What is the obstruction in this cleanout interior drainpipe?

http://www.savefile.com/files/2153090
(Click on the orange "Download File" button on the lower right.)

I have a drain that backs up after the water is run for about a
minute. I ran a snake as far down the pipe as it would go, but couldn't
find the clog. I got under the floor and found a cleanout access for
that pipe. I opened the cap, looked inside, and saw that there was
something that looked like an internal flap that I guess is supposed
to direct water towards the drain and away from the cleanout cap. I
poked at it, and it appears to be made out of some sort of foam-like
material, as it gave a little when I pushed against it.

But what goos is a cleanout access if you cant get into the pipe to clean it out???

Am I just supposed to tear that thing out of there, or what?

In article ,
ShadowTek wrote:

What is the obstruction in this cleanout interior drainpipe?

http://www.savefile.com/files/2153090
(Click on the orange "Download File" button on the lower right.)

I'll pass on downloading your 7 MB movie. How about a 50K still pic?

Smitty Two wrote:


I'll pass on downloading your 7 MB movie. How about a 50K still pic?

There *are* sample frames from the video shown on that page.

Do you need more quality than that?

In article ,
ShadowTek wrote:

Smitty Two wrote:


I'll pass on downloading your 7 MB movie. How about a 50K still pic?

There *are* sample frames from the video shown on that page.

Do you need more quality than that?

Yes. So I watched the movie. I don't see a foam thing, but I see what
looks like a part of the vertical drain pipe sticking oddly down into
the horizontal pipe. Also, when you pan slightly to the left, the whole
construction of the pipes looks odd, but it's difficult to see. At the
least it looks like there is a T where there should be a Y. Can you take
some good clear still pics from several perspectives? If there's really
a foam thing in there, maybe it's a sponge that got away. I'm not a
plumber, but I never heard of a flapper in a drain.

Smitty Two wrote:

Yes. So I watched the movie. I don't see a foam thing, but I see what
looks like a part of the vertical drain pipe sticking oddly down into
the horizontal pipe.

Yes, that's what I'm referring to. That object *does* look like a pipe
hanging down inside there, but it's actually some kind of hard foam-like
material.

Also, when you pan slightly to the left, the whole
construction of the pipes looks odd, but it's difficult to see.

lol, there's a lot of "odd" construction concerning this particular
home. Though I would describe some of it as being more
dangerous than odd.

At the least it looks like there is a T where there should be a Y.

This joint in question *is* a Y..

Can you take
some good clear still pics from several perspectives?

Any more pics would have to wait for tomarrow.

I'm not a plumber, but I never heard of a flapper in a drain.

I'm just referring to this object as a "flap" becuase it is slightly
flexible in the nature of its material, although it is solidly fixed in
its position inside the pipe. I'm not really sure what the proper term
for this object is.

In article ,
ShadowTek wrote:

This joint in question *is* a Y..

yes, but i meant the one behind the one in question.

On Jul 13, 10:31*pm, ShadowTek wrote:
What is the obstruction in this cleanout interior drainpipe?

http://www.savefile.com/files/2153090
(Click on the orange "Download File" button on the lower right.)

I have a drain that backs up after the water is run for about a
minute. I ran a snake as far down the pipe as it would go, but couldn't
find the clog. I got under the floor and found a cleanout access for
that pipe. I opened the cap, looked inside, and saw that there was
something that looked like an internal flap that I guess is supposed
to direct water towards the drain and away from the cleanout cap. I
poked at it, and it appears to be made out of some sort of foam-like
material, as it gave a little when I pushed against it.

But what goos is a cleanout access if you cant get into the pipe to clean it out???

Am I just supposed to tear that thing out of there, or what?

The SaveFile link is pretty sad. You would be better served posting
Photobucket or Picasa links that don't want you to buy a subscription,
and in fact work quite well.

Joe

Joe wrote:

The SaveFile link is pretty sad. You would be better served posting
Photobucket or Picasa links that don't want you to buy a subscription,
and in fact work quite well.

I tested the download link and it would allow a 50k download speed
without subscribing.

Anyway, I just used the first video host that I found a link to. I'll
give Photobucket a try next time. Thanks.

on 7/13/2009 11:31 PM (ET) ShadowTek wrote the following:
What is the obstruction in this cleanout interior drainpipe?

http://www.savefile.com/files/2153090
(Click on the orange "Download File" button on the lower right.)

I have a drain that backs up after the water is run for about a
minute. I ran a snake as far down the pipe as it would go, but couldn't
find the clog. I got under the floor and found a cleanout access for
that pipe. I opened the cap, looked inside, and saw that there was
something that looked like an internal flap that I guess is supposed
to direct water towards the drain and away from the cleanout cap. I
poked at it, and it appears to be made out of some sort of foam-like
material, as it gave a little when I pushed against it.

But what goos is a cleanout access if you cant get into the pipe to clean it out???

Am I just supposed to tear that thing out of there, or what?


There shouldn't be anything in the pipe, whether it is near the cleanout
or anywhere else in the pipe.
Got a toddler in the house? Maybe he/she flushed a sponge or rag down
the drain.
Got a woman in the house, or had women visiting? Maybe a Kotex was
flushed down the drain.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

"ShadowTek" wrote in message
...
What is the obstruction in this cleanout interior drainpipe?

http://www.savefile.com/files/2153090
(Click on the orange "Download File" button on the lower right.)

I have a drain that backs up after the water is run for about a
minute. I ran a snake as far down the pipe as it would go, but couldn't
find the clog. I got under the floor and found a cleanout access for
that pipe. I opened the cap, looked inside, and saw that there was
something that looked like an internal flap that I guess is supposed
to direct water towards the drain and away from the cleanout cap. I
poked at it, and it appears to be made out of some sort of foam-like
material, as it gave a little when I pushed against it.

But what goos is a cleanout access if you cant get into the pipe to clean
it out???

Am I just supposed to tear that thing out of there, or what?


*It looks as though someone made their own "Y" fitting by jamming a piece of
pipe into another. The foam you feel may be a DIYer seal of some sort.

John Grabowski wrote:

*It looks as though someone made their own "Y" fitting by jamming a piece of
pipe into another. The foam you feel may be a DIYer seal of some sort.

Well I hope that tearing it out isn't going cause a leak, but it's in my
way and I need to find whatever is obstructing that drain. For all I
know, *that* thing is what's clogging the pipes.

I didn't get a chance to get under there today, but I'll likely get at
it tomarow, as I got enough sun today to make me want to stay in the
shade for a while.

"ShadowTek" wrote in message
...
John Grabowski wrote:

*It looks as though someone made their own "Y" fitting by jamming a piece
of
pipe into another. The foam you feel may be a DIYer seal of some sort.

Well I hope that tearing it out isn't going cause a leak, but it's in my
way and I need to find whatever is obstructing that drain. For all I
know, *that* thing is what's clogging the pipes.

I didn't get a chance to get under there today, but I'll likely get at
it tomarow, as I got enough sun today to make me want to stay in the
shade for a while.


*Let us know what you find.

Smitty Two wrote:

Also, when you pan slightly to the left, the whole
construction of the pipes looks odd, but it's difficult to see. At the
least it looks like there is a T where there should be a Y. Can you take
some good clear still pics from several perspectives?

Here's a side view of those pipes:
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4792/1000056y.jpg

John Grabowski wrote:

*Let us know what you find.

The obstruction was a damn bottle of Wonder Bubbles. lol
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/6395/1000057.jpg

Everything's flowing just fine now! lol


Here another cleanout access I found that I thought was funny:
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/2232/1000053.jpg
http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/7355/1000054.jpg

Here's a spot that looked convenient for a junction box, but I guess they just didn't feel like messin with it:
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9404/1000052a.jpg

In article ,
ShadowTek wrote:

John Grabowski wrote:

*Let us know what you find.

The obstruction was a damn bottle of Wonder Bubbles. lol
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/6395/1000057.jpg

Everything's flowing just fine now! lol


Here another cleanout access I found that I thought was funny:
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/2232/1000053.jpg
http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/7355/1000054.jpg

Here's a spot that looked convenient for a junction box, but I guess they
just didn't feel like messin with it:
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9404/1000052a.jpg

Thanks for the followup. Did you extract that bottle without cutting
pipe? BTW, you could make your pictures much smaller for posting on the
web.

Smitty Two wrote:

Did you extract that bottle without cutting pipe?

Yeah, I just tapped the bottom part of the bottle with the handle of my
pipe wrench, and the bottle was forced down out of the Y joint and was
laying flat in the lower pipe. I then used a wire to reach back around
the bottle and pull it out.

There's no tellin how long that thing's been in there. There hasn't been
any children in that house for years.

They said the sink would
eventually fill up after being run for a minute or so, and then it would
eventually drain out after a while. They've just been used to using it
like that like. lol

ShadowTek wrote:
Smitty Two wrote:

Did you extract that bottle without cutting pipe?

Yeah, I just tapped the bottom part of the bottle with the handle of my
pipe wrench, and the bottle was forced down out of the Y joint and was
laying flat in the lower pipe. I then used a wire to reach back around
the bottle and pull it out.

There's no tellin how long that thing's been in there. There hasn't been
any children in that house for years.

They said the sink would
eventually fill up after being run for a minute or so, and then it would
eventually drain out after a while. They've just been used to using it
like that like. lol

Curiosity killed the cat. Satisfaction brought it back. bg

"ShadowTek" wrote in message
...
Smitty Two wrote:

Did you extract that bottle without cutting pipe?

Yeah, I just tapped the bottom part of the bottle with the handle of my
pipe wrench, and the bottle was forced down out of the Y joint and was
laying flat in the lower pipe. I then used a wire to reach back around
the bottle and pull it out.

There's no tellin how long that thing's been in there. There hasn't been
any children in that house for years.

They said the sink would
eventually fill up after being run for a minute or so, and then it would
eventually drain out after a while. They've just been used to using it
like that like. lol

Thanks for the follow up..So many don't bother...I like a good
ending...LOL...

ShadowTek posted for all of us...


John Grabowski wrote:

*Let us know what you find.



Here's a spot that looked convenient for a junction box, but I guess they just didn't feel like messin with it:
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9404/1000052a.jpg

You going to remedy this mess? I like the jaunty nail cable support!

--
Tekkie Don't bother to thank me, I do this as a public service.

Tekkie® wrote:

You going to remedy this mess? I like the jaunty nail cable support!

There's a *lot* of work that needs to be done to this particular house,
much of it being of higher priority, but I think it *would* be good to
correct that particular area, especially since it's right next to the
water heater.

The reason that non-galvanized nail is so rusty is that the nearby
water heater has leaked and flooded that basement at least twice that I
know of. The last time, hammering of the pipes hear the heater's output
connection hose had caused a spraying leak to spew from the part of the
(flexible) hose where the flexible material meets its ridgid end peice.

I created a fine mist that went unnoticed for however long, until it got
so bad that the water was draining faster than it could fill and the
heater's internal breaker tripped, finally creating a symptom when the
hot water was no more.

So yeah, it's probably a good idea to straighten up the electrical in
that area.

And that reminds me of yet *another* thing that needs to be done: the
water heater has no drainpan, and the overflow valve is just connected
to a short, angled pipe that's pointing straight down at the basement
floor.