Clay waste pipe

[Jeff Thies]

I've been rooting out my waste pipe. This is 6" clay pipe. This runs out the side of my house, hangs a right and heads toward the backyard, hangs another right and runs behind the house, another right and runs along the other side of the house. Then it heads through a couple of

120' pine trees before it hits the city sewer. That is as far as I could root it out. The rooter got stuck (electric eel with a bunch of 8 footers on it).

This brings up some questions, aside from why the huge detour.

I'll need to cut the drain pipe and run the snake back in before it hits the pines. I'm thinking masonry wheel in my angle grinder. Rectangular hole and patch it with a bit of screen and hydraulic cement. Does that sound about right? How would I put a clean out in?

I've got rock salt and copper sulfate. I don't want to kill the pines (because I'd have to take them down). Will I have to worry about that?

Jeff

[Joe]

Sooner or later you will give up on the clay drainage pipe like most everyone else has. In its day it was easy to put down and cheap. Currently used plastic comes in 21' lengths in some cases, 10' lengths in others. Depending on your code requirements, a skilled operator could have your whole line replaced in less than a day. Check the prices for the job and weigh it against the aggravation and consider that it won't get much cheaper for a while.

Joe

[hallerb]

hopefully the snake isnt stuck in the line!

if so take a break:) and use the rock salt very strong.

its possible the salt will kill the roots in less than a day and get things moving.

mix rock salt in very hot water, then dont put any water down the drain.

you have nothing to lose but a day waiting and its altogether likely this just may work.

or at least make the roots easier to snake, i assume yoour using a root cutter head?

[hallerb]

copper sulfate may kill the trees,

rock salt is safe it will just kill the roots.

pine tree roots are often pretty small pines are shallow rooted.

dump rock salt water now, and wait till tomorrow to see if it worked.

yeah angle grinder cut line and hydralic cement or even motar, will work fine

[aemeijers]

What he said. And find a shorter route! My house down in Lake Charles, built in 63?, had that Orangeburg crap, one step below clay tile. My father started having problems with it, and was looking for a cheap solution. I told him to replace the whole damn thing with PVC and be done with it, on my nickel. Life is too short for some things. Not slamming clay tile, mind you. If you happen to be in a location without root or frost heave problems, it can last damn near forever. But once it starts screwing up, the labor for a patch isn't that much lower than for a total replacement. And 'fresh sewer line' is a real good selling point.

[Jeff Thies]

Thanks. This is what I will do.

Jeff

[Jeff Thies]

With the way the land falls off there may be a reason why they did the tour. The lot falls away toward the back right corner. I'm resistant to digging out the old line as it runs under a good bit of concrete (~65'), all of it added after the house was built in '29. Unless I'm mistaken that would take one bad horizontal drill to run a sewage line. Am I wrong?

Jeff

Life is too short for some things. Not

[hallerb]

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well if you really dont want to execavate a plumber can clean then line the existing run with a sock like liner.

but it will likely cost about as much as digging. but avoids all the digging issues and restoration

[FatterDumber& Happier Moe]

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What I did, was, dig up enough of the old line to start sliding 4 inch pvc in the old clay tile. I could it crunch every two feet as it cut the roots. I think I put about 40 feet in maybe 50, whatever, it's been over 25 years now and so far no problem. Unless you have a basement the house sewer line usually isn't all that deep until it makes the drop into the city main. You'd be surprised how much you can save with a shovel and get some exercise at the same time. Doesn't tear the yard up near as much either.