how can I get snake past this T?

Zimmee66 · Jun 5, 2007

Hi all!

I have a *vintage* kitchen drain thats clogged. I know exactly where the clog is and I also know that the main riser needs replacing, but I cant quite afford that now so I want to try snaking it.

the problem is I can't get at the clog through the p-trap because it is a few inches below the T in the riser. I'm surprised to find that it just an ordinary T rather than a san Tee or wye but oh well.

Any tips or tricks? I'm willing to try chemicals too. What I'm finding as a clog is thick black grease, a combo of rotting cast iron and soap and such. But I'm afraid to go with anything too aggressive for fear of eating through the CI.

thanks for any advice!

-jim

Markts30 · Jun 5, 2007

run the snake down the vent from the roof...

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Cass · Jun 5, 2007

Cut the line out where ever you have to to snake it and replace everything with PVC.

Zimmee66 · Jun 5, 2007

markts30 said:
run the snake down the vent from the roof...

I thought of that, but unfortunately thats not a good option. Coming down from the roof the vent immediately hits an ELL and then goes hroizontal about 3 feet before another ELL, and only then down into the riser and tee.

Worse, the horizontal run is behind a wall too. So unscrewing vent ells isnt an option without tearing out.

Since the vent is just 1-1/4 galvanized I doubt I could get much oomph behind the snake or work it that distance through so much pipe.

Verdeboy · Jun 5, 2007

Try one of those bladders that attach to your hose. If it doesn't work, you're only out $5.00.

Cass · Jun 6, 2007

Verdeboy said:
Try one of those bladders that attach to your hose. If it doesn't work, you're only out $5.00.

Don't use this if your drain is plugged and you can't get past the T and down into the drain with it B 4 inflating it, and I doubt you can.

If you use it in the trap arm the vent will fill with water, the drain wont open, and when you deflate the balloon you will have a rusty water flood on your hands that you will never forget.

Cass · Jun 6, 2007

Cut out above and below the T, snake the drain and replace what you cut out with 2 banded couplings and PVC fittings and pipe.

hj · Jun 6, 2007

stoppage

You do not snake "through" the trap, you remove the trap and snake into the pipe's opening. There is no reason a good snake would not make the turn at the tee. In fact that is a "cleanout" tee, and normally the sink tee would be above it.

Lee Polowczuk · Jun 6, 2007

if it were me... i would rent a pipe cutter and replace with pvc... pipe cutter is only 16 dollars a day at home depot. pvc and weld cement shouldn't be much for than another 25 dollars.

it seems like it wouldn't even be that expensive of a job for a licensed plumber.

i am just a diy homeowner, but this board provides enough information to give you the guidance and hopefully confidence to do the job.

hj · Jun 6, 2007

pipe

You are assuming the cutter will fit around the pipe in the wall. That is not always a good assumption.

Kordts · Jun 6, 2007

I got a call last week. A homeowner used one of those things that verdeboy said. He could get a handsnake about 15 foot down his galvanised kitchen drain. So he got the dealie, and it blasted apart his p-trap and black goo waterfrom the drain flooded his kitchen. I replaced every bit of galvanised in the crawl space. The pipes were totally occluded. His hand snake would create a hole for a couple of minutes and then it would close back up. Like rodding jello. he spent 16 hours on a Sunday, and accomplished nothing but ruining his carpet. He was a vet and it was his birthday, so I gave him a 10 percent discount. I love Diyers.

Lee Polowczuk · Jun 7, 2007

hj said:
You are assuming the cutter will fit around the pipe in the wall. That is not always a good assumption.

then it would be an angle grinder, sawzall, or any other device... that existing stuff has to go.

it looks like the walls are plaster and lathe...you can see the plaster has been removed.. i think its workable

hj · Jun 7, 2007

drain

I think it is workable without going to all that trouble. Just get a good snake and someone who knows how to use it.

Verdeboy · Jun 7, 2007

The Bladder

Everything has its place. I've used the thing successfully when it was difficult to snake through something and the clog was just a wad of hair or something minor like that. It beats pouring a bunch of nasty chemicals down your drain and then having to deal with them later when the clog still remains.

You just turn it on for a minute and have a few towels around in case it doesn't work.

how can I get snake past this T?

Users who are viewing this thread

Zimmee66

Member

Attachments

Markts30

Commercial Plumber

Sponsor

Paid Advertisement

Cass

Plumber

Zimmee66

Member

Verdeboy

In the Trades

Attachments

Cass

Plumber

Cass

Plumber

hj

Master Plumber

Lee Polowczuk

New Member

hj

Master Plumber

Kordts

In the Trades

Lee Polowczuk

New Member

hj

Master Plumber

Verdeboy

In the Trades

Similar threads