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I have this strange, odorless sticky orange/brown goo slowly oozing from the main sewer pipe out of the house in the basement. It has taken months, possibly years to biuld up, but has become noticable recently. It looks like candle wax has been dripped on the side of the pipe. I had a plumber look at it today. He did not know what it was but said not to worry unless water leaking, or smelled like sewage. Any thoughts!!
"I have this strange, odorless sticky orange/brown goo slowly oozing from the main sewer pipe out of the house in the basement."
Is this "oozing" out of a floor drain or a cleanout? Do you have a garbage disposal? How long have you lived in the house? When did you first notice it?
Let me know. Regards, Tom
The mystery ooze seems to be coming from a sealed connection area of two vertical legs of this large diameter sewage pipe running from the upstairs bathrooms down into the ground/sewer. The ooze is originating about 5 ft off the basement floor.
I do have a garbage disposal. The house was built in 1937. We have been here 8 yrs. Noticed it several months ago, but seems to be releasing small globs onto the floor now. Of course it is on the wall side of the pipe making it difficult to get a good look.
Thanks Tom,
Jennifer
The mystery ooze seems to be coming from a sealed connection area of two vertical legs of this large diameter sewage pipe running from the upstairs bathrooms down into the ground/sewer. The ooze is originating about 5 ft off the basement floor.
I do have a garbage disposal. The house was built in 1937. We have been here 8 yrs. Noticed it several months ago, but seems to be releasing small globs onto the floor now. Of course it is on the wall side of the pipe making it difficult to get a good look.
Thanks Tom,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
After over 50 years in the trade and 5 years of answering questions on sites like these you've finally come up with a problem that I've never encoutered.
The connection,( and by the way what fitting is it and is it leaking out of the joint?) can't have a seal in the joint if it's leaking out of it.
The plumber said , "not to worry"? I would be very worried if a waste stack were oozing gunk out of a joint that's supposed to be air and water tight.
The first thing I would do is pour a bucket of boiling or the hotest water you can come up with and attempt to melt this substance and flush it out into the main by pouring it down the tub/shower drain. Next I'd get a plumber in that gives you more then "lip service" to tell me why I have a leak in a water tight joint. I can come up with a leak repair kit called Power Wrap that can seal the pipe joint if you wish. But to tell you "not to worry" and leave it at that is simply unacceptable. Let me know, Regards, Tom
I am rather embarrassed to say: but I think I may have solve the caseof the mystery goo... At one time I had a large bottle of liquid laundry detergent perched in a "Y" in this pipe, right above the problem area. I wonder now if that bottle leaked detergent onto the pipe and I just never noticed it before. I will clean it up, and see if it returns. I apologize for racking your brains unnecessarily
I appreciate your time and knowledge!!
Jennifer
I am rather embarrassed to say: but I think I may have solve the caseof the mystery goo... At one time I had a large bottle of liquid laundry detergent perched in a "Y" in this pipe, right above the problem area. I wonder now if that bottle leaked detergent onto the pipe and I just never noticed it before. I will clean it up, and see if it returns. I apologize for racking your brains unnecessarily
I appreciate your time and knowledge!!
Jennifer
Well!! That was a revelation, (speedball holds hand to mouth to hide a chuckle) I'll bet the plumber has a red face when you tell him what the cause was. I know mine would be, especially if I were on site and failed to look up. DUH!!!! Gheers Tom
I have this strange, odorless sticky orange/brown goo slowly oozing from the main sewer pipe out of the house in the basement. It has taken months, possibly years to biuld up, but has become noticable recently. It looks like candle wax has been dripped on the side of the pipe. I had a plumber look at it today. He did not know what it was but said not to worry unless water leaking, or smelled like sewage. Any thoughts!!
don't hate me for saying this , but maybe it's a fungi
Eeeeewwwww!!!! I sure hope not. I cleaned it up several months ago and there has been no recurrence. I am fairly certain that my laundry detergent theory, as embarassing as it is, was correct after careful inspection. If it does return (I no longer keep the detergent there) I will remember to have it checked for fungi . Thank you for your input!!
PS I wouldnt hate you, I would thank you for alerting me to a gross problem.
Jennifer
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