 DennisPremium,Mod
join:2001-01-26
Algonquin, IL
kudos:5
Chicago
Users find Hot Deals
Users find Hot Dea..
Requests for Hot D..
Home Improvement
2 edits | Clogged kitchen drain, drain snake not permanently fixing... Background: House built in 1989, drain is 2 1/2" pvc, drops to unfinished basement and runs 23' to other side where it drops down to main sewer.
Starting with a few years ago the line started backing up once every 6 months. I bought a 25' hand drain snake which seemed to help for a bit but then I upgraded to Rigid self feeding snake I can hook up to a drill. Even with that setup I'm not making and permanent head way.
I suspect that the pipe is just clogged up with grease/junk/i don't wanna know after the last 30 years and from the previous owners. The way I see it the line needs to be jetted because all I'm doing it poking a tiny 1/2" and it's getting re-plugged a few days later.
So my thoughts are either buy a jetter attachment for my gas pressure washer Clog Hog or pay a plumber to do it although I don't know what the estimated cost would be. Anybody here ever had to pay for that before?
--
My Blog. Because I desperately need the acknowledgement of others.
The Judd Family site! |
|
robbinPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
kudos:1 | Clog Hog -- It works great and well worth the money. If fact, I now consider this a must have attachment if you own a decent pressure washer. Get the 100' one and I would go ahead and get the maintenance kit or whatever it is called. It's hard to clean if the jets get clogged without the proper tool.
»www.cloghog.com/
Company is based here in my area of Texas. It appears to be well made of quality materials. Had mine for 6 months or more and have used it at a few houses. It's now standard procedure for me to jet the lines when one of my rent houses becomes vacant. |
|
|
|
 HawkPremium
join:2003-08-25
La Quinta, CA
1 edit | reply to Dennis
said by Dennis:Anybody here ever had to pay for that before?7 Jet - $150+88 per hour (no travel)
Mini Jet - $120 per hour (no travel)
Our mini jetter probably equals the "Clog Hog" depending on the heads included. It's more for 1-1/2" & 2" ABS lines I think. Never used it myself. |
|
| reply to Dennis
After you snake it, run some really hot water down the drain. Several sink bowls full. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to heat some pots of water on the stove. Otherwise, the tiny snake hole will just fill back up with grease. |
|
DennisPremium,Mod
join:2001-01-26
Algonquin, IL
kudos:5 Host:
Chicago
Users find Hot Deals
Users find Hot Dea..
Requests for Hot D..
Home Improvement
| said by whocares :After you snake it, run some really hot water down the drain. Several sink bowls full. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to heat some pots of water on the stove. Otherwise, the tiny snake hole will just fill back up with grease.
I've tried that but hasn't helped. Problem is we screen it and everything but who knows what the previous owners up to 2004 were dumping down it.
--
My Blog. Because I desperately need the acknowledgement of others.
The Judd Family site! |
|
cwm1276
join:2004-01-16
Stillman Valley, IL Reviews:
 ·Comcast
| reply to Dennis
I had a similar problem. I found it just as easy to cut out the old PVC, which was plugged and replace. The pipe is cheap and easy enough to do.
For the cost of the jetting, you can just replace it. In an unfinished basement it should be pretty easy. I was doing it above my suspended ceiling in the basement. I also had to rehang it as the hangers had broke, which helped cause the problem. |
|
DennisPremium,Mod
join:2001-01-26
Algonquin, IL
kudos:5 Host:
Chicago
Users find Hot Deals
Users find Hot Dea..
Requests for Hot D..
Home Improvement
| said by cwm1276:For the cost of the jetting, you can just replace it.
That was on my list of options but I took it off because of the 1% chance that the clog might not be in the 23' run but rather in the 5' feet of pipe that drops it down into the basement.
--
My Blog. Because I desperately need the acknowledgement of others.
The Judd Family site! |
|
 BubbaGIT-R-DONEPremium,MVM
join:2002-08-19
St. Andrews | reply to Dennis
Does the 23' run have adequate fall/pitch/slope ?
~ 1/4" per ft |
|
 ChinaboundPremium
join:2002-12-21
Antioch, IL
kudos:3 | reply to Dennis
said by Dennis:Anybody here ever had to pay for that before? Yes, almost two years ago.
I was never happy with the drain of the utility sink next to the garage. Then, the kitchen sink began slowing down. Like you, I began wondering what kind of guck has been accumulating since 1975. So, I called a place called All Clear Sewer and Drainage out of Antioch (they work all over Chicagoland, though), and hired them to jet the 2 1/2" PVC pipe all the way to the septic tank - about 75 feet.
They were here for about 90 minutes, and the total charge was $210. |
|
 HallPremium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
kudos:2 | reply to whocares
Hot water just moves the fat and grease a short distance before it cools down enough and re-forms. It MIGHT make it out of your home's system eventually. |
|
HallPremium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
kudos:2 | reply to Dennis
said by Dennis: That was on my list of options but I took it off because of the 1% chance that the clog might not be in the 23' run but rather in the 5' feet of pipe that drops it down into the basement. Vertical pipes shouldn't clog that badly. They might not be pretty, but should certainly be in better shape than horizontal runs.
What about using enzyme drain treatments for a month or so to "eat" the fat/grease ? Since you're careful about what you put down the drain, you shouldn't have to use it long-term. |
|
| reply to Dennis
said by Dennis:Background: House built in 1989,...
I suspect that the pipe is just clogged up with grease/junk/i don't wanna know after the last 30 years and from the previous owners.
If the house was built in 1989 it does not have 30 years yet.
In any case I think you need to buy any enzyme liquid to cut the grease alternating with the snake. I hope it helps. |
|
 VoxxjinMade of HamburgerPremium
join:2010-01-13
San Antonio, TX
·Time Warner Cable
| reply to Dennis
You also might be able to rent a pipe inspection camera from somewhere. Maybe from Home Depot or somewhere. No idea on cost but it might help to answer your question.
If nothing else is backing up in the house but that one drain and it is the only drain that connects to that pipe (the 23' one), it is likely that pipe and replacing that pipe might be the easiest way depending on how easy it is to access it.
--
Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war |
|
garys_2kPremium
join:2004-05-07
Farmington, MI Reviews:
 ·callwithus
·Callcentric
| reply to Bubba
said by Bubba:Does the 23' run have adequate fall/pitch/slope ?
~ 1/4" per ft
+1 on that. Nothing will clog a drain quicker than a local low spot. |
|
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
kudos:1 | reply to Dennis
Pour hot water + Laundry detergent with the snake still in drain pipe, spin the snake. The wire will beat crud off the walls of the pipe. Pull the snake out while hot water is continuously running past the snake head. |
|
DennisPremium,Mod
join:2001-01-26
Algonquin, IL
kudos:5 Host:
Chicago
Users find Hot Deals
Users find Hot Dea..
Requests for Hot D..
Home Improvement
| reply to garys_2k
rough sketch |
said by garys_2k:said by Bubba:Does the 23' run have adequate fall/pitch/slope ?
~ 1/4" per ft
+1 on that. Nothing will clog a drain quicker than a local low spot. Oh the slope on it is a joke I promise. And yeah it's 23 not thirty I must have been using government math when I came up with that. 
The long run between the access point in the basement and the vertical drop is what I've talked about replacing. Only problem is that if the clog is indeed between the access point and the kitchen sink I'm back to square one.
Leaning towards clog hog at this point since $100 is still less than a plumber would charge me I'm sure even if I had everything ready to go.
--
My Blog. Because I desperately need the acknowledgement of others.
The Judd Family site! |
|
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
kudos:1 | said by Dennis:The long run between the access point in the basement and the vertical drop is what I've talked about replacing. Only problem is that if the clog is indeed between the access point and the kitchen sink I'm back to square one.
You did take apart the trap and look at it carefully? Its just compression fitting so no PVC work is involved. The trap can wind up with high density dirt/grit/metal shavings/sand, that will never wash out of the trap through gravity/poured water. No matter how much water you pour, the dirt will be picked up 1/2 an inch then sink through the water flow back to the bottom of the trap. A snake will never get this grit out. |
|
DennisPremium,Mod
join:2001-01-26
Algonquin, IL
kudos:5 Host:
Chicago
Users find Hot Deals
Users find Hot Dea..
Requests for Hot D..
Home Improvement
| said by patcat88:You did take apart the trap and look at it carefully? Its just compression fitting so no PVC work is involved.
Oh yeah,when I replaced the sink about 2 1/2 years ago I took everything apart and cleaned it (had to replace some of it but that's a different story about emergency plumbers).
»www.dennisjudd.com/?p=1509
--
My Blog. Because I desperately need the acknowledgement of others.
The Judd Family site! |
|
robbinPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
kudos:1 | reply to Dennis
said by Dennis:Leaning towards clog hog at this point since $100 is still less than a plumber would charge me I'm sure even if I had everything ready to go.
It is definitely worth it. One nice thing about it is if you have an extension hose for your pressure washer you can take it up on the roof (with the washer still on the ground) and clean any and all lines out through the vent pipes. The pipes will be totally clean when you are finished. Obviously, this pipe has to be done from inside, but once you see how well it works you will want to jet as much as you can get to. I see a lot more buildup these days than I used to. I think it's a combination of modern soaps and lower hot water settings. The ClogHog really gets the job done well and it is also easy to use. I also own a professional drain auger (Rigid with 100' 1/2" snake) and I now try my ClogHog before the auger. If I have to use the auger, I then use the ClogHog to finish the job and get the pipe really clean. |
|
 leiboldPremium,MVM
join:2002-07-09
Sunnyvale, CA
kudos:6
 ·SONIC.NET
| reply to Dennis
said by Dennis:said by whocares :After you snake it, run some really hot water down the drain. I've tried that but hasn't helped. If it is soap and grease scum then hot water does indeed help, but it needs to be run continuously for a long time. Stopping the hot water just allows the scum to coagulate again. Since you have access to the drain pipe in the basement check at the far end of the pipe and don't turn off the hot water on the sink until the pipe had time to get properly hot (allow for extra time depending how far that scum still has to go down the drain).
--
Got some spare cpu cycles ? Join Team Helix or Team Starfire! |
|
