talked to my dad about it and he has access to one of the 1/2" 50' snakes mentioned above. Gonna have him bring it over and try that out.

Again, thanks for all your suggestions.

 

[bruceb]

A 1/2 inch snake is not going to do much. That is for use on the small indoor pipes from the sinks to the drain stack. If the trouble is in the main drain, where I suspect it is, a commercial snake, when is inserted into the drain stack cleanouts an expands to about 3 inches is what is needed. It is also designed to cut the tree roots, which a household snake can not do. You really need something like this: http://www.plumbingsupply.com/snake.html#clogchopper

 

[Squisher]

Update: I borrowed 25' snake from a friend and ran it through but didn't hit anything. I talked to my dad about it and he has access to one of the 1/2" 50' snakes mentioned above. Gonna have him bring it over and try that out.

Again, thanks for all your suggestions.

IF it is tree roots then the auger on the end of the snake can make a big difference on the success of you snaking this out. I would go ahead with the 50 ft. snake, but you might find the only solution is an "industrial" snake which typically come in 150' lengths and more importantly has an auger that looks like a sheet metal horse shoe and is designed to cut through roots.