Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems. |
Reply |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
#1
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
Can't figure out where the downspout goes?
6 family 3 story brick house in Brooklyn, NY. Built around 1925. I
recently discovered the downspout was clogged. It goes into a 4" ( or 5"?) cast iron pipe into the ground in the backyard. Lots of junk inside ( leaves, rubber handballs). I could not manage to clear it, might get a pro to do it. But just out of curiousity, do these downspouts tie into the bldgs sewer system? Reason I ask because in the basement there is a cleanout plug in the floor by the cellar door, with a pipe going out towards the backyard. Could they have built it that way back then, or did they run a seperate pipe in the basement floor just for the rainwater? I did try to run water in the downspout to see if any water was flowing through the cleanout, but the pipe is 100% clogged. I'm not sure if there is a drywell back there either. |
#2
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
Can't figure out where the downspout goes?
6 family 3 story brick house in Brooklyn, NY. Built around 1925. I
recently discovered the downspout was clogged. It goes into a 4" ( or 5"?) cast iron pipe into the ground in the backyard. Lots of junk inside ( leaves, rubber handballs). I could not manage to clear it, might get a pro to do it. But just out of curiousity, do these downspouts tie into the bldgs sewer system? Reason I ask because in the basement there is a cleanout plug in the floor by the cellar door, with a pipe going out towards the backyard. Could they have built it that way back then, or did they run a seperate pipe in the basement floor just for the rainwater? I did try to run water in the downspout to see if any water was flowing through the cleanout, but the pipe is 100% clogged. I'm not sure if there is a drywell back there either. *I don't know about Brooklyn, but I was surprised to learn that the storm run off and the sewer system in Manhattan were connected when I worked in the city years ago. |
#3
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
Can't figure out where the downspout goes?
On Mar 15, 6:46*am, Mikepier wrote:
6 family 3 story brick house in Brooklyn, NY. Built around 1925. I recently discovered the downspout was clogged. It goes into a 4" ( or 5"?) cast iron pipe into the ground in the backyard. Lots of junk inside ( leaves, rubber handballs). I could not manage to clear it, might get a pro to do it. But just out of curiousity, do these downspouts tie into the bldgs sewer system? Reason I ask because in the basement there is a cleanout plug in the floor by the cellar door, with a pipe going out towards the backyard. Could they have built it that way back then, or did they run a seperate pipe in the basement floor just for the rainwater? I did try to run water in the downspout to see if any water was flowing through the cleanout, but the pipe is 100% clogged. I'm *not sure if there is a drywell back there either. "I could not manage to clear it, might get a pro to do it." Look into renting a power snake. I recently rented a 100' snake for about $80 for a full day and cleared a 60' length of 4" drain pipe that my gutter runs into. It was packed solid with roots. Based on how long it took, I don't want to think about what a "pro" would have charged me to do it. I still had some time left, so I snaked my main sewer line as well. I did manage to pull some roots from that pipe also, so I may have warded off a upcoming stoppage. Well worth the money and based on how bad the the drain pipe was, I'll probably snake it once every couple of years, which I'll be able to do with a half-day's rental. |
#4
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
Can't figure out where the downspout goes?
"Mikepier" wrote in message ... 6 family 3 story brick house in Brooklyn, NY. Built around 1925. I recently discovered the downspout was clogged. It goes into a 4" ( or 5"?) cast iron pipe into the ground in the backyard. Lots of junk inside ( leaves, rubber handballs). I could not manage to clear it, might get a pro to do it. But just out of curiousity, do these downspouts tie into the bldgs sewer system? Reason I ask because in the basement there is a cleanout plug in the floor by the cellar door, with a pipe going out towards the backyard. Could they have built it that way back then, or did they run a seperate pipe in the basement floor just for the rainwater? I did try to run water in the downspout to see if any water was flowing through the cleanout, but the pipe is 100% clogged. I'm not sure if there is a drywell back there either. In all the sewered parts of NYC (and despite our Borough President, Brooklyn is still part of NYC) all roof drainage must go to the City sewer, not into your back yard. That 4" cast iron pipe should go to through a trap into your lateral connection through your house to the City combined sewer. If the trap has collected debris, it needs to be cleaned out. From what you say, your lateral is below the cellar floor so there is not an easy cleanout for the trap. I'd hire a sewer cleaning service. -- Peace, BobJ |
#5
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
Can't figure out where the downspout goes?
On Mar 15, 12:21*pm, "Marilyn & Bob" wrote:
"Mikepier" wrote in message ... 6 family 3 story brick house in Brooklyn, NY. Built around 1925. I recently discovered the downspout was clogged. It goes into a 4" ( or 5"?) cast iron pipe into the ground in the backyard. Lots of junk inside ( leaves, rubber handballs). I could not manage to clear it, might get a pro to do it. But just out of curiousity, do these downspouts tie into the bldgs sewer system? Reason I ask because in the basement there is a cleanout plug in the floor by the cellar door, with a pipe going out towards the backyard. Could they have built it that way back then, or did they run a seperate pipe in the basement floor just for the rainwater? I did try to run water in the downspout to see if any water was flowing through the cleanout, but the pipe is 100% clogged. I'm *not sure if there is a drywell back there either. In all the sewered parts of NYC (and despite our Borough President, Brooklyn is still part of NYC) all roof drainage must go to the City sewer, not into your back yard. *That 4" cast iron pipe should go to through a trap into your lateral connection through your house to the City combined sewer. *If the trap has collected debris, it needs to be cleaned out. *From what you say, your lateral is below the cellar floor so there is not an easy cleanout for the trap. *I'd hire a sewer cleaning service. -- Peace, BobJ That makes sense since I'm pretty sure the cleanout in the basement is for the downspout. And some other people in the area seemed to think the same. So I'll get either a plumber or I'll tackle this myself. |
#6
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
Can't figure out where the downspout goes?
You know, funny thing is I used to have stoppages in my basement
frequently. But since the downspout outside has been clogged for quite some time, maybe a couple of years, I have not had a stoppage in a while. I wonder if the downspout has been the problem all this time. Maybe a coincidence. But a lot of junk does find its way in the downspout, particularly since the gutter guard gets knocked off frequently and kids hanging on the roof throwing garbage around. |
#7
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
Can't figure out where the downspout goes?
I Dont know anything about the codes in Brooklyn, but everything you said could be possible. *It's near impossible to say without seeing it. *I think few cities still run rainwater in the sanitary sewer, but they used to do it. *Is that cleanout near a downspout? *(not that they always are, but it may give a hint). *You could open that cleanout and pour water down the nearest downspout and see if it runs in there. * There is only one downspout in the backyard, and that is completely clogged somewhere below the ground level. When I try to fill it up with water, it just overflows. I tried snaking both in the downspout and through the cleanout out back towards the backyard, but no good. This cleanout pipe definately goes towards the direction of the downspout. What I don't get is the cast iron pipe outside is 4-5", yet the cleanout pipe in the basement is 2". Does not make sense that they went smaller. That's why I really don't know if the downspout goes to this cleanout. Of course you could cap off those cast iron pipes and just run the downspouts on your lawn. *They do sell soaker type extensions for downspouts. *Why pay for water for your lawn when you have it free. Running downspouts underground is always asking for troubles. *Too many leaves and stuff to clog them. Its all concrete back there. I just get a big puddle |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
How do you cut aluminum downspout? | Home Repair | |||
Downspout Installation ? | Home Repair | |||
Downspout Noise, how to get rid of? | Home Repair | |||
downspout flooding | Home Repair | |||
Clogged Downspout | Home Ownership |