Vent Issues continued...

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alannaimee

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A few weeks ago I posted about a slow drain and you guys suggested snaking my main vent stack to clear the blockage.

I was able to do that today and here are my results and more questions.

After 2 and a half hours with the snake, I was unable to clear the stack. When I started, the snake head was coming back with what looked like dirt on them, so I put the hose down the stack in order to loosen it up. The water didn't help and actually never drained out of the stack. In earlier troubleshooting the water would drain, just slowly.

Questions: Am I at the point of cutting out the bend in the stack (where the obstruction is)? If so, is this (cutting and replacing) a job for a decent DIYer?

Thanks again for any help.

Alan
 

hj

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I cannot imagine a vent line accumulating so much dirt that it both plugged up and could not be cleared. What kind of snake are you using, and how far does it go before it does not go any further. Your description of the problem may defy logic.
 

alannaimee

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HJ-

The snake was a "Mini Rooter." (1/3 HP)

I put about 15 feet into the stack before it wouldn't go any further. That is right about the place in the line where it has a 45 into the main drain line.

Not a plumber, but I thought those snakes would get through anything.

Thanks again.
 

hj

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mini rooter

They will go through a lot of things, but it depends on the machine, the operator, and the stoppage. The fitting at that location seldom breaks, but if your house was constructed in the mid 50's, it could have an aluminum fitting at that location. They were prone to revert back to bauxite powder over the years and then your snake would drill into the ground rather than clear the pipe, because there is no pipe left there.
 
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