|
in some places it's literally illegal to flush that stuff, like, the water treatment plants get horribly clogged with plastic applicators and it costs the municipality millions annually to deal with Here's an example, I just googled to find one, it's for the city of Folsom, CA but I'm sure it's typical: quote:13.08.120 Prohibited discharges. If you cause a big enough problem that the city has to bring a crew to your local sewer lines, you might get fined or worse.
|
# ? Mar 20, 2024 16:40 |
|
|
# ? May 11, 2024 14:08 |
|
Those old 4" brass clean out caps can be chiseled out with a screwdriver if need be. When I first bought my house that's what it took to get access for a sewer scope. Just be careful not to drop any pieces into the sewer.
|
# ? Mar 20, 2024 16:48 |
DrBouvenstein posted:Ahhh, ok. I looked that up and yeah, that seems to fit, though I'm still confused how the drain from the washing machine/bathroom gets to the right side of the house trap...I guess maybe the U bend in the trap just does deeper into the ground/basement floor than I'm thinking it does and the washer/bath drain goes around the left side? Cause here's the layout from the top-down from what I can SEE, no clue where the pipes are buried under the floor: Are you sure that the blue is the sewer out? Like you see it go out towards the street at that point?
|
|
# ? Mar 20, 2024 17:33 |
|
Do you have an air vent somewhere near the curb, where the house drain pipe meets the city sewer? If so, there is also a trap, and it's probably chock full of feminine hygiene products or whatever you've been flushing. You don't need to call a plumber specifically. Google drain cleaning service near you, they will have a flat rate that's often reasonable enough for them to come out and snake your main drain lines. Usually under 200 bucks. Or you can rent a machine from Home Depot and try yourself
|
# ? Mar 20, 2024 20:02 |
|
Shifty Pony posted:Are you sure that the blue is the sewer out? Like you see it go out towards the street at that point? Well the blue is this big vertical pipe here, and at the top it DOES go out towards the street: I'll admit it does seem odd to me the exit to the sewer is 5' off the floor, but what else would that be? If I zoom in on the original photo, I can see the "Rooter Man" was here in 02 and 04: 60' to street? (That can't be right, I have maybe 20' of front yard, 3' for sidewalk, another 4' for the greenbelt...even if the sewer is on the opposite side of the street I'm on, I feel like there's no way it's more than 40'?) And I can't tell what they wrote about the kitchen sink and tub...Looks like..."ken"? I'll be able to take a real look at it when I get home. Nitrox posted:Do you have an air vent somewhere near the curb, where the house drain pipe meets the city sewer? If so, there is also a trap, and it's probably chock full of feminine hygiene products or whatever you've been flushing. Not that I've ever noticed. Here's the streetview of my curb: Pretty sure that metal cover on the left side is for electrical/cable/internet. It's all buried lines in my neighborhood.
|
# ? Mar 20, 2024 20:19 |
|
DrBouvenstein posted:Pretty sure that metal cover on the left side is for electrical/cable/internet. It's all buried lines in my neighborhood. Unless they do things very differently where you are, I'd be shocked () if that was electrical; out here they still put the connections in above-ground boxes, even though the distribution to homes is underground. Same for cable and phone, they prefer some form of above-ground enclosure. If it's utility owned it should be labeled on the lid. I'd assume a box like that is either your water meter or possibly irrigation valves. edit: I just remembered that the street lights at my old house had in-ground boxes like that. Never even knew it was there until they showed up one day, dug it up and reinstalled it because it had been long covered over by gravel landscaping and the dirt building up beneath. IOwnCalculus fucked around with this message at 20:39 on Mar 20, 2024 |
# ? Mar 20, 2024 20:28 |
DrBouvenstein posted:Well the blue is this big vertical pipe here, and at the top it DOES go out towards the street: Sewer is unpressurized and only can flow downhill unless you have a grinder pump (and you'd know if you had one of those). I suspect that vertical pipe is the house trap vent/air-inlet: Check on the outside wall of your house for a pipe that ends with an elbow pointed downwards. It might be tight at the ground level. This or similar is probably what's going on below the floor:
|
|
# ? Mar 20, 2024 23:04 |
|
Shifty Pony posted:Sewer is unpressurized and only can flow downhill unless you have a grinder pump (and you'd know if you had one of those). That makes entirely more sense. Like...in my heart I knew sewer lines don't (typically ) go up but I figured since I have the regular plumbing stack roof vent, then that certainly couldn't be a vent, so what else would it be? I got the wrong sized clean out cap on my way home*. and I REALLY don't trust I can get either of those brass ones back on if I wrench then off... and since my local Ace closed before I got home, I don't feel like a 20-25 minute drive each way to go to HD or Lowe's, I'll attempt the snaking tomorrow. Low flow water seems to be fine... Nothing gets backed up from a toilet flush , hand wash, or quick wash of a couple dishes. *In my defense, the caps were ABSOLUTELY in the same section of the aisle as the 3" PVC accessories, so either someone mis-stocked two 4" ones in the wrong bin, or they put a bin of 4" PVC caps amongst the 3" PVC stuff and I didn't notice the box said 4", not did I notice they were CLEARLY too big. Seeing as I've been a pretty big idiot about this thing so far... we'll go with the idiot option.
|
# ? Mar 21, 2024 01:09 |
|
Well, I was wrong AGAIN ! The caps there now are not 3" or 4". They're 3.5". Looks like if I want one today and not wait days for it to ship, I'll have to get a brass replacement, and there MAY be a few in stock at my "local" HD, almost a 30 minute drive way. The Lowe's, closer, doesn't seem to have any 3.5" caps. Nor either of the Ace hardware near me. But that's all moot. I can't get the "street" side cap off. It's rusted on GOOD, when with plenty of PB Blaster. I tried off and on for an hour but couldn't get my snake to go around the bends from the house-side clean out. Plumber time, I guess? Edit: got it off, snaked down and maybe felt a tiny bit of resistance at one point? Never pulled anything back. Then a short while later, I wasn't even snaking at the time just trying to clean the threads on the cap and pipe , there was gurgling and a bunch of water in the trap left and went down the sewer pipe. There wasn't any water running/draining anywhere else, so maybe that was a clog working its way out? The water level in the trap is just below the sewer line going out so in theory that means it shouldn't be clogged? I dumped a few gallons of water from old jugs I had filled into the trap, it all went out no problem. I'll run the shower for a few minutes to test if I can get these caps at least temporarily back on enough for me to trust them for said test. I DrBouvenstein fucked around with this message at 17:31 on Mar 21, 2024 |
# ? Mar 21, 2024 16:37 |
|
Heat it with a torch
|
# ? Mar 21, 2024 16:51 |
|
Well still hosed. Here's what happened when I drained a tub that was about 1/2 filled after a minute or so: I'm additional to the threads CLEARLY not being remotely tight enough, there really shouldn't be any pressure in the trap like that unless a clog was still there, right? Like... Even if I got two new caps and they were snug, that water shooting out means the water would eventually back up from the washing machine standpipe like it already did the other day?
|
# ? Mar 21, 2024 17:55 |
Yep. Call a plumber and have the clear the line to the street. Probably want them to scope it after to see if the line is hosed.
|
|
# ? Mar 21, 2024 19:01 |
|
I thought cleanout caps were intentionally supposed to leak, as a predictable soft point of failure that is way better than everything gushing out your toilet the plastic cap on my sewer line cleanout sure doesn't seal, anyway
|
# ? Mar 21, 2024 20:43 |
|
Wyatt do you think happened to the clog? Of course it's still there
|
# ? Mar 21, 2024 22:24 |
|
Nitrox posted:Wyatt do you think happened to the clog? Of course it's still there I think he's there, mocking me. I'm getting a plumber who can snake the whole 60' if needed, maybe tomorrow, maybe not till next week. But I at least fixed the cap issue: I think they're technically designed for temp use to pressure test systems, but they're snug enough here. The inside threads of both cleanouts were hosed, hosed long before I started loving with them. Here are the two caps...the left/house one looks like a regular breeze 3.5" cap, the other is some kind of 4" lead cap originally, then cut/tapered down to like 3.25": The clog isn't a complete blockage, so I can flush my toilet and wash my hands until a plumber gets here. I even took a brief, 3 minute, shower and no water leaking/backing up anywhere. I'm not about to test a longer shower or the washing machine.
|
# ? Mar 21, 2024 22:50 |
|
DrBouvenstein posted:I'm getting a plumber who can snake the whole 60' if needed, maybe tomorrow, maybe not till next week. But I at least fixed the cap issue: Slap one of those on every drain in your house except one that you figure out how to connect to a pressure pump and that clog'll be gone in record time!
|
# ? Mar 21, 2024 23:13 |
|
My money's on tree root infiltration of main sewer line.
|
# ? Mar 23, 2024 15:26 |
|
SouthShoreSamurai posted:My money's on tree root infiltration of main sewer line. Yep: I just came here to ask are there any trees nearby?
|
# ? Mar 23, 2024 16:05 |
|
Maybe a couple small trees? It looks like the sewer line goes out the side of my house, under my driveway, and then turns to go to the street where I assume the town sewer line is. There's a small cedar tree in my neighbor's yard next to my driveway, and a small birch tree in the greenbelt, but based off the direction the sewer line goes, that's likely not an issue? Just don't think either tree is big enough/the right type for root infiltration?
|
# ? Mar 23, 2024 17:04 |
|
Undersink drain vent question and I'm probably over explaining. Everything is ABS. The drain line comes straight out of the floor and was installed at the kitchen sink cabinet directly below one side of the sink. At the very top of this is the vent. The base of vent is 4 inches above the branch that connects to the trap for the drains. Vent adds another 2 inches or so of height. The top of the vent is about 4.5 inches from the top inside of countertop and with the original sink it was probably just a few mm from touching the bottom of the sink. Any new sink replacement, even replacing cabinet/counters, is still going hit the vent with the sink where I have it. It's literally just about 2 inches too close to where the sink will be. I've got a few ideas and not sure if any are acceptable. Can I cut the line ABOVE the branch and offset/divert the vent away from the sink with a pair of 45 degree angles? It would clear the sink area and still give me plenty of room for 4" vertical distance between branch/vent and keep the vent horizontal when installed.
|
# ? Mar 24, 2024 02:57 |
|
Yes it will be fine You could have posted a picture instead of writing a 500 word essay.
|
# ? Mar 24, 2024 03:24 |
|
There is no such thing as too much detail
|
# ? Mar 24, 2024 03:33 |
|
DrBouvenstein posted:
My root ball was a bundle of very small roots. Nothing thicker than a coffee straw. It was like a coarse cotton ball or steel wool. Just enough to stop solids and let them build up. Rooter co showed it on a camera and said tree roots can reach 3x as far as the canopy so it could be any tree reaching into a small hole. The Water co had a camera that drives up and down the line in the street and can look at where the lateral connects. They can see downstream dangling roots if they reach that far. It was free but I had to wait a few days because the truck was busy elsewhere.
|
# ? Mar 24, 2024 16:53 |
|
Sorry about that. Here's an image. Red box is about where the sink will be after installed. Idea A was to make a straight line away from the sink at the top for the vent about 6-12 inches from the sink with enough pipe/couplers to make it 4" Idea B: I might have to do some adjustment at the trap, anyway, for the drain on new sink, so maybe just cut below the where it branches off and install a whole new non-ABS trap/vent kit with an adapter fitting and run the drain line a bit longer. Edit: The photo probably is hard to see, but the bottom 6-8 inches of the line is a fitting with a clean out port on it. JediTalentAgent fucked around with this message at 06:11 on Mar 25, 2024 |
# ? Mar 25, 2024 06:03 |
|
Either one of your solutions will work just fine. The only mistakes you could make is put it in front of the trap, or install it too low, which you are not doing. My personal preference for air admittance valves inside the cabinet, is to mount it higher than the strainer.
|
# ? Mar 25, 2024 18:58 |
|
The plumber came and, from what they could tell, the clog was mainly from an old scrap of fabric that was flushed at some point. I'm genuinely wondering if the initial start was years ago before I got the place, and then just years of the clog slowly getting more bits of congealed grease, wipes, and other things eventually got it large enough to cause a backup. I know I mentioned my GF has admitted to flushing feminine hygiene products since we've lived here, but I know she would never intentionally flush a freakin' (roughly) 4x4" piece of rag. And according to the plumber it was like 55' down the pipe...5' feet before it would have been the city's problem!
|
# ? Mar 27, 2024 18:19 |
|
Sounds like it was a matter of when, not if. Stop flushing items down the toilet, it's not a garbage chute. Make girlfriend pay the plumber's bill.
|
# ? Mar 27, 2024 18:59 |
|
Nitrox posted:Either one of your solutions will work just fine. The only mistakes you could make is put it in front of the trap, or install it too low, which you are not doing. Thanks. I was so focused on the top vent part the whole time I didn't even initially realize that just cutting off below the T-connector and installing the new vent/trap kit would have probably solved my problem giving me more space below the sink, anyway.
|
# ? Mar 29, 2024 16:27 |
|
Hoping this is the right place to ask this. Does anyone here have any opinions on under-the-sink water filters? We were using DuPont for years, but then the replacement filters became harder and harder to find, and now impossible. I guess they stopped making them. We have a well and the water tests really high. 700 something unfiltered. We also tend to have really hard water, if that matters. I've checked Menards. They have two from the same brand, one 3-stage and one 5-stage. Amazon has dozens, all brands I've never heard of before. What do you all use and how do you like it?
|
# ? Mar 30, 2024 01:03 |
|
Nvm I’ve lost the high volt leg I’m sure
everdave fucked around with this message at 02:26 on Mar 30, 2024 |
# ? Mar 30, 2024 02:24 |
|
DrBouvenstein posted:The plumber came and, from what they could tell, the clog was mainly from an old scrap of fabric that was flushed at some point. I'm genuinely wondering if the initial start was years ago before I got the place, and then just years of the clog slowly getting more bits of congealed grease, wipes, and other things eventually got it large enough to cause a backup. My ex was helping me do some cleaning before a big dinner I was having and forgot there was a copper scrubber in the mop bucket she dumped into the toilet. Nothing like paying cash to have a dude come on Christmas Eve and fix the shitter. She felt terrible about it. More recent ex had made it to her mid 30s without anyone telling her that you shouldn't pour animal fat down the sink drain. Referred to not doing this as "my new way". Thank god nothing ever made it further than the trap, or at least not enough to cause a problem. Anyways, actual post. I have a bit of a draining issue in my bathroom. Been going on for years now. I highly suspect it's venting related. Infrequently (maybe a couple times a month) I can hear the toilet gurgling pretty intensely when I'm in the shower (or have run the tub faucet for a while.) Mostly this seems harmless, although it leaves the toilet nearly empty of water. The sink drain has done this too (both the gurgling and the causing the gurgling), although less often. The sink also drains very slowly, which might not be related but I can't locate any obstruction or anything. Having flushed the toilet right before getting in the shower (well, like a couple minutes before, it would be done flushing and refilling) MIGHT increase the chances of it happening but I'm no scientist. The house is old as hell (for here anyways, 1914-ish) but everything was upgraded at some point and based on the plumbing revealed during the kitchen reno (shares a wall with the bathroom), the dude said it all looked pretty modern and functional. I've had a plumber come out for this but since I can't replicate it they basically just inspected everything and ran some faucets and said it seemed fine. It's the only bathroom in the house and none of this has ever seemed to have any effect on the kitchen plumbing which is right next to it. Ideas?
|
# ? Mar 30, 2024 16:40 |
|
Get upon the roof and run a snake down it. Or hire a plumber to do it.
|
# ? Mar 30, 2024 16:46 |
|
So my house has polybutylene pipes. I've looked into getting them replaced, but all three plumbers told me, "I'd have to tear your house apart to replace them. Wait for a leak then call us." Does this sound right? I've heard terrible things about these kind of pipes so I'm scared.
|
# ? Mar 31, 2024 00:18 |
|
What sort of advice are you expecting to hear?
|
# ? Mar 31, 2024 03:30 |
|
Nitrox posted:What sort of advice are you expecting to hear? Just more input. I have information telling me to change the pipes immediately and I have people telling me to leave them. I know little about plumbing so I'm checking around to learn what's up. I'm sorry if I've stepped on some toes.
|
# ? Mar 31, 2024 04:59 |
|
Travic posted:So my house has polybutylene pipes. I've looked into getting them replaced, but all three plumbers told me, "I'd have to tear your house apart to replace them. Wait for a leak then call us." Does this sound right? I've heard terrible things about these kind of pipes so I'm scared. Is Polybutylene the same as Kitec? Cause if so waiting till it "leaks" is going to be disastrous. Repiping with Pex (Kitec is a type of pex, but a bad one) shouldn't necessarily require tearing the house apart if done by skilled professionals. If you want to repipe with copper, then yeah maybe they do have to tear da club up ('97).
|
# ? Mar 31, 2024 05:02 |
|
wesleywillis posted:Is Polybutylene the same as Kitec? Looks like they are different products, but share a similar problem. I'm all for changing the pipes, I was just confused at the plumbers telling me to wait for a leak.
|
# ? Mar 31, 2024 05:13 |
|
If they're telling you to wait for a leak they probably don't want your business/don't do that kind of complete reno re-pipe. I'm going to guess it would be a massive PITA in your house, involving a lot of drywall cutting which a typical customer is going to want patched and painted and they don't do that poo poo. Just guessing here from context. Everthing about this depends on where you are and what youre house looks like and how it's constructed. There can be many reasons for this. If it's a ranch home and every pipe ends up going into an unfinished basement or crawlspace they might just be correct. But I doubt it because they could charge you to repipe a place like that in an afternoon.
|
# ? Mar 31, 2024 05:18 |
|
Motronic posted:If they're telling you to wait for a leak they probably don't want your business/don't do that kind of complete reno re-pipe. I'm going to guess it would be a massive PITA in your house, involving a lot of drywall cutting which a typical customer is going to want patched and painted and they don't do that poo poo. 1,900 square foot home. Two story. The two bathrooms are stacked straight on top of each other and there is a line to the kitchen. Pipes go to a crawlspace under the house.
|
# ? Mar 31, 2024 05:27 |
|
|
# ? May 11, 2024 14:08 |
|
I'm still confused about what your actual question is. Did you get quotes to redo the pipes in your house from all those plumbers that came to visit? Did they outline the work involved?
|
# ? Mar 31, 2024 06:48 |