| Author |
Message |
    
jrbell
Citizen
Username: Jrbell
Post Number: 62
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 4:04 pm: |     |
I mentioned a few days ago that the drain in the third floor bathtub was very slow... I tried using an enzyme cleaner and it hasn't worked.
I also notice that if I run water in the sink, it will eventually back up and begin to flow into the tub... makes me think the blockage might be in the waste pipe.
Any advice on what I can/should do to resolve the problem? I'd really love to make it a working bathroom, but it's a hard sell with no place to take a shower. |
Sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 447
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 4:06 pm: | |
Snake it. |
jrbell
Citizen
Username: Jrbell
Post Number: 63
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 4:15 pm: | |
I bought one of those snakes that attaches to the end of a power drill and when I mentioned that on here a couple weeks ago, a couple people warned me against doing this b/c my pipes could be made of lead. Sounds like good advice since the snake could fracture the soft metal.
My house was built in 1939... Anyone know if this is late enough that I don't have to worry? |
crabbyappleton
Citizen
Username: Crabbyappleton
Post Number: 19
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 4:16 pm: | |
call a plumber if the snake doesn't work. I had the same problem. the plumber had to take the toilet off it's footing (?) and then get down into the waste pipe. he pulled out an old cloth diaper! whodathunk. |
jfburch
Citizen
Username: Jfburch
Post Number: 1335
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 5:44 pm: | |
The plumber who snaked ours has also found a wig. Ours just had a boatload of hair.
Professional snaking is probably safer than amateur, but it is always a risk. On the other hand, it's the only thing that's gonna move a diaper, wig, or ginormous hairball.
|
Sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 450
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 8:31 pm: | |
I snake my shower about three times a year, my house was built ~1930. To get mine flowing again the snake does not go in very deep...maybe 4-6 inches.
Do you know where the tub and sink connect to the waste pipe? Perhaps that is the joint that is the problem. |
jgberkeley
Supporter
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 3520
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 9:51 pm: | |
The lead fixtures you have been warned about were only used on the toliets. Snake from a drain, sink or tub and you have little to fear.
From the first post the clog is down the drain beyond the join of the tub and the sink. I'd like to know, when the sink is backing up into the tub, what happens when you flush the toliet?
That will be the key clue.
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic. |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 4951
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 4:29 am: | |
George, they were also used on the tubs, between the trap and the cast iron soil stack.
I have seen this and have had to have it repaired in our first house. |
Richard O'Connor
Citizen
Username: Roconn
Post Number: 208
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 6:45 am: | |
Lead bends got used in both tub traps and toilets ... I've seen them both places in homes of this age.
As weird as this sounds ... since the problem might potentially be just a lot of old buildup ... have you considered running huge quantities of hot water through it to soften it some then the pipe cleaning stuff then more hot water?
Strikes me, before getting into the land of a plumber, 50 gallons of hot water, followed by the cleaner, wait an hour (got to let the hot water heater recover) more hot water might speed things up ....
If that doesn't work though...and since you're over plaster ceilings on your third floor, its likely time to call a plumber ....
(If the worst happens (pipe cracked/broken) usually your homeowner's policy will pay for the repairs to the walls, but not the plumbing.
Richard (ROC)
--Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.--
--AIM: ROConn |
jrbell
Citizen
Username: Jrbell
Post Number: 64
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 14, 2004 - 6:42 pm: | |
I'll try the hot water/cleaner treatment... although I did use a whole bottle of that green stuff (enzyme cleaner) and it didn't have much effect.
I tried the toilet thing and when the sink/tub are both backed up and draining slow, the toilet has no problem. I recently installed a new 1.6 gallon/flush toilet and I even tried flushing it twice in quick succession and there was not problem with the drainage.
So I'll try the hot water, then snake, then call a plumber if it either isn't fixed or starts to shoot water out of one of the walls.
Sound good? |
Richard O'Connor
Citizen
Username: Roconn
Post Number: 213
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 7:23 am: | |
Sounds like a good plan ... just easy going with the snake and you should be fine
Richard (ROC)
--Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.--
--AIM: ROConn |
JGTierney
Citizen
Username: Jtg7448
Post Number: 145
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 2:01 pm: | |
Turns out in our upstairs bath, there wasn't
a blockage.
We were do some repiping in general so we had the
plumber replace the old lead bends (from both the tub and the toilet).
Turns out the pipe from the tub was jammed into the waste pipe. The water never had a chance to drain properly. The strange part was this was the original installation?!?!?
Just unseat the toilet and take a look. You can reseat a toilet by yourself. |
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