PDA

View Full Version : I could only snake in 18 inches in the sink pipe


tennisyoung1
Jul 26, 2009, 01:43 PM
My two sinks in the two adjoining bathroom got blocked. First I tried Drano but it didn't work. I removed the P trap and other connecting pipes all the way to the wall. I then snaked it . I could only got in about 18 inches only. So I bought a drill drain snake. Again I could only ran in about 18 inches. I don't believe the snake got into the other side of the adjoining bathroom sink. I could feel the snake got in about 8 inches either up or down the pipe from the pipe sticking out of the wall. Then I could go no further after another 10 inches. What's blocking it? I checked my drill drain snake and it could go through 5 sheets of paper easily. Please help!!

ballengerb1
Jul 26, 2009, 01:47 PM
What diameter snake are you using?

tennisyoung1
Jul 26, 2009, 01:59 PM
1/4 inches and it's 20 ft long.

ballengerb1
Jul 26, 2009, 02:01 PM
You may need to get on the roof and rod down the vent stack, for that you can go with a larger snake.

tennisyoung1
Jul 26, 2009, 02:15 PM
So you think my drill drain snake is too weak to unclog the block. Or could it be there's a curve or turn that's blocking my snake?

ballengerb1
Jul 26, 2009, 02:18 PM
No not too weak but you could be hitting a T connection and never get through that. Without opening the walls to see exactly how this was plumbed your next best bet is the roof.

tennisyoung1
Jul 26, 2009, 02:36 PM
I got up the roof and checked the 3" dia. Vent stack. Isn't this the vent pipe connecting to the main pipe for tub and toilet discharge? You mean my snake could actually reach the block of the sink pipe from there? Thanks.

speedball1
Jul 26, 2009, 03:19 PM
I got up the roof and checked the 3" dia. vent stack. Isn't this the vent pipe connecting to the main pipe for tub and toilet discharge? You mean my snake could actually reach the block of the sink pipe from there? Thanks.

This might not be the correct vent if it's the only one on your roof.
Sometimes our contract orders us to tie back,(revent) all the vents to one main vent through the roof up in the attic. If that's the case you'll need to call in outside help with a regular sewer machine. He will have to take it up into the attic, locate the lavatory vent from your bath and cut it loose from the vent through roof. He can then snake the lavatory drains that you couldn't reach. After, he will have to couple the vent back as it was. Do you see more then just that one 3" vent? Regards, tom

tennisyoung1
Jul 26, 2009, 04:13 PM
I saw another vent about 1" dia. It sticks out directly above the adjoining bathroom about 4' from the 3" vent. You mean I should go in from this vent and it could reach the block of the sink pipe?

speedball1
Jul 26, 2009, 04:23 PM
Snake the smaller one and let me know. Good luck. Tom

tennisyoung1
Jul 26, 2009, 04:39 PM
Thanks. But what I don't understand is that I unclogged the same sink pipe about 6 months ago with Drano. What could have caused this tough clog?

speedball1
Jul 27, 2009, 03:46 AM
Thanks. But what I don't understand is that I unclogged the same sink pipe about 6 months ago with Drano. What could have caused this tough clog?
As a repair plumber I have never recommended using harsh chemicals. In your drainage system. Besides they only seem to work in TV commercials and when you try to remove the water you could burn your hands or damage your eyes. I prefer to snake a drain line
Having said that your clog might have been a local clog in the lateral in the wall. This clog is farther down past the base of the stack and can only be reached from a roof vent. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Jul 27, 2009, 12:56 PM
Thanks. My sewage pipe machine is too heavy for me to carry up the roof. Will my 20' drill drain pipe reach this clog?


Sorry. I forgot to mention that the vent is about 15' from the ground.

ballengerb1
Jul 27, 2009, 01:27 PM
Drill drain augers are a bit small in diameter for this kind of work.

speedball1
Jul 28, 2009, 05:53 AM
Thanks. My sewage pipe machine is too heavy for me to carry up the roof. Will my 20' drill drain pipe reach this clog?


Sorry. I forgot to mention that the vent is about 15' from the ground.

Only if the clog's at the very base and then it might so smsll it simply punches through.. You need a sewer machine,(see image) up on that roof. But before you go up on the roof I want you to look up in the attic for any vents that may be revented back to the 3" VTR. Just two roof vents doesn't sound right to me. There should be one 3 " main vent plus a washer vent, a vent for every bath room, a bar sink vent if you have one. Do you see where I'm going with this? If the vent you want is revented back in the attic there's a whole other procedure to go through. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Jul 29, 2009, 04:41 PM
You are absolutely right. I have a washer vent, a kitchen vent, a water heater vent, a central air vent on the other side of the roof. I believe the 3" vent directly above my bathroom in question is the main vent. There's a 1" vent directly above the other adjoining bathroom which you want me to snake in. Then there's two unidentifiable 4 to 5" covered vent about 8' from the 3" main vent , one on the right and one on the left. I have no idea whether the 1" vent was built for the shower in the adjoining bathroom or sinks for both adjoining rooms or both?

speedball1
Jul 29, 2009, 04:47 PM
Snake the pipe that's closest to the two baths. Put out enough snake to reach the 15 feet to the base and 20 feet more to get out in the main. Good luck, tom

tennisyoung1
Jul 29, 2009, 06:09 PM
Thanks. I will try.

speedball1
Jul 30, 2009, 04:31 AM
Please give us a update when you're finished. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Jul 31, 2009, 01:02 AM
I opened the built-in opening between the two adjoining wall and measured the length between them to be 8". So could it be possible that my snake went over the other side of the sink and got stuck at the P trap? Also I just found a 2" dia. Access hole at the bottom of the sink about 5 " above the floor and it's about 45 degree and 12" from the sink pipe sticking out of the wall where I put my snake in. Should I open this access hole and try to snake in from there?

speedball1
Jul 31, 2009, 04:04 AM
If you're saying this ' 2" dia. access hole at the bottom of the sink" is a clean-out tee,(see image) the answer's yes, otherwise snake from the lavatory roof vent. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Jul 31, 2009, 07:15 AM
My clean-out looks like the middle part of your image with no square metal sticking out. Is this a clean-out built for this purpose? My house was built in 1954.

speedball1
Jul 31, 2009, 07:20 AM
That sounds like a clean -out tee to me. N Open it up and snake from there. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Jul 31, 2009, 07:21 AM
I peeled off the paint and it looks like a metal cap on a pipe.

speedball1
Jul 31, 2009, 07:45 AM
I peeled off the paint and it looks like a metal cap on a pipe.

Remove the cover and snake from there. Use your drill snake and let me know how you make out. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Jul 31, 2009, 07:55 AM
Thanks.


Here's what we did. We tried to open the cover of the pipe but without success. Look like the cover and the pipe were all rusted up. We also tried to snake in again but concluded that the snake actually went over to the adjoining sink pipe and got stuck at the P trap. My friend went up the roof and hosed into the 1" dia. vent and water drained easily into the main pipe with no back up anywhere. So he did not snake the vent. He said the vent is way beyond the clogged sink pipe. Could he be right and could anybody tell us how to snake into the sink pipe without the snake going over to the other side of the adjoining bathroom sink?


Also please tell us how to open the cover of the pipe without breaking it. The 2" dia. Metal cover is a rounded cover with two sides sticking out about 1/16". Do we need special tool to do it?

speedball1
Aug 1, 2009, 04:47 AM
My friend went up the roof and hosed into the 1" dia. Vent and water drained easily into the main pipe with no back up anywhere. So he did not snake the vent. He said the vent is way beyond the clogged sink pipe. Could he be right and could anybody tell us how to snake into the sink pipe without the snake going over to the other side of the adjoining bathroom sink?
Your friend was either too lazy to take a sewer machine up on the roof and snake the vent as I advised in a earlier post or else he thought he knew more about plumbing then we did but in any event he was dead wrong. Had he snaked the vent as ordered we wouldn't be having this conversion. You may tell your friend to keep the day job because plumbing isn't his strong point. Of course water will flow freely down the vent. You have 15 or 20 feet of open pipe before you run into the clog located in the slab. Your clog will be found at the base of the pipe that vents your back to back lavatories. How many times doI have to say it before someone listens? (Sigh! )


Also please tell us how to open the cover of the pipe without breaking it. The 2" dia. metal cover is a rounded cover with two sides sticking out about 1/16". Do we need special tool to do it?
If you don't wish to snake from the roof vent then squirt some WD-40 on the threads and take a hammer and a blunt chisel and start the threades by tapping on the protruding bosses on either side. As a last resort I'd break the cover out and replace with another. This started as a simple clog that you snaked from the wrong place. And you're still attempting to snake from the wrong place.
We also tried to snake in again but concluded that the snake actually went over to the adjoining sink pipe and got stuck at the P trap.
One more time. Either snake from the lavatory roof vent or open up the cleanout and snake from there. Those are your only two options unless you want to bite the bullet and call in outside help in the form of a plumber. Have yourself a great weekend, Tom

hkstroud
Aug 1, 2009, 05:04 AM
Tennis
If you snake is to big to carry up to the roof try this.

Get an assistant and enough 2 PVC pipe to reach from the ground to the vent pipe. With one person on the ground operating the machine and the other on the roof, run the snake up the PVC pipe and then down the vent.

speedball1
Aug 1, 2009, 05:37 AM
Great solution Harold,
I can always count on you to think "outside the box". All I can add is put out enough snake to reach the base and 20 feet more to push it out into the nain. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 2, 2009, 12:20 AM
Thanks to you all. In fact he carried the machine all the way up the roof right next to the vent. May be yesterday wasn't our day yet.

hkstroud
Aug 2, 2009, 06:06 AM
Maybe you should try a toilet auger in the sink drain. It is a little more flexible and might make the turn that is stopping your drain snake. Might not be long enough to reach the blockage but then it might be. Do you have an attic above this bathroom. If you do go up there, cut the vent pipe and snake. I assume you have PVC pipe but can't find anywhere you said. As far as that clean out plug. They make wrenches for these. If you don't want to purchase one, cut down a piece of 2x4 to fit tightly inside the recess. Stick in it the recess, put a pipe wench on it and take that plug out. This would probably be the best solution, this is not the last time you are going to have a stopped drain.

speedball1
Aug 2, 2009, 07:48 AM
Maybe you should try a toilet auger in the sink drain. A ttoilet auger in a 1 1/4" lavatory drain? Harold doesn't make many boo-boos but this is one of them.
Read my lips and pay attention to what I've been saying all along. You can not snake two back to back lavatories from the drain If they're connected with a cross you'll end up in the other lavatory. As I've repeatedly posted, your only two optipons are snaking from the lavatories roof vent or from the clean out located in the bathroom. How can I make it any clearer. FORGET THE DRAINS and do the job right.

hkstroud
Aug 2, 2009, 08:35 AM
OK. I admit that I didn't read all of the post thoroughly and missed where Tennis said he went through to the other lavy. And yes, I know better.

Note the edit to my post. I think he really should get that plug out of the clean out so he can do it properly.

speedball1
Aug 2, 2009, 08:58 AM
I agree with Harold, The cleanout will be the easiest but the roof vent's the only other option. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 5, 2009, 01:21 AM
We removed the sink shelf cabinet and chiseled the plug as you advised. Sad to say we had no luck. We 'll snake the vent next.

speedball1
Aug 8, 2009, 12:46 PM
Let us know how you make out. Don't forget to run the snake down to the base and 18 feet more to reach the main. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 9, 2009, 12:13 AM
We snaked the vent but had no luck. It got stuck after 20' and could go no further. I asked a plumber to open the clean-out for me. He took it out in no time with his big wrench. I snaked in with my manual drain snake and it went all the way. It's a clean-out for the main pipe only and the sink drain is still clogged.

speedball1
Aug 9, 2009, 05:22 AM
We snaked the vent but had no luck. It got stuck after 20' and could go no further.
What do you mean, "it got stuck"? Stuck in what? Going down a vent? That's not right! What came back on the aughr tip? Did you or the plumber snake the vent? If the plumber snaked the roof vent then he missed the boat by not telling you that it sounds like a collapsed pipe. Don the math. It took you 15 feet to get from the roof vent to the base. Only 5 feet into the drain and you hang the auger up. Hmmmm!
Something ain't right down there and you have to find out what it is. You might want to consider running a camera down that vent and checking it out.
How old is your house. Cast iron or plastic drainage pipes? Good luck, Tom

hkstroud
Aug 9, 2009, 05:47 AM
Didn't you say you had an attic?
Do you have PVC? Go to attic, find vent for sink, cut PVC and snake there.

speedball1
Aug 9, 2009, 02:31 PM
Let's run with Harolds thought. How many vent pipes coming out of your roof?: If you only see one vent pipe then look in the attic for the correct vent. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 9, 2009, 03:11 PM
My friend ran the snake into the metal vent. When he took out the snake there's nothing in the tip of the snake. He also snaked the 4" dia. Vent and it went in 50'. He said the snake could not go in any more into the small vent pipe and said may be it's because of the straight boring head we used. He said may be we should use a side Cutter or Spear auger head. I checked the attic and found the two metal vents going up from my two back to back bathroom. My house is 55 years old and the drain pipes are made of metal.

My friend didn't wait to change to the other heads I mentioned. May be he's afraid to bore a big hole through the vent pipe. What do you think. The vent pipe are made of metal. Yes only two vent pipes going up the roof.

speedball1
Aug 9, 2009, 03:39 PM
I checked the attic and found the two metal vents going up from my two back to back bathroom. You should only have one vent that services both lavs. Does it come out the roof or does it tie back to another vent? Use a medium auger tip and you're not going to bore through cast iron pipes. Good luck. Tom

mygirlsdad77
Aug 9, 2009, 03:45 PM
You can snake back to back lav drains even with a san tee, but it takes some skill and two people. Take traps off both sinks(remove complete trap assembly under both sinks until the only thing left if the drain pipe that goes into the wall. Now you should be able to see straight through the cross fitting to the other side. Now you will need a couple of good flashlites, and a long screwdrive, and a lot of patience. Snake from one side while the other person watches from the other side with a lite and the screwdriver. As you slowly feed the snake in, the other person should be able to see it and use the screwdriver to get it started in the right direction. Like I said, this can be time consuming, but it can be done, and will save you crawling in the attic and cutting vents(not to mention you have no idea whether the vent you are cutting is the right one). Now, if your sinks are not truly back to back and there is a 90 off each sink drain before it hits the cross fitting, then this won't work, but if sinks are truly back to back, this is a great option to try. I wouldn't worry about boring a hole through the galvenized pipe, or cast iron pipe. If you do bore through it, it is just telling you that the pipe is in dire need of replacement anyway. Just get nasty with the auger you are using and push your way through the plug. Then, once you hit the plug and get through it, work snake back and forth at this point to open it up as much as possible. Good luck and please let us know how you fair. Lee

speedball1
Aug 9, 2009, 03:56 PM
To snake the drain line the way Lee suggested there only one auger tip to use
(see image) and that's a swivel head bulb auger. The swivel will allow the tip to point down when it hits the vertical vent. Good luck, tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 9, 2009, 03:59 PM
Thanks to you all. I'll snake it again.

speedball1
Aug 9, 2009, 04:21 PM
Let us know how that works. Good luck, tom

hkstroud
Aug 9, 2009, 05:32 PM
.. Too funny Harold! I only use explosives on the tough clogs. Thanks for the first chuckle of the day, Tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 10, 2009, 12:11 AM
We snaked the small vent pipe again with the sewage machine but could go no further than 16'. We snaked in again with the drill drain snake. With much difficulties it went all the way to the very end of the snake which is about 20'. I caught a little bit of hair. I tried several times again but the snake was all tangled up. May be I should buy a longer drill drain snake.

speedball1
Aug 10, 2009, 05:24 AM
With much difficulties it went all the way to the very end of the snake which is about 20'. You went down a roof vent, correct? How could you run into difficulty doing that. You have a 15' drop to the base and with 5 additional feet you're only 5 feet into the branch. Have you even located the vent stack in the attic that services your two lavatories? It sure doesn't sound like it. A 20foot snake going down a roof vent is useless. Get a longer snake. Regards, tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 13, 2009, 12:54 AM
I opened the tail pipe of the P trap and found the pipe inside the wall doesn't go across to the adjoining sink but instead goes down 90 degree. No luck to try Lee's method. I will be using a drain opening bladder to force the clog down. Wish me luck.

speedball1
Aug 13, 2009, 05:30 AM
I will be using a drain opening bladder to force the clog down. Wish me luck.
And we do wish you luck. However, It that's a sanitary tee with a vent coming out of the top your bladder, Called a Drain King,(see image) will be useless, All the pressure will go up the vent and never reach the clog.
You best bet, in my estimation, would be to snake that line using a swivel head bulb auger as pictured in a earlier post. Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 13, 2009, 11:30 AM
Thanks. I tried yesterday to snake in with a swivel bulb head auger but with no success. We also went up the roof and snaked the vent again but with no luck. It sounded like a rock was blocking it . Any other option?

speedball1
Aug 13, 2009, 11:45 AM
We also went up the roof and snaked the vent again but with no luck. It sounded like a rock was blocking it . Any other option?
That "rock" or whatever might just be your problem. The way I see it you have two options open.
1) You can send a camera down to see what's blocking your snake **OR**
2) You can open up the floor and look for yourself.
Good luck, Tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 14, 2009, 12:40 AM
Thanks. Will it be okay if I connect the drain pipe to the clean-out for the main pipe and drain all waste water from the two sinks in there? I already opened the clean-out which is right next to the drain pipe.

speedball1
Aug 14, 2009, 05:12 AM
Thanks. Will it be okay if I connect the drain pipe to the clean-out for the main pipe and drain all waste water from the two sinks in there? I already opened the clean-out which is right next to the drain pipe.

Are you asking for a permanent or temporary connection? Tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 14, 2009, 11:31 AM
Assuming it's a permanent connection.

speedball1
Aug 14, 2009, 01:40 PM
Assuming it's a permanent connection.

Now I need a picture of what you propose. I want to know how you plan to connect to the cleanout. Regards, Tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 18, 2009, 02:57 PM
Just as you said I used the bladder method with no luck.I turned on the water full force for more than 15 minutes but I could only feel a little bit pressure. I noted that there's no water coming out of the vent. There's a lot of water going into the drain pipe. Where did all the water go if there's a clog? Is there a water overflow somewhere?

mygirlsdad77
Aug 18, 2009, 04:12 PM
How does the sink drain right now? Does it back up completely or does it just drain slowly. IF it backs up completely, how long does it take before it drains down, or does it just hold water indefinitely? There are a few simple things that we may have overlooked here. Does the pop up drain stopper come up very high? Have you looked down the sink drain through the actuall opening in the bottom of sink when the trap assembly is disconnected. Let us know the answer to all of these questions and we may find a more simple problem than a plugged drain. Lee

tennisyoung1
Aug 21, 2009, 11:41 AM
How unlucky could I be. My kitchen and laundry line also got clogged up. I snaked in it with my big machine but the snake got lodged inside the sewage pipe with the tree roots. I tried to pull it out with my car . No luck. I asked a plumber to take a look and he proposed to install a clean-out in the front yard where my pine tree is and snake in with his big machine to clean out all the roots all the way to the main sewage pipe. He said I could then snake it once a year from then on. Is this the best solution? The tree root may continue to grow inside the sewage pipe. Do I need to kill it?

speedball1
Aug 22, 2009, 04:39 AM
Going in, let me say that sooner or later you're going to have to bite the bullet and replace that old sewer line with PVC. If you wish to control roots RootX or Robics Foaming Root Killer that contain Dichlobrnic are two products you could try.
A less expensive way would be to call around to garden supply stores and ask for fine grain Copper Sulphate. Put a 1/2 pound in your toilet and flush it down. Repeat in 6 months.
Hope this helps and thank you for rating my answer, Tom

tennisyoung1
Aug 22, 2009, 11:34 AM
Thanks.