Waste pipe slope too steep?

[Steve 12]

1913 built home. This waste pipe was installed in 1960 for an addition serving a kitchen, full bath and half bath.
I've had backups twice in 6 years, the clog has been in the main line to the street, (6 inch pipe), main line is about 25 feet away from this area.
About 6 years ago the toilets were updated from big tank toilets to energy efficient toilets. When the clog was augered, the plumber said it was a soft clog, no debris on the auger.
Should I update this pipe to PVC with a correct slope?

 

[John Gayewski]

You need a camera man to get down in there and identify where this is building and why. The slope of that pipe isn't it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jeff H Young]

I see no point in changing the cast iron , Unless you tell me thats where its plugging up and youve exausted efforts to clean it out. In which case its an easy job but if its past there underground then why touch what we see?

 

[Reach4]

1913 built home. This waste pipe was installed in 1960 for an addition serving a kitchen, full bath and half bath.
I've had backups twice in 6 years, the clog has been in the main line to the street, (6 inch pipe), main line is about 25 feet away from this area.
About 6 years ago the toilets were updated from big tank toilets to energy efficient toilets. When the clog was augered, the plumber said it was a soft clog, no debris on the auger.

Some people work around bad underground lines to the sewer by using RV toilet paper. Some is bad, and some is worse at keeping your fingers on the correct side of the TP.

I suggest that you get a bidet seat, or a bidet attachment. That will cause less toilet paper use.

And if you have a garbage disposal, stop using that. Put food solids into the waste can.

One more thing: do sewer backups sometimes happen in your neighborhood? Maybe consider fixing that and the sewer pipe under the lawn with a combined project: "overhead sewer". Yes, big bucks. But it pays off after the first avoided sewer backup of other people's sewage.

If no backups after rain storms, how about getting an outdoor cleanout installed. That is not expensive relative to overhead sewers. Then have your line rodded every 2 years without waiting for a backup.

 

[John Gayewski]

I wish full sized exterior two way cleanouts were a code requirement. It would save the collective population of the US a great deal of money, time, and heartache. There are several customers of ours that have much worse problems than this and a full size two way cleanout is all they need to save them a fortune.

 

[Jeff H Young]

We build a bit differant no crawlspaces on homes for last 60 years, except hillside homes which are common in many places but we have a lot flat land too so a cleanout in front yard or garage floor and then we continue the main through to the back or side of house. maybe the kitchen or a wall cleanout or 2 on big homes. If the entire main is blocked usually just go to front cleanout. otherwise maybe just the back cleanout . thats pretty typical. Unless its old and or hills .

 

[John Gayewski]

We build a bit differant no crawlspaces on homes for last 60 years, except hillside homes which are common in many places but we have a lot flat land too so a cleanout in front yard or garage floor and then we continue the main through to the back or side of house. maybe the kitchen or a wall cleanout or 2 on big homes. If the entire main is blocked usually just go to front cleanout. otherwise maybe just the back cleanout . thats pretty typical. Unless its old and or hills .

We don't have cleanouts here. For some reason people don't see the value. Commercial buildings do, but homes for some reason people leave them out. Why would someone rather a drain cleaner drag equipment through their home rather than have a cleanout in their yard is beyond me.

 

[Jeff H Young]

older homes are hit or miss but homes built in last 35 years generaly are pretty good as far as clean outs

 

[Reach4]

I think it would be possible to have an outside cleanout that passes thru the outside basement wall. As a concept, suppose that long sweep 90 was replaced by a wye, with the straight path thru the basement wall. Then add a 45 to complete the 90 degrees.

So the drain cleaner stands outside, and runs the snake in, and it makes the trip to the street.

I am not a plumber.