Sewer Line Clog Remains After Snaking

[Stephen Ouellette]

We have an underfloor sewer line and 1/2 of the house is backing up. The 1/2 of the house at the sewer end of the house is fine, the balance of the house backs up until it flows out of toilet joint. We have isolated the blockage to a 20 foot section from a floor clean out heading to the outside sewer connection. The snake moves easily through this section, using many different sized tools. Still no water flow.
It clogged last year and they just kept clearing it for hours until it finally opened up.
Ten years ago a professional finally got it cleared using a rag wrapped around a hone.
Today, the service company is still trying to clear it, with no water flow.

My suggestion was to insert a water snake past the blockage and keep moving it back to clear it. Despite my request, they did not bring a water snake.

How do we get this flowing and how do I prevent this in the future?

 

[Reach4]

To prevent, assuming you already know to not put anything but TP and body waste down the toilet (no "wipes" for example), you would need to know the pipe configuration. Can you see the pipes from the crawlspace or basement? Otherwise you would need camera work to see what was going on.

Did you try John's drain cleaning?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Stephen Ouellette]

We are very careful about what goes down the drain. Currently we have three adults in the building and no one uses wipes or flushes anything other than body waste and toilet paper. My father worked as a plumber and my family owns boats, so we adhere to these basic rules.

I have not tried John's drain service, we currently use Wind River.

Further info-all pipes are 4 inch iron and there are no trees or plants within 30 feet of the house, and the blockage is in a section under the middle of the basement floor, so no roots... Last time, videoed revealed no issues after it was cleared.

 

[Reach4]

Middle of the basement floor? Is that waste coming from the main floor?

Can you run a large or medium Brasscraft drain bladder closer to the clog?

 

[Stephen Ouellette]

For only an additional $635 they sent a water jet up (which I had requested originally). and within 5 minutes water was running through the pipe. Took 10-15 minutes to get the pipe clear and running freely just working the jet slowly back through the sludge. I am suspecting the switch over to water saver toiletss and overall water conservation is most of the problem, since the system sees little flow. Time to re-evaluate TP choices.

Unfortunately, the only access is a T in the floor, which is about 14 inches below floor level.

 

[Terry H]

The jetter is the way to go once it gets caked on the side enough. A cable can’t clean like a jetter. When it gets to that point the cable just pokes a hole through especially if the operator isn’t good at working the cable and aware of what to feel for.

 

[Jeff H Young]

According to your description the blockage is real close to the floor clean out. something going on there try to blast it out with a hose . so you already know youve got a repaeat problen need to use more water avoid garbage disposal too

 

[Stephen Ouellette]

This time he went back and forth with the snake, put a rag on it... It was like a thick mud and still wouldn't allow water to pass. A few minutes with the snake and it was fine. He cleaned it for a while to make sure it was clear and we were able to run pretty much everything at once with no backup. Thinking about adding a pressure alarm to the clean out.
Fortunately my garbage disposal is on the other side of the house and feeds directly to the sewer line at the foundation.
I have instructed everyone to feel free to flush twice when using TP.

 

[Reach4]

Glad it is working.

I have instructed everyone to feel free to flush twice when using TP.

A bidet attachment, even a cheap unheated one, can reduce TP usage considerably. Cleaner results too.

 

[Jeff H Young]

could get into many details but there is obviously a problem .
some options
1 deal with it when it acts up repeatedly
2 I cant tell based on the little detail. but if you can pin point relatively close and there is C/O near by run a camera. but you should already know where problem is jack hammer up floor and repair. Dosent anyone that comes out have anything to say? good chance a section of pipe is basicaly gone . just my opinion Im really not a drain specialist one thing for sure it aint gona fix itself