Plumber East End

sburns

sburns

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Hey guys,

Dealing with a clog, which is causing my main line drain to slowly release, and back up a bit. I've snaked it a few times (50ft and 100ft snakes), and rented a couple of augers from home depot without freeing up what's down there. Might be time to call a pro.

Anyone have any recommendations. East end (Scarborough)

Thanks!
 
sburns said:
For a motorbike! :p

Yeah I know what you are implying. 😞
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I don't know what's available in toronto. Cast-in-place lining is possible which is much cheaper than digging and leaves you with a slippery pipe that roots can't penetrate. A lot depends on the condition of your existing pipe. I would be looking for someone to do camera/auger/camera.
 
oioioi said:
Just pray it's on the city side.
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Oh here is a story for you, @GreyGhost you might like this.

So I did call Rotorooter, just to see what their pricing is like etc. They did mention that the clog could be on the city portion of line, and they would come out and clear it. Ok cool, I do some more of my own DIY snaking just to make sure, like 100ft which should be out to the city portion. Put the call into the city, they say might need access to the house to do whatever they need to do.
Tech show up last night, pops open the street sewer cover, looks with a flashlight, and says it's ok.
Asks where the clean out is, I don't have one, older home. But I have removed the toilet as instructed. Nope can't do anything without the clean out. I'm like ok, not what I was told.
Said I snaked it 3 times with 100ft, clog must be at the city side, says oh maybe the snake circled back on you then! ???
I have another call with the city to talk with some supervisor, I'm not hopeful.

So checking now to see if a plumber can do this and I can just move on, or just call Rotorooter back 🤷‍♂️
(I f'n hate this sht)
 
Sounds like you will need to get it camera located so you can go back to the city. It's a couple hundred bucks for that.
 
You have a cleanout somewhere, unless it's been removed or covered over. Find the location of your main stack, that's the 3 or 4" pipe that runs vertically thru the basement floor. If your house was originally on a septic, it will run horizontally out thry the basement wall2-6' below grade. There will be a large Y fitting and a cap within a foot or so of where it goes thru. If it's ABS, use a pipe wrench to unscrew the cap. If it's cast, you need to use penetrating oil, then a hammer on the tabs to unscrew.

If you're rooted up or greased and rooted up, you'll need a root cutter head for the snake. Ask for one at the tool rental place or buy a cheepie off amazon or HD for about $30. (you don't need a pro cutter head, the cheap ones work for about 10 cleanings). Clip the head on at the end of the snake then feed the running snake slowly down the cleanout.

You will have trouble using a cheepie $30 boroscope on a 4" drain, it will curl up in a few feet (think pushing a shoelace) , a proper drain scope costs $300 or more. If you have a boroscope with a 15m line, you can zip tie it to the snake as long as you can hand feed the snake thru the drain.

You can clear roots, but you can't stop them from coming back. I'll use foaming root killer if the drain is still flowing (not completely clogged) , it's a $30 temp fix (works 90%of the time for me) - then it's a once a year application. Just pour into your cleanout, or pop off your toilet nearest the basement and pour it into the flange. DO NOT POUR IT DOWN THE TOILET OR ANY DRAIN THAT HAS A TRAP. You need 12 hours min with no drain activity, leave it overnight, no flushing, showers or water in the drains at all, make sure no water flows to the drains from your furnace, AC or trap primers.
 
Soulcatcher668 said:
Sounds like you will need to get it camera located so you can go back to the city. It's a couple hundred bucks for that.
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Knowing how dumb the world is today with passing the buck, the plumber will say the clog is on the city side call them, the city will say no clean out so nothing, and I'll be left with no solution. 🤷‍♂️
 
sburns said:
Knowing how dumb the world is today with passing the buck, the plumber will say the clog is on the city side call them, the city will say no clean out so nothing, and I'll be left with no solution. 🤷‍♂️
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While you can measure the length of snake out and make assumptions, some have a locating beacon on the head so you can go and locate and paint a line on the lawn. Depending on vintage, sometimes the physical transition between city and and you is visible as well (eg two different materials). The last two options are better than the first one.
 
Mad Mike said:
You have a cleanout somewhere, unless it's been removed or covered over. Find the location of your main stack, that's the 3 or 4" pipe that runs vertically thru the basement floor. If your house was originally on a septic, it will run horizontally out thry the basement wall2-6' below grade. There will be a large Y fitting and a cap within a foot or so of where it goes thru. If it's ABS, use a pipe wrench to unscrew the cap. If it's cast, you need to use penetrating oil, then a hammer on the tabs to unscrew.

If you're rooted up or greased and rooted up, you'll need a root cutter head for the snake. Ask for one at the tool rental place or buy a cheepie off amazon or HD for about $30. (you don't need a pro cutter head, the cheap ones work for about 10 cleanings). Clip the head on at the end of the snake then feed the running snake slowly down the cleanout.

You will have trouble using a cheepie $30 boroscope on a 4" drain, it will curl up in a few feet (think pushing a shoelace) , a proper drain scope costs $300 or more. If you have a boroscope with a 15m line, you can zip tie it to the snake as long as you can hand feed the snake thru the drain.

You can clear roots, but you can't stop them from coming back. I'll use foaming root killer if the drain is still flowing (not completely clogged) , it's a $30 temp fix (works 90%of the time for me) - then it's a once a year application. Just pour into your cleanout, or pop off your toilet nearest the basement and pour it into the flange. DO NOT POUR IT DOWN THE TOILET OR ANY DRAIN THAT HAS A TRAP. You need 12 hours min with no drain activity, leave it overnight, no flushing, showers or water in the drains at all, make sure no water flows to the drains from your furnace, AC or trap primers.
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Thanks Mike,

Now that you mention this stuff, when I renovated the basement, we found a large 3" pipe behind a wall. Same side as the plumbing stack. It was already disconnected but ended close enough to the outside wall, and to the plumbing stack. This probably was the clean out. So that is a no go. But can't I just use the basement toilet?

What is the root killing foam product?

Also the product @Gary posted earlier is acid based, there seems to be some cautions using this type for pipes as it has the potential to cause damage.
 
GreyGhost said:
While you can measure the length of snake out and make assumptions, some have a locating beacon on the head so you can go and locate and paint a line on the lawn. Depending on vintage, sometimes the physical transition between city and and you is visible as well (eg two different materials). The last two options are better than the first one.
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Actually I kinda know where the city portion starts. I don't have sidewalks here, and we have ditches for drainage, the city redid all the drainage pipes for the ditches, so they had to repave the end of the driveway. Maybe I should go paint a line at the drive and say this is what the plumber found :LOL:
 
This is my neighbor’s (across the street) main drain. Bell was installing fiber optic cable along Highway 12 through Brooklin last year with a directional boring machine, shortly after he started having problems with his basement flooding etc. This went on for a few months and finally he got someone to run a camera through it. Bell and their contractor are refusing to accept responsibility. This is what he sent them…
 

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sburns said:
Thanks Mike,

Now that you mention this stuff, when I renovated the basement, we found a large 3" pipe behind a wall. Same side as the plumbing stack. It was already disconnected but ended close enough to the outside wall, and to the plumbing stack. This probably was the clean out. So that is a no go. But can't I just use the basement toilet?

What is the root killing foam product?

Also the product @Gary posted earlier is acid based, there seems to be some cautions using this type for pipes as it has the potential to cause damage.
Click to expand...
You can pop the toilet in the basement hopefully it connects to the sanitary line and not a storm line. I’ve seen that mistake before!

The root killer foam wont hurt your plumbing, about $30 a 2 application jug for Green Gobber brand (I only see the 5 application jugs on Amazon - $75). Rootx works too, a lot more expensive.

Snaking with a weed head is still best
 
Mad Mike said:
You can pop the toilet in the basement hopefully it connects to the sanitary line and not a storm line. I’ve seen that mistake before!

The root killer foam wont hurt your plumbing, about $30 a 2 application jug for Green Gobber brand (I only see the 5 application jugs on Amazon - $75). Rootx works too, a lot more expensive.

Snaking with a weed head is still best
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Thanks Mike, yeah it does connect to sanitary. The city did dye testing last year because someone in the neighbourhood was contaminating the storm line. Not me, some idiot up the street connected a toilet to the wrong line.

I saw the gobbler on Amazon, but it seems none of the regular retail stores carry it, makes me think it might not be an approved chemical to use.
 
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Update:
Called around to some plumbers, the last 2 guys I called seem to be the best with both knowledge and pricing.
The others were a bit sketchy with extra charges (machine charge), or wanting to do a site visit then do estimate (probably exorbitant pricing).
 
sburns said:
Update:
Called around to some plumbers, the last 2 guys I called seem to be the best with both knowledge and pricing.
The others were a bit sketchy with extra charges (machine charge), or wanting to do a site visit then do estimate (probably exorbitant pricing).
Click to expand...

Not many plumbers have heavy drain gear, it’s a company tool. Machine charge mean they are renting equipment. Forget them, no gear means they don’t usually do that work.

Rotorooter specializes in this stuff, they’ll be a safe bet and their prices are reasonable.

Things to beware of (some plumbers are snakes themselves). Be sure thy use a 4” pear, root cutter or chain head. Some guys poke thru using a smaller head then tell you they need to call in a hydrojet to clear the pipe. That gets pricey. If you still have some drainage, that’s overwork. Post the quote and I can give you some feedback.

If my gear wasn’t 2000km away I’d do it for you! If you want to DIY, let me know and I’ll detail the gear and procedure.
 
Mad Mike said:
Not many plumbers have heavy drain gear, it’s a company tool. Machine charge mean they are renting equipment. Forget them, no gear means they don’t usually do that work.

Rotorooter specializes in this stuff, they’ll be a safe bet and their prices are reasonable.

Things to beware of (some plumbers are snakes themselves). Be sure thy use a 4” pear, root cutter or chain head. Some guys poke thru using a smaller head then tell you they need to call in a hydrojet to clear the pipe. That gets pricey. If you still have some drainage, that’s overwork. Post the quote and I can give you some feedback.

If my gear wasn’t 2000km away I’d do it for you! If you want to DIY, let me know and I’ll detail the gear and procedure.
Click to expand...
Thanks Mike appreciate it! (y)
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