Main Line Clog: what are my best options?

[LucasHugh]

Hi,

The water in the whole house started to back up. I went to Home Depot to rent a Drain Cleaner. They told me a Houston company only charges 69$ to run the Cleaner and use a camera. I opted to do that since it was cheaper than renting all the stuff myself. The guy who came out was a real nice guy. He ran the snake twice and then sent in the camera. I will link the video and attach photos.

He thought that the pipe had separated or been smashed allowing dirt to come in when a fence was put in 3 years ago. They said they would fix it for $2500ish. I don't have that kind of money right so my dad and I started to dig it up ourselves to see what was going on. (see attached photos)

What would be the best way to remove that Blockage?

Thanks

Video link of inside line :

 

[Smooky]

You should be able to dig out more and see if you can take it apart.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[LucasHugh]

The black part is the 6" or 8" mainline for my neighbors as well. Not sure if I can start taking that apart.

Would a line snake be able to get this out? He was only using a 75 foot line with some type of smooth exploring tip. I am not sure if it ever hit the clog.

or

I could cut the white section of the pipe and knock the piece out.

or

Cut 1.5 inch circle at the top and knock it out and patch the hole

 

[Reach4]

I guess you found out why the pipe appeared to turn black. What is that black pipe, another plastic? Or is the black a black rubber flex piece?

Just saw your post about the neighbors line. I suggest that you make a sketch a top view of what you think the pipe paths in that area are taking. That photo looks like really bad work to me. I am not a plumber or other pro.

I think you will want to add a cleanout

 

[LucasHugh]

I guess you found out why the pipe appeared to turn black. What is that black pipe, another plastic? Or is the black a black rubber flex piece?

The black pipe is the city mainline pipe for the neighborhood that runs to the main sewer

 

[Reach4]

I think you are saying that the city sewer runs about where I drew the light green lines. Then the black thing is a saddle sewer tap. Or maybe the bottom of the sewer line is more where I drew the red line.

https://www.fernco.com/plumbing/flexible-couplings/flexible-tap-saddles

 

[Themp]

Does the city own the black pipe for any obstructions? Usually the city is responsible for any problems after you connect to their line. The video you posted shows no blockage until after your PVC line connects to the city. It could be a close call here on who owns it.

If a camera made it down to this blockage then usually you can have a plumber run a high pressure water jet down the line to try and break up that white stuff. But in the end a clean out before the connection to the city line would be the best for the future.

Here is one plumbing company that does this: https://www.quality-plumbing.com/high-pressure-water-jet-cleaning/

 

[LucasHugh]

Does the city own the black pipe for any obstructions? Usually the city is responsible for any problems after you connect to their line. The video you posted shows no blockage until after your PVC line connects to the city. It could be a close call here on who owns it.

If a camera made it down to this blockage then usually you can have a plumber run a high pressure water jet down the line to try and break up that white stuff. But in the end a clean out before the connection to the city line would be the best for the future.

Here is one plumbing company that does this: https://www.quality-plumbing.com/high-pressure-water-jet-cleaning/

I was going to call the city to see what they say. If it is a saddle sewer tap would it be bad to pull it off clean and put it back on?

 

[LucasHugh]

View attachment 36113 I think you are saying that the city sewer runs about where I drew the light green lines. Then the black thing is a saddle sewer tap. Or maybe the bottom of the sewer line is more where I drew the red line.

https://www.fernco.com/plumbing/flexible-couplings/flexible-tap-saddles

Yes that is where the lines run. I am going to go dig around it some more to see it better and I will get some pics

 

[Reach4]

The city... I don't know. I could see it going more than way... one way is they say it is their problem and they will fix it. Another way is that it is your responsibility to pay for, and they want to limit who can do the work. I expect somebody with relevant experience will be able to give you good info.

You got an incredible deal on the camera work. That usually runs hundreds of dollars.

Yes, more pictures would be good. Try to show a side view of the fittings during the transition. Does that saddle tee come off at a right angle to the pipe, or is it a wye?

EDIT... viewing the Youtube video again, it kinda looks like the clog mass is after the saddle. If that is the case, it would be the city's responsiblity. I may be mistaken about the clog location. What does it look like to you, now that you have seen the piping from both sides?

 

[wallbobby]

what is that, anyway?

 

[LucasHugh]

Opened it up and cleaned it out and closed it back up

 

[Reach4]

Nice. Where was the clog?

 

[Standardairconditioner]

Since there was no pipe damage as the plumber originally thought, I'm curious if sewer jetting would have solved this non-evasively, albiet something nice for 4" and a Briggs&Stratton pressure washer. I've had good results doing this to 1.5" and 2" DWV's with an electric.

 

[Absaroka Joe]

The company couldn't stay in business long cleaning and video inspecting sewer mains for 69 bucks. But business would be good if they regularly found problems and dug them up for several k. Hum. So they saw a crushed pipe that wasn't crushed and a clog that didn't get unclogged?