It ****s to be me...

[strickj]

How long did it take me to clean out my clogged washing machine drain this afternoon?

The clog was 12 to 13 feet down.

I was using a hand cranked auger.

I have a monster sized washer that's 39 inches tall and 28~inches deep.

The drain is about 4 inches behind the washer.

My arm is about 28 inches long (from pit to grip)

And I was sitting in a wheelchair... well, partially sitting/stretching/laying on side/balancing on head.

The person who guesses the correct time will win a slightly used ball of hair.

[Erik88]

3 hours 39 minutes.

[Volzfan]

I never win anyting so I guess I'll skip this wonderful contest!

Congrats in advance to the lucky winner!

[Guest Lester Weevils]

That is what cherry bombs are for (unclogging drains).

[hipower]

For a man of your obvious talents, at least verbally and snarkily, 1 hr 15 min.

[c.a.willard]

two hours and 17 minutes

[Sandman]

You're still going.

[R_Bert]

Long enough call the plumber

[TGO David]

I kinda figured you'd just suck it out of there. Giggity.

[Guest lostpass]

see the problem was using the auger.

I'll bet that lasted 70 minutes. Then you switched to 9mm. But that just poked a tiny hole in it. Some water could get through but not enough. I'll add another 20 mins for that. When you actually solved the problem with a .45 hollow point it only took seconds. But it took some time to get that .45

Total time: 93 minutes, 7.4523 seconds.

[Caster]

Well, It could have been MUCH worse.

It could have been ME having to do it!

[quietguy]

Plumbing problems are the worst. Mine tend to happen about 10 minutes before Lowe's closes, and I am 15 minutes away.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

You probably know about this tool, but it deserves a favorable mention because it is occasionally very effective.

Several companies sell "clog busters" and I've only used the ones sold at Ace Hardware but maybe some of the others are better.

The tool's biggest risk-- You probably wouldn't want to use a clog buster on weak pipes. It might destroy weak pipes.

If your pipes can survive the experience then clog busters get the job done on stubborn clogs like maybe somebody flushed a towel down the toilet six months ago and then the stuck towel has been collecting gag-a-maggot residue ever since, gradually getting increasingly more clogged.

Comes in several sizes for different sized pipes. Hook it up to a garden hose, cram it as far down as possible in the stopped-up pipe, and then turn on the faucet. The rubber piece seals against the pipe and then releases strong pulses of water "down stream". When it gets going good it rattles the whole house like its gonna blow up every pipe in your system. But if the pipes happen to hold up to the abuse, it sure will flush out a stubborn clog.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Lester Weevils

[Guest A10thunderbolt]

Your pipes should hold up to one of those clog busters, I sell and build sewer jetting equipment and most of the machines put out at least 3000 PSI at 7-10Gpm, I suppose there is a bit of difference though since the Clog Buster seals up the pipe and pressurizes it.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I'm not going to guess, but I would have gladly helped. Had a case of cabin fever for

a month, now.

[tnhawk]

2-1/2 hours and 10 minute call to plumber.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Aww, but it's strickj!

[gjohnsoniv]

Four and a half hours? I have a feeling that since you posted it that means it couldn't have been easy.

[Guest db99wj]

Got drunk and never finished.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Your pipes should hold up to one of those clog busters, I sell and build sewer jetting equipment and most of the machines put out at least 3000 PSI at 7-10Gpm, I suppose there is a bit of difference though since the Clog Buster seals up the pipe and pressurizes it.

Thanks for the good ideas, A10thunderbolt. I'm not a plumber and have trouble even leak-free replacing a connector under the sink.

I mentioned the pipe integrity angle because it was impressive how loud those pulsing clog busters can rattle the house. Pipes are most likely real strong, but it doesn't seem impossible that such a loud racket could shake something loose, if it happens to be weak to begin with?

Only used a clog buster a couple of times. The first time was after lots of wasted time with several kinds of plungers, then chemicals, and then with a 25 foot snake. The clog buster solved the problem in about a minute of actual operation, though it took a few minutes to hook up a garden hose and such. If I had tried the clog buster first then it would have saved a bunch of aggravation, much less the cost of buying several different funky-looking plungers and manual bicycle-pump-looking thangs that looked effective on the store shelf but did not work worth squat.

What would be the optimal sequence of "escalation" clearing a clog? Most minor clogs can be cleared with an ordinary old-design rubber plunger. In the rare cases that the rubber plunger doesn't work, would you try snaking the clog before blowing it out with a clog buster? Or just go for the clog buster first thang? I've used chemicals many times over the years (in desperation), but can't recall instances where chemicals actually cleared a clog. Am guessing chemicals are a waste of time, but could be wrong.

[strickj]

Took about 45 minutes. Just glad that no one was there to take a picture of my body contortion trying to get to the damn thing

If anyone's up for a challenge, sit a kitchen chair in front of your washer and try to reach the drain

Your pipes should hold up to one of those clog busters, I sell and build sewer jetting equipment and most of the machines put out at least 3000 PSI at 7-10Gpm, I suppose there is a bit of difference though since the Clog Buster seals up the pipe and pressurizes it.

They can blow out compression fittings on PVC pipes. Those plastic washer thingies just don't hold very well, especially when the nuts are only tightened hand tight as recommended.

Edited April 4, 2012 by strickj

[Guest A10thunderbolt]

Thanks for the good ideas, A10thunderbolt. I'm not a plumber and have trouble even leak-free replacing a connector under the sink.

I mentioned the pipe integrity angle because it was impressive how loud those pulsing clog busters can rattle the house. Pipes are most likely real strong, but it doesn't seem impossible that such a loud racket could shake something loose, if it happens to be weak to begin with?

Only used a clog buster a couple of times. The first time was after lots of wasted time with several kinds of plungers, then chemicals, and then with a 25 foot snake. The clog buster solved the problem in about a minute of actual operation, though it took a few minutes to hook up a garden hose and such. If I had tried the clog buster first then it would have saved a bunch of aggravation, much less the cost of buying several different funky-looking plungers and manual bicycle-pump-looking thangs that looked effective on the store shelf but did not work worth squat.

What would be the optimal sequence of "escalation" clearing a clog? Most minor clogs can be cleared with an ordinary old-design rubber plunger. In the rare cases that the rubber plunger doesn't work, would you try snaking the clog before blowing it out with a clog buster? Or just go for the clog buster first thang? I've used chemicals many times over the years (in desperation), but can't recall instances where chemicals actually cleared a clog. Am guessing chemicals are a waste of time, but could be wrong.

Never had luck with chemicals either, If the plunger doesn't work, I always use the Clog buster next.

BTW I would avoid using those compression fittings anywhere other than at a P trap.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Thanks A10thunderbolt

Hopefully strick won't get mad, but I'd like to piggy-back a plumbing question here. My late 1940's house had big iron sewer pipe in the basement. It was situated at perfect noggin level and I ran into that dang pipe a zillion times, and it would make me see stars and say bad words. All the old iron water pipe was full of deposits and about closed off, so we had the whole shebang replaced a few years ago, combination of mostly PVC with copper where appropriate. The new PVC sewer piping is situated so it is less likely to hit one's head and it doesn't hurt near as bad if one does accidentally thunk a head on PVC.

The only old iron we kept was the basement-to-rooftop iron vent pipe. I haven't measured it but that iron vent pipe eyeballs at maybe 6". It would have been a bear to replace the vent pipe inside the wall. Me and the fellow hired to do the work couldn't imagine how such a huge iron vent pipe would ever wear out and need replacing. While we had the walls stripped off the bathroom, we did give it a good couple of coats of rustoleum before putting on new sheetrock.

I haven't used the clogbuster since we put in all the new pipes and remodeled the kitchen and bathroom about 7 years ago, so this new problem can't be blamed on the clogbuster.

Got to smelling sewer gas in the basement a week ago, looked around and discovered that the foot or so of iron vent pipe visible from the basement had got a big double crack in it! About a third circumference section of the pipe had cracked and separated somewhat from the rest of the pipe. For temporary fix I sealed up the cracks of the part of the vent pipe visible from the basement with ace hardware "ever clear" sealant that is fabulous stuff. That stopped most of the smell in the basement, and can't smell much in the house, but it hass got to be fixed because it was obvious the crack extends up farther into the wall, but dunno if the crack goes all the way up.

My friend has got too old to do that kind of work so I'll hire it out. Need to find somebody in Chatt to do it. I expect it would be a major PITA to remove that pipe or install a replacement nearby inside the wall. Possibly a replacement could be run up the nearest outside wall and tied in, but it would be hardly elegant. The current broken vent pipe is about 6 feet from the outside wall. A vent pipe on the outside wall would probably be do-able but hardly elegant looking.

So what about this-- Wonder if an adequate repair could be done by dropping a PVC pipe down from the roof inside the old iron pipe, and tie into that new PVC pipe "liner" to get it repaired? Just leave the cracked iron pipe in place, with the "replacement" vent pipe being inside the old iron vent pipe? Just pick the biggest diameter PVC pipe that can be crammed down inside the old iron pipe? That would be pretty quick and cheap to do if it would work and there ain't some law against it?

The other puzzle is what could have cracked that big old pipe? It doesn't look corroded out. Doesn't look like any damage where it comes out on the roof. Was wondering maybe in one of our heavy-weather times the wind might have blown something heavy across the roof and "thunked" the pipe good enough to cause a linear crack? But if something like that happened there is no other obvious damage.

It could possibly also be blamed on extreme house settling, but the house shows no symptoms of recent settling. The house apparently did its major settling its first couple of decades. Not that the settling was extreme. Spackled all the old settling cracks in the plaster wallboard many years ago when we moved in, and we haven't developed any new settling cracks since.

Have you ever heard of an old iron vent pipe spontaneously developing a linear crack "just because it felt like it" with no proximate cause? Or maybe there is some other common cause I'm not thinking about?

[strickj]

^^^ Wow... that's the first time I've ever heard of a head that's hard enough to crack an iron pipe!

[Guest Lester Weevils]

^^^ Wow... that's the first time I've ever heard of a head that's hard enough to crack an iron pipe!

Thanks strickj

That may be the most reasonable explanation. Always was hard-headed or at least "unusually dense".

Maybe a dead-on lighning strike on the roof section of the vent pipe could have "heat shocked" it and made a crack. But the vent pipe doesn't have any metallic grounding, just wood in the wall and PVC on the bottom end (well, actually the rubber boot between iron pipe and the new pvc pipe). Plus whatever moisture would have been in that section of the circuit. I don't think sewer water would ever rise high enough to touch the iron pipe and act like a ground unless there were obvious other problems. The iron vent pipe is significantly higher than the water flow of the sewer pipes. Just thinking, it stands to reason that a lightning strike good enough to crack the pipe would have also left some singed wood or melted PVC or SOMETHING.