Ask Me Help Desk - I have a clog but don't know where.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkstroud

Well, Tom is telling you the same thing. He's saying snake from the vent. I'd rather pull the toilet than carry the snake up on the roof.

Why now? Because something has gotten stuck in there. Who knows what. I've had an infant’s hairbrush go down the toilet. You say that you are very careful about what you put in the toilet, but maybe a guest put a sanitary napkin down the toilet; maybe a visiting child threw his toy in. Who knows?

Pulling toilet no big deal. Disconnect the water supply line, remove two nuts on hold down bolts and lift and set toilet aside. Remove old wax, install new wax ring, set toilet back in place.

No, the water in the vent will just come out the shower drain.

I understand. We don't have guests. It's just me and my fiancé that live here. RARELY do we have guests come over. And we've NEVER had children here since we've moved in about 10 months ago. So I know that it can't be something from a child or even a guest.

There were 4 vents up on the roof. Didn't know where they went to but I snaked all 4 and nothing.

I suppose I can pull the toilet. That sounds easy enough. It'll be cooler to see what's going on down there rather than try and make up some kind of guess as to what's wrong.

Do roots and weeds go through PVC? I thought PVC was supposed to be stronger than clay or brass piping. You make good points though. As does everyone that has posted. But the vents, kind of pointless cause nothing came out lol!

Fort Myers Huh? I worked out in Cape Coral back I n the 60's when it was just being built. Lived in North Fort Myers on the river.
You should have got it from the vents, can't understand why you didn't. But follow Harolds advice, pull a toilet and snake from there. Good luck, Tom

Roots can get into any pipe that has a crack or leak. A root growing under a any pipe could cause a crack but would be less likely with PVC because it is more flexible than cast iron. Why the concern with roots? If you have roots you should see bits of root on the end of the snake when you pull it back.

Yeah back in the 60's when all of FL was a happier more quieter and slower paced place to live. It's changed BIG TIME!

I was asking about roots and PVC cause I didn't know if it was likely that roots would be the cause of the clog. But it is probably not roots. I DID however pull a tiny skinny root string when I first started snaking the MAIN cleanout pipe. But I didn't get anything else like that again after that first one.

I was wondering if you guys think it would be OK to first try using the snake auger in the master bath toilet BEFORE pulling it out of the pipe to take a look. I know what you guys are thinking, that I'll scratch the toilet bowl. But if I can do that carefully without scratching the bowl, do you guys think it'll be worth trying first? I think I can find something to put around and inside to bowl that would keep the snake line from scratching. The toilet snake auger just isn't long enough. I want to use the 20-25 foot snake auger. But there's no protective plastic tubing. I'll try to find something to put over the snake line to keep it from scratching it.

I have figured out that the clog is DEFINANTLY in the master bathroom area. I can't even use EITHER of the dual master bath sinks cause when I do, the shower starts to backup. I flush the master bathroom toilet and the same thing. The clog is FOR SURE in the master bathroom side of the house. That WHOLE section of PVC plumbing is all messed up and clogged. I don't think I can figure that out to save my life. I think I should throw in the white flag. I can't figure it out. There's standing poop waste water in my master bath tub LOL. That side of the house and that bathroom STINKS LIKE AZZ! Literally!! I guess I should just call a pro right guys? It feels strange to say that cause there shouldn't be anything the pro's do that an average home owner can't do. But I guess they have the tools for the job.. I don't know. They're just going to end up using a 50 ft or longer sewer auger snake. I can't wait to see how mad and frustrated the pro's get trying to figure out my PITA clog. It's going to be priceless!
!! aaahhahahahahahahahaha!! *evil grin*;):D:p

Thirty minutes and $300.

Let us know what he does. Pull the toilet or go down the vent? Good luck, Tom