Hello,
Our 1924 house has two cast iron floor drains, one near a basement bathroom where another bathroom on the main floor is right above the basement bathroom. The other drain is downstream near the laundry sink and washer. Above the washer on the main floor is the kitchen sink.
The drain/waste pipe exits the house right behind the washer and basement sink. Outside the slab foundation is an angled 4″ cement vent pipe and likely tile or cement pipe tying into the sewer line.
There is a clean out stub upstream of the floor drain and when watching the water in the line its actually flowing backwards and forward ever so slightly.
My guess is a portion of the line in the yard has caved in, but was wondering if its a venting issue? I got up on the roof with a hose a shot water down the pipe above the kitchen and the 4″ one above the two bathrooms. Nothing really happened. I’ve snaked with a cheapo 15′ snake since its Sunday and no rental places are open.
The drain/waste pipe has a few mm of water in it when I checked the stub this morning, but when I shot water down it with the hose it filled up and stayed over half full for up to an hour. Now its down to a few mm again.
All the plumbing was replaced in 2002, but the under basement slab is original, however the slab appears to have been jack hammered along the sewer line at some time in the past.
When I took a shower last night the floor drain closest to the bathroom overflowed.
Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks
Edited 3/9/2008 4:01 pm ET by fossil
Replies
Not a venting problem.
You either have a clogged line or a crushed line.
Get a bigger snake 5/8" or 16mm if you prefer, that's atleast 100' or 30m.
Check for trees & shrubs in the vicinity of the pipe.
Use a spear point or retriever to start then go to a root cutter.
Once the initial blockage is broken through run lots of water while running the snake.
Of course that's only for a blockage----- if it's crushed then the snake will hit the dead end & be pretty obvious.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein
Thanks for the reply, I'l rent one of those tomorrow. Any ideas how far below the street the line ties into the sewer.My wife reminded me the neighbors have an easement on the side of our house where their line ties into ours before it reaches the road.
Any ideas how far below the street the line ties into the sewer.
Nope, I've seen 3' & 33' & everything inbetween.
If the neighbor isn't having any problems that will tell you the problem is somewhere between your house & the middle of the easement.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein
Hey thanks for convincing me to get the snake. I rented a 100' 1/2" snake, they didn't have 5/8" that long. The tip came out clean and water is flowing rapidly through the line.
No problem, you'd be surprised how many people don't want to get a bigger snake & fight it over & over with the small hand helds.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein