PIPE FULL OF SEWAGE

[Michael Young]

2" pipe from 3rd floor and the clog is under the slab in the basement. THERE IS NO CLEANOUT! I need to open the sheetrock and install a 2" cleanout tee. Easy to do except the pipe is FULL OF SEWAGE. If I cut the pipe, that sewage is going everywhere. Anybody have any clever tricks that would allow me to drill into the pipe to bleed off the water so I can install this cleanout without making a huge mess

 

[Terry]

I assume you've tried snaking from the third floor first to see if you can clear it that way.

You could try drilling a small hole and have buckets ready, and an extra pair of hands to keep dumping them. It still sounds messy though. Removing a cleanout would be messy too though.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Snaking from the roof is pretty common too, but I would have a pro do that. There is fall danger, and you would be better off with a bigger snake than the home user should use.

Rethinking, if the problem is actually in the 2 inch pipe, rodding from the roof would probably not get it.

 

[Jadnashua]

A 2" pipe might not be horribly gross as it should not have any waste from the toilet (which would have to be at least a 3" pipe). Still could be nasty, but not chunky!

 

[FullySprinklered]

Had a customer with some blistering paint down low on the wall of the landing as the stairs did a 90 going upstairs. Went down in the unfinished basement and found that the stub-down vent pipe for the never-installed basement bathroom, was very slowly leaking at the in-the-pipe cap and soaking the adjacent sheetrock from the other side of the wall.
Having done this before I was ready for anything. Customer and his son were standing by with buckets while I drilled a 1/4 inch hole in the pipe. It had 20 years to fill up with rainwater, so when I drilled through the 2" pvc ,water sprayed out like a firehose and soaked all three of us down pretty good in about two seconds. So much for being prepared. I always try to impress my customers with my knowledge and expertise.
So, if you're going to drill that pipe, be prepared for anything.

 

[Michael Young]

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'm going to drill a hole and see how that goes. I did have the thought to use a service saddle to give me a little more control. Just a thought. I've never tried it before.

 

[Terry]

The saddle valve sounds like a good idea. You could thread in a ball valve or sillcock quickly and after that have a more controlled draining experience.

 

[Reach4]

Having done this before I was ready for anything. Customer and his son were standing by with buckets while I drilled a 1/4 inch hole in the pipe.

Maybe Michael could start with 1/8 inch?

 

[hj]

the "high tech" way of doing it would be to place the saddle on the pipe, install a close nipple and valve, then attach my "hot tap drill"to the open valve, drill the hole, retract the hot tap, close the valve and remove the drill from it. then open the valve to drain the water.

 

[FullySprinklered]

The saddle valve sounds like a good idea. You could thread in a ball valve or sillcock quickly and after that have a more controlled draining experience.

" A more controlled draining experience" Tears are rolling down my face.

 

[Nakopf]

A 2" pipe might not be horribly gross as it should not have any waste from the toilet (which would have to be at least a 3" pipe). Still could be nasty, but not chunky!

Kitchen sink funk can trump blackwater at times...

 

[Michael Young]

i'm liking HJs idea. sounds like the safest way to control the funk

 

[hj]

All you need is someone with a "hot tap machine/drill".

 

[Reach4]

i'm liking HJs idea. sounds like the safest way to control the funk

I enjoyed his humorous proposal also.