How to get hard plastic piece out of the drain?

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sgenchev

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Hi,
One of my toilets was constantly clogging up, so finally I used a camera to look at what keeps causing this. Turns out, I have an almost round plastic piece that stuck in a pipe like a butterfly valve. It turns freely, I can "open" and "close" it easily, but is stuck very hard at he axis.
It did not fall down there; I am pretty sure that it got there at the time plumbing was built. It is a hard plastic, at least as hard as PVC. I can catch it with a hook, but it is stuck there: I do not have enough strength to pull it out, so, I am guessing, that if I were to force it even more, it might start breaking pipes. It is only about 2 feet away from the toilet flange hole.
This toilet is down in a basement. I would need to break up concrete to get to the pipes. Maybe this is what needs to be done, but before I do that, can you think of something that can be done? Drill it out somehow? Or any other suggestions?
Thank you!
 

Reach4

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How about posting a photo. You can upload a photo 800 pixels or less and 200KB or less. Alternatively post a link that does not need a sign-in.

I am not a plumber. I would be inclined to pull with some mechanical assistance. Drain cleaning specialists have various cutters that might be effective.
 

Cacher_Chick

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If the line were going to a pumped basin, you could push it back up from the basin end. I am guessing that it is plastic, and a root cutter on a rodding machine might catch it. Is there a cleanout for that line?
 

Koa

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There are wire saws for PVC or tree limbs that could probably cut it in half. You want to slip some rags or something beneath it hung from wires to stop pieces from falling down pipe. You also might be able to either cut it in half by heating wire and punching/melting a bunch of holes through it allowing it to be flexible enough to pull up.
 

Highlander

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As I re-read the description of the flap being solidly anchored at the pivot point, I wonder if it's not some sort of check-valve/backup preventer (maybe not the right model/type but something that was put in with good intentions when the toilet plumbing was installed).
 
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