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#1
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what is the plaster like gunk that clogs my drainpipe?
replying to Ed Pawlowski, carey wrote:
I have soft water and do NOT send oil or grease down the sink with the exception of leftover olive oil from a daily salad. We bake, but I minimize the flour that goes down as well. Yet, the level 8" pipe from my garbage disposal to sink drain pipe has been clogging up with the white junk... almost solidly the whole length. This pipe drains to the U-pipe that comes up about the same level to the final pipe drain at the wall... Meaning, the water may not drain cleanly unless pushed along. I'm starting to guess it's the small amounts of olive oil collecting over the months between cleanout. What else could it be? I thought it was the flour, which may be the other part of the gunk. Fortunately, this section is plastic/PVC pipe that is easily unscrewed and cleaned (takes about 1/2 hour total since I take everything apart, clean, and back together). -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...pe-296647-.htm |
#2
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what is the plaster like gunk that clogs my drainpipe?
replying to carey, John Grabouski wrote:
No disposal, no DW. Appear to have same stuff, I too am a chemist, but no longer have lab access. In my case, I live in the rental formerly Single Family residence now 8 plex. My kitchen sink stacks up with the one above it and nothing else on that line. Also (unfortunately) when the plumbing for these sections was done (before my time here) the drains were in copper. Supply lines in Galv pipe. Having been working on a clogged drain today in the kitchen (runs through the basement. I have been under the impression, the white chunks are grease which have come out of solution when the hot water containing the grease cools as it feeds away from your sink. We also have very hot water in this area, so that could help with the process. Generally sticking any acid (even vinegar) is not a good thing for a copper drain, so I have refrained. I have had luck with KOH/NaOH. That is...until today. When even that didnt work. SO I am in the process of cutting out the 12 ft copper section now (12 years on my todo list) and replacing it with PVC....and a couple of cleanout plugs strategically placed. Ask me again in another 10 years. THis thread was started in 2008?? So 10 years might be around! No disposal, no DW. Appear to have same stuff, I too am a chemist, but no longer have lab access. In my case, I live in the rental formerly Single Family residence now 8 plex. My kitchen sink stacks up with the one above it and nothing else on that line. Also (unfortunately) when the plumbing for these sections was done (before my time here) the drains were in copper. Supply lines in Galv pipe. Having been working on a clogged drain today in the kitchen (runs through the basement. I have been under the impression, the white chunks are grease which have come out of solution when the hot water containing the grease cools as it feeds away from your sink. We also have very hot water in this area, so that could help with the process. Generally sticking any acid (even vinegar) is not a good thing for a copper drain, so I have refrained. I have had luck with KOH/NaOH. That is...until today. When even that didnt work. SO I am in the process of cutting out the 12 ft copper section now (12 years on my todo list) and replacing it with PVC....and a couple of cleanout plugs strategically placed. Ask me again in another 10 years. THis thread was started in 2008?? So 10 years might be around! WHile I dont put any grease down the sink, I can guarantee my tenants above have not. And as some grease is dissolved by the hot water soap solution, that could still hold with my theory. PS..dumping hot water down the pipe will likely only move the problem farther down the pipe....but perhaps that is far enuff. I have heard plumbing is designed to last 50 years in a new construction house. This one dates to the 1890s. Much of my maintenance involves plumbing (or roofing)....Wont be building my own anytime soon. GOOD LUCK. Unfortunately I have not replaced this section of Feed pipes (galvanized pipe) with PEX, so water pressure isnt great either. Which means, anything WASHED down the pipe, doesnt get very far. Would be curious to know what anyone else has found out. -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...pe-296647-.htm |
#3
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what is the plaster like gunk that clogs my drainpipe?
replying to John Grabouski, John Grabouski wrote:
Meant to say....we have very HARD water here. [Not so much HOT water.] BTW. MrRooter website also has some thought, I am NOT employed (nor ever have been) with Mr Rooter. I did find several points applicable to the original post. https://www.mrrooter.com/greater-syr...-of-drain-blo/ One more thought. My parents lived in a house built 1950s. Had the original stool in place when I finally remodeled to a 17inch high model. Folks were there 35 years and during that time, NEVER had the stool been removed. It always seems to drain slow, and an occasional overflow was not uncommon. So we used the other bathroom (more often than not) for multiple (number 2) reasons. So when I finally removed it (about 2001), I was surprised to find a "tongue" of hard water deposit which extended past the middle of the 4 inch hole and was nearly 4 inches wide. YEP, it prevented a full flow of waste down the hole. Reminded me of a stalactite (which forms over 1000s of years?). Apparently flushing a half dozen times daily is the near equivalent. How is this RELEVANT. Hard water deposits which accumulate. [Although I still subscribe to the grease coming out of solution when the soap solution cools from the original HOT solution which helped dissolve the grease, but it could be helped to come out of solution by those same minerals which help with hard water deposits. -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...pe-296647-.htm |
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