drainpipe clog
 

A drainpipe that runs underneath the house is clogged with grit from roof
shingles.

I used a shopvac to suction out about 5-6 feet of the pipe, whereupon the
pipe turned under the house. A snake won't break through.

A plumber said that the pipe would have to be dug up. Is this likely true?
Am not interested in tearing up the basement floor and outside sidewalk.

Isn't there a more creative solution, like vacuuming out the rest of the
line, being that is worked OK for the first vertical 5-6 feet of drainpipe?

Is there a narrower, longer vac hose available to negotiate the turn in the
pipe? Will another sewer service be able to get this done?

Thanks in advance.

drainpipe clog
 

On Mar 25, 12:22*am, "M" wrote:
A drainpipe that runs underneath the house is clogged with grit from roof
shingles.

I used a shopvac to suction out about 5-6 feet of the pipe, whereupon the
pipe turned under the house. *A snake won't break through.

A plumber said that the pipe would have to be dug up. *Is this likely true?
Am not interested in tearing up the basement floor and outside sidewalk.

Isn't there a more creative solution, like vacuuming out the rest of the
line, being that is worked OK for the first vertical 5-6 feet of drainpipe?

Is there a narrower, longer vac hose available to negotiate the turn in the
pipe? *Will another sewer service be able to get this done?

Thanks in advance.

We had a problem similar at work and one of the guys fastened about 20
ft of brake line on to a pressure washer and blasted it out. I have
also cleared clogs with a garden hose. We have 100+ PSI pressure on
the street side of the regulator. I have a hose bib connected on that
side and normally use the high pressure water for wahing the car but
it also works well for other things one of which is uncloging sewer
lines.

You didnt say what the plumber did to diagnose the problem. Ripping up
the floor would not be the first thing the plumber should try unless
he has some really good data confirming this course of action.

Jimmie

drainpipe clog
 

Jet cleaning will take care of it. Most sewer cleaners are doing it now,
but it's not cheap. But neither is busting a floor just to earn someone
some labor fees.


"M" wrote in message
...
A drainpipe that runs underneath the house is clogged with grit from roof
shingles.

I used a shopvac to suction out about 5-6 feet of the pipe, whereupon the
pipe turned under the house. A snake won't break through.

A plumber said that the pipe would have to be dug up. Is this likely
true?
Am not interested in tearing up the basement floor and outside sidewalk.

Isn't there a more creative solution, like vacuuming out the rest of the
line, being that is worked OK for the first vertical 5-6 feet of
drainpipe?

Is there a narrower, longer vac hose available to negotiate the turn in
the
pipe? Will another sewer service be able to get this done?

Thanks in advance.

drainpipe clog
 

"M" wrote:

A drainpipe that runs underneath the house is clogged with grit from roof
shingles.

I used a shopvac to suction out about 5-6 feet of the pipe, whereupon the
pipe turned under the house. A snake won't break through.

Do you have a snake that rotates or are you just trying to poke?


A plumber said that the pipe would have to be dug up. Is this likely true?
Am not interested in tearing up the basement floor and outside sidewalk.

Isn't there a more creative solution, like vacuuming out the rest of the
line, being that is worked OK for the first vertical 5-6 feet of drainpipe?

Is there a narrower, longer vac hose available to negotiate the turn in the
pipe? Will another sewer service be able to get this done?

My money is on that being the location of the clog. I like the
idea of using air to open a small hole- then use water to flush it
out.

Have you approached from the other end?

Jim

drainpipe clog
 

Thanks for the responses.

I shoulda known not to make a long story short on this group. To answer
your questions, I had a plumber out, of decent neighborhood reputation, who
had advised me to suction the drainpipe out with a vacuum. He knew that the
grit was apparently causing the clog. After suctioning, he inserted a
rather sizeable motorized snake. After grinding that snake in the drainpipe
a short while, he stated that the blades on the end of the snake had been
torn off, he couldn't break through, nor did he want to risk damaging the
pipe. He examined, but didn't try coming from the other end. He didn't
think that a longer vacuum hose would negotiate the turn in the drainpipe
for continued suctioning.

A different plumber has offered to come out and try to snake it out, but I
was hesitant, cautioned by the idea that the pipe might be damaged in such a
way, and was looking to find some alternatives first.

I've looked for narrower vacuum hoses without a wand end on them in order to
negotiate the bend in the pipe and try my idea of continuing to suction the
grit out, but haven't located one yet. Maybe I'm tilting at windmills here,
but it seemed plausible and, that way, the stuff would be out of the pipe,
not just scattered down through it, even if I managed to get a small hole
through the clog. I suppose I'd have to jury-rig something.

I was hoping to get a little support for my theory, though I appreciate the
other suggestions so far. Perhaps blasting or grinding through it is the
only likely fix, if it's possible.



"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
...
"M" wrote:

A drainpipe that runs underneath the house is clogged with grit from roof
shingles.

I used a shopvac to suction out about 5-6 feet of the pipe, whereupon the
pipe turned under the house. A snake won't break through.

Do you have a snake that rotates or are you just trying to poke?


A plumber said that the pipe would have to be dug up. Is this likely
true?
Am not interested in tearing up the basement floor and outside sidewalk.

Isn't there a more creative solution, like vacuuming out the rest of the
line, being that is worked OK for the first vertical 5-6 feet of
drainpipe?

Is there a narrower, longer vac hose available to negotiate the turn in
the
pipe? Will another sewer service be able to get this done?

My money is on that being the location of the clog. I like the
idea of using air to open a small hole- then use water to flush it
out.

Have you approached from the other end?

Jim

drainpipe clog
 

On Mar 26, 9:15*am, "M" wrote:
I shoulda known not to make a long story short on this group. *To answer
your questions, I had a plumber out, of decent neighborhood reputation, who
had advised me to suction the drainpipe out with a vacuum. *He knew that the
grit was apparently causing the clog. *After suctioning, he inserted a
rather sizeable motorized snake. *After grinding that snake in the drainpipe
a short while, he stated that the blades on the end of the snake had been
torn off, he couldn't break through, nor did he want to risk damaging the
pipe. *He examined, but didn't try coming from the other end. *He didn't
think that a longer vacuum hose would negotiate the turn in the drainpipe
for continued suctioning.

The blades are still in the pipe? You said he said they were torn off.

If that is the case, you're stuck digging it up. Have fun.

drainpipe clog
 

When my Dad had a drain clog (the one from the eaves
troughs) the plumber figured out it was at an elbow. He
suggested my Dad dig down to the elbow, and the plumber
would come back and finish the job.

The elbow turned out to be four feet down from the surface.
Dad had help, digging. It was a heck of a lot of work. The
elbow was some kind of ceramic, or like flower pot. The
plubmer took something heavy, broke through it. Then cut out
the elbow, and put in a new one using fermco connectors.

That doesn't help very much in your situation. The problem
with long suction hose, it has to be rigid, so it doesn't
collapse under suction.

Perhaps sump pump discharge hose for your vacuum cleaner?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GCU876


--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"M" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the responses.

I shoulda known not to make a long story short on this
group. To answer
your questions, I had a plumber out, of decent neighborhood
reputation, who
had advised me to suction the drainpipe out with a vacuum.
He knew that the
grit was apparently causing the clog. After suctioning, he
inserted a
rather sizeable motorized snake. After grinding that snake
in the drainpipe
a short while, he stated that the blades on the end of the
snake had been
torn off, he couldn't break through, nor did he want to risk
damaging the
pipe. He examined, but didn't try coming from the other
end. He didn't
think that a longer vacuum hose would negotiate the turn in
the drainpipe
for continued suctioning.

A different plumber has offered to come out and try to snake
it out, but I
was hesitant, cautioned by the idea that the pipe might be
damaged in such a
way, and was looking to find some alternatives first.

I've looked for narrower vacuum hoses without a wand end on
them in order to
negotiate the bend in the pipe and try my idea of continuing
to suction the
grit out, but haven't located one yet. Maybe I'm tilting at
windmills here,
but it seemed plausible and, that way, the stuff would be
out of the pipe,
not just scattered down through it, even if I managed to get
a small hole
through the clog. I suppose I'd have to jury-rig something.

I was hoping to get a little support for my theory, though I
appreciate the
other suggestions so far. Perhaps blasting or grinding
through it is the
only likely fix, if it's possible.