In the last 48 hours I've learned a lot more about sewer jetting than I ever cared to know. We were backed up for the first time in the 20+ years we have lived here and the local plumber snaked for hours to no avail. That was late Friday. Saturday I had to pay out the ass, so to speak, to have a different company come and jet the line. It took more time to set up than it did to have success. It seems to me that the jetter is a glorified pressure washer with a very specific nozzle. I am curious if anyone knows if my Honda pressure washer could do the job if I purchased the appropriate hose and nozzle?

For what I paid yesterday this kit would allow me to do the job about 16 times.

Jet Hose

Would it be wrong to shift your gutters into there and let that keep em clean and clear? Seriously I think some of these water conservation fixtures deprive the pipes of the water needed to clear the line.

I think I'd be good right up until I sell the house...

quote:

Originally posted by SHOOTIN BLANKS:
I think I'd be good right up until I sell the house...

If the clog is that severe you most likely have an issue with your drain line. Either the pipe is cracked, has tree roots growing into it, collapsed or has a major snag. Did the guys tell you in what area the clog was? Generally as you snake or jet the pipes, the technician will have an idea of how many feet of hose or snake they've put in until they get to the clog. Chances are it will re-occur and snaking it/jetting it is just clearing it without fixing the issue. This may have just been a one time accurance. How old is your plumbing?

You don't want to route your gutters into your sewer drain line as this will just introduce more crap (leaves etc.) to clog the line.

It’s always worth the $400 to have root-rooter scope your pipes to the street and then run a cutter or wash head thru. Vs doing it yourself....

The clog was about 16' upstream from the access point. It is terra cotta pipe with some minor issues at the joints and one small root which was verified with a camera after the big cleanse.(The jet took out the root) Replacement is inevitable but at about $7,000 I would love to wait until spring. But if this hose deal would work I would love to have it available should the pipe not be interested in my timeline.

They also have a system where they can line the inside of the pipe...my dad is in “the poo” business, although he doesn’t offer that particular service, he says you can flip a coin and either have a backhoe come in and dig it all up and replumb it in PVC now or wait it out for the next month or two while you try and sell it...but clay pipe will die...it’s just a matter of when.

quote:

Originally posted by SHOOTIN BLANKS:
The clog was about 16' upstream from the access point. It is terra cotta pipe with some minor issues at the joints and one small root which was verified with a camera after the big cleanse.(The jet took out the root) Replacement is inevitable but at about $7,000 I would love to wait until spring. But if this hose deal would work I would love to have it available should the pipe not be interested in my timeline.

A small root is never a small root, it gets in there and grows a root ball which snags stuff......usually will re-occur every 4 months here in the South. What happens is the root is still into the pipe.....the snake or etc. will cut the roots out of the way inside of the pipe, but it just grows right back into the pipe which is an endless source of water for the tree/plant/bush.

If you know of a High School kid or laborer that will dig the trench to expose the drain pipe (I'd do all of the way to the foundation) completely, it will be a hell of a lot cheaper to have a plumber come in there and replace the pipe.

That being said, if it's only 16' from the clean out, a powered snake would probably work a lot better for you than the water jet tool...….The water jet would break up the toilet paper and such, and it will drain, but I don't think it will cut the roots out.

Yes as long as you have the length of hose needed to reach the blockage. If the blockage is roots you would need a root cutter attachment which would require more psi and bigger everything so to speak. A regular nozzle will go through the roots which will drain the liquid but the solids would block the hole again from the nozzle. Their are chemicals to use to kill the roots but they don't work overnight. Root X is one. I will add that a small pressure washer hose might not do much in a 4 inch line.

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
Would it be wrong to shift your gutters into there and let that keep em clean and clear? Seriously I think some of these water conservation fixtures deprive the pipes of the water needed to clear the line.

In some localities this is a no no due to cost of sewer treatment by the county, municipality etc.. Also one day they will find out through their I and I program by smoke testing and CCTV during rain events and you will have to disconnect and correct at your cost.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
They also have a system where they can line the inside of the pipe...my dad is in “the poo” business, although he doesn’t offer that particular service, he says you can flip a coin and either have a backhoe come in and dig it all up and replumb it in PVC now or wait it out for the next month or two while you try and sell it...but clay pipe will die...it’s just a matter of when.

^^^^^^
That is called "cured in place" (CIP). I have done larger pipe-12". I think with the orange berg (terra cotta) it can be done, it will reduce the diameter too much and will later clog.
As for the jet being a glorified pressure, yes and no. Operators of a Jet have been killed when the nozzle came out of a manhole under pressure. A dangerous tool if you are not trained properly.

I have been told that a side benefit to a water softener is the brine keeps roots pruned back. Anyone else hear this?

quote:

Originally posted by rtquig:
..orange berg (terra cotta)..

Clay pipe isn't orangeburg.

Orangeburg pipe is compressed layers of fiber and pitch, like compressed tar paper. Slightly better for roots than clay because they came in 8' sections, so there were less joints, but Orangeburg delaminates inside and also flattens out. If you don't have root issues, clay pipe could last thousands of years. Orangeburg not so much. I've dug that up to find it almost totally flat, or in some places just not there. lol

(named after the company in Orangeburg, New York)

Use root killer in the lines, just mix a small pail and flush it. (Hardware store $8)

Are you on septic?

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
Would it be wrong to shift your gutters into there and let that keep em clean and clear? Seriously I think some of these water conservation fixtures deprive the pipes of the water needed to clear the line.

Quite common in the old days. I've unhooked a few of them over the years.
Kind of a bad idea then, a real bad idea now. But people didn't have washing machines back then or take one or two long ass showers every day.

Most cesspool/septic issues are from too much water, not too much "poo". Super saturation, the ground just can't take any more water. ("poo" meaning paper and soap, actual poo is almost never the culprit)

So with your gutters tied in, you're adding even more water to the one place in your yard that you really do not want any more.

I am on a public sewer system.

Regular household use is plenty of water for roots. We used to do work on a whole bunch beach houses, you'd get lots of work in the spring. All year the roots would get plenty of water. Then the people would shut the house down in the fall, the water supply would stop and I guess the roots would grow like crazy trying to find it again.

It seems to me like for now a temporary solution would be to get a good mechanical 'rooter' and figure out a way to run it through that area.. I'd think you could do it every month or so and this would keep the root from causing the big problem. The long term solution is obvious... and you'd either have to fix this before selling the house or at the very least disclose it before the sale.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:

quote:

Originally posted by rtquig:
..orange berg (terra cotta)..

Clay pipe isn't orangeburg.

Orangeburg pipe is compressed layers of fiber and pitch, like compressed tar paper. Slightly better for roots than clay because they came in 8' sections, so there were less joints, but Orangeburg delaminates inside and also flattens out. If you don't have root issues, clay pipe could last thousands of years. Orangeburg not so much. I've dug that up to find it almost totally flat, or in some places just not there. lol

(named after the company in Orangeburg, New York)

Your correct. I have not been in the business for 6 years now and the different type pipes are all blending in together. At the time I posted, I knew it didn't sound quite right. Thanks for the correction.

After most if my life in the business I'm always happy to say that I'm not anymore.

(And haven't been in it full time in getting close to 30 years. But as I was just asked to go help on a job on Saturday, I guess I'm not REALLY out of the business either. lmao)