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I climbed on the roof and stuck a 20 foot painter's pole down the stack vent. Once the pole reached and removed the clog, I used a garden hose to flush the vent. No issues 4 years later.
With enough water, and if you can get through the clog, it simply ends up washing into the main sewer and on to the treatment plant. That's one reason I mentioned jetting as an option, the nozzles work their way through the clog, then it goes into the sewer. You can see examples of this on YouTube from a channel called DrainAddict, an Australian jetter who has 400+ videos up. The jetters can get through concrete...
With enough water, and if you can get through the clog, it simply ends up washing into the main sewer and on to the treatment plant. That's one reason I mentioned jetting as an option, the nozzles work their way through the clog, then it goes into the sewer. You can see examples of this on YouTube from a channel called DrainAddict, an Australian jetter who has 400+ videos up. The jetters can get through concrete...
I may call and get some prices on what they would charge to do the jetting on my pipe, I have seen the county workers using this though, the jets are very powerful! it probably wouldnt take them 10 minutes to unclog mine!
Im also curious about how all that stuff built up in there, the protective screen on the roof vent has been up as long as Ive lived here and it looks like its been on for many many years, there was never a second floor bathroom, so 'nothing' would have ever been coming down that vent pipe...I guess it could have been kids playing around decades ago, maybe throwing small rocks down the vent, then leaves, etc fall in and eventually it forms a clog in the elbow 90...then you get 50+ yrs of rain and snow melt...water builds up in there, turning it into a nasty muddy mix...I will say it STINKS like nothing else I have ever seen!!!!
I may call and get some prices on what they would charge to do the jetting on my pipe, I have seen the county workers using this though, the jets are very powerful! it probably wouldnt take them 10 minutes to unclog mine!
Im also curious about how all that stuff built up in there, the protective screen on the roof vent has been up as long as Ive lived here and it looks like its been on for many many years, there was never a second floor bathroom, so 'nothing' would have ever been coming down that vent pipe...I guess it could have been kids playing around decades ago, maybe throwing small rocks down the vent, then leaves, etc fall in and eventually it forms a clog in the elbow 90...then you get 50+ yrs of rain and snow melt...water builds up in there, turning it into a nasty muddy mix...I will say it STINKS like nothing else I have ever seen!!!!
That’s because most of it is most likely human waste. Along with toilet paper, toothpaste, hair, dander, etc. Plus, the rust from the pipe itself and minerals from the water.
That’s because most of it is most likely human waste. Along with toilet paper, toothpaste, hair, dander, etc. Plus, the rust from the pipe itself and minerals from the water.
...or iron loving bacteria, plus hydrogen sulfide gas, which can STANK!
Anything that impedes the flow providing there is a flow tends to let solids accumulate.
Had one place with a sag in the line... support cut or came loose and over time this allowed material to build up.
Cast Iron can be very rough inside and also impedes.
As mentioned before... some conserve water so much the pipe never really get a good flush.
Some of my elders have passed on simple things... one of my neighbors years ago at 90 lived alone... every year so took out all her stove gas burners and soaked them and cleaned every orifice... she also weekly a kettle of piping hot water down the kitchen sink... she said in 55 years she never had a clog... can't argue with what works...
She was also fastidious using strainers... the kind of little basket for the old 1920's sinks with the metal wire to retrieve...
When I snake lines I always have the water flowing and snake several times to breakup and move the blockage down the line and out the lateral...
Plastic properly installed has been about as trouble free as I could imagine for me... it flows better and chemical resistant unlike cast iron that I've seen made into Swiss Cheese from acid...
Really appreciate your posting and follow ups as this is how we learn.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 11-20-2020 at 08:13 PM..
Update...I ended up cutting a small square hole in the elbow of the pipe, (in basement), spent about 30 min digging 'stuff' out, I had a garbage can with a contractor grade bag directly below.
The worst part of it was when I had most of the solid stuff out...there was about 3ft of liquid on top of that, that came gushing out once the sold stuff wasnt there anymore...that stuff went EVERYWHERE.
After I had it all removed, I took the garden hose and sprayed up into it, (both directions), and let it drain out, I did this a few times and each time the water ran more clear.
I then let it dry out for a couple days, I kept the small square piece I cut out, I bolted a long strip of metal to it and placed it back in the hole, (the long piece of metal was to keep the square piece in position), I used JB weld on the seams...
( I thought about MIG welding the square piece back in, but after talking to some welders about welding cast iron, I decided against it.)
Since I had a hole on the second floor, which was directly above where I cut the piece out, I bought some liquid rubbery stuff, and poured some down the pipe...the idea being, so it runs down and fills interior cut lines...that is in the process of drying now, once its dry, Im going to pour some water down and see if its water tight, (it should be), but if not, I will use more rubbery liquid, or seal it better on the outside.
The strangest part about all of this, NOTHING has changed in relation to how any of my drains, drain, or how my toilet flushes, its all exactly the same as when there was 4ft of solid clog on the vent stack??!! I dont know what to make of that...is this big vent stack useless?
There’s probably a bunch of less serious blockages in your system other than where you were able to access it and clean-out that particular blockage.
Probably best to have your entire system jetted out and if the flow remains the same, it should be checked out with a camera. It’s fairly reasonable cost wise and best to have and know that your waste lines are clear and unimpeded.
Still thinking the problem is bigger in that the cause for the accumulation is yet to be discovered
I've cut out sections and replaced with a clean out so no future cutting required...
I know what will make you Thankful this Thanksgiving Day
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