Shifted branch line pipe. does this look odd to you? liner possible?

[Gramps]

2 years ago or so I replaced all of the clay tile pipe in my laundry room with PVC. there were some clay to PVC connections when the drain company installed it. However 6 months ago, and again yesturday (has not be repaired yet), a branch line is clogged.
The first time this happened i had a drain company snake it out and i took a picture of the joint. It was then that the drain tech told me that i would have to break the floor and repair the connection. he also said that this joint was not done properly. what should it have been?

With a high sticker shock, i convinced myself it was a fluke and forgot about it quickly thereafter. I found out yesturday it was not as it is clogged again. I have not yet contacted the (reputable) company about this.

I managed to capture a few pictures during the first snake. This does look separated to me. The tech also told me that one of the main line connections down stream was not that good either.

What do you think when you see this picture? I managed to find a (corrrupted) picture of the pipe after it was installed 2 years ago or so.

thanks
-g

 

[Dj2]

Was the plumber who snaked the line the first time able to tell you what was causing the stoppage?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Gramps]

he said toilet paper. toilet paper he said will find a little spot and build up over time. When he snaked it, it literally took 5 seconds when the camera hit the blockage and then everything cleared.

side note, i was wondering if putting a liner would work. i really don't want to rip up my floor again.

 

[Reach4]

The pictures look impressive. Is that ultrasound? However I can't see the potential defect that you see.

You have a candidate position for a blockage. I expect that you can find a drain cleaning person who could clear your section drain without using a camera. I would think that might be 2x$125 (the 2x is Toronto or Manhattan factor) for an outside rodding toward the street. If he inside cleanout place is very accessible and you do the cleanup after, I suspect you might get your rodding done. Maybe inside costs a lot more. I don't know. I am not a pro, and my estimate may be way off.

If you get a bidet seat, or even a cheap bidet attachment, you can use much less toilet paper while doing the job better.

 

[Dj2]

Here is something about made in USA toilet paper: It breaks down in water upon contact. I don't know about made in Canada paper.

If your stoppages are getting more frequent, AND if you don't want to rip the floor again, then learn how to snake the line yourself. Get yourself the right equipment, keep it maintained and in good operating condition, learn how to safely use it and save on labor.

 

[Gramps]

I tired to snake it myself with (no laughing!) a hand auger for a sink because that is all i had, unfortunately it is only 1/4" and did felt to be not stiff enough. I tried renting a 1/2" snake, but it didn't fit around a turn in the pipe. (i didn't want to force it) It also had a "claw" on the end which seemed odd to me.

maybe i should try buying a 3/8", or still too small? any suggestions you guys have on which product to buy would be very helpful.

So is that the consensus? that there is really no issue from you can see in the pictures? are connections from clay to PVC sometimes problematic? would a liner even work?

 

[Gramps]

any thoughts?

 

[Gramps]

After the drain company came in, they scoped the lines, and we had quite a it of grease buildup. They recommended spraying it with a special machine. The only concern i have is that i have old clay pipes that don't fit together perfectly, and they may be spraying the soil out that is between the pipes.

Is there a way to minimize the impact of this potential of removing soil, and shifting pipes in the future, or is it not much of a concern?
-g