Sewer line cleaning - Cannot get snake to pass

13 years ago

The line from my house to the street...it was clogged so I rented a power sewer snake from a local rental company. I got about 60 feet and got the water to flow again. However, after taking measurements, I am about 50 feet from the main street line. So I decided to add more snake lengths to do the entire line. However, I get to a point I cannot get the snake to move. In a design, there is no vent loop is there that would prevent a snake from passing? I do have a clean out, but it only angles to the street. I am about 10 feet shy of the cleanout. What would cause a complete stoppage of a snake from moving further. Should I keep manhandling it to get it past whatever obstruction may be there? The line is PVC. In the house cleanout it is black pvc. The cleanout on the lawn is green colored pvc. Can one damage pvc with snake cleaning (ie - eat through the wall?) My neighbor said maybe the pvc is collapsed? But I would think if it was collapsed my drain would be continually clogged. Can stoppages be so clogged to prevent passage of a snake? But my water does flow again. And if it was collapsed, we are saying it is collapsed so much it cannot let a snake through? But it will allow toilet paper and waste through?

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Comments (7)

brickeyee
13 years ago
Have you put die in the toilet and checked the manhole in the street?

You may be dumping water into the ground.

The line can hold a decent amount of water before you have a backup, and then the water can soak into the ground.
steph1
Original Author
13 years ago
No, I did not use die. I cannot check the manhole, it is a 42" cover that I would never attempt to remove, that is way beyond my level of qualifications. However, when I look down into the cleanout, I can see water flowing fast and fine, so water is getting past the quote on quote "blockage." My sewer line is about 10 feet below grade (exits the basement towards the front of the hose to the street. Could there be 90 degree bends in the line causing the snake to stop? It all looks like a straight run though. The rental unit was a 1" snake. My neighbor let me use his, which was a drum unit with a 1/2" snake...no luck either. But the water runs fine and everything is fine, but why? The rental unit was powerful, I believe they call the sectional machines. I had to piece together 8 foot sections of snake. I played with both for a long time trying to work it past. No luck.
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pete_p_ny
13 years ago
Lifting a manhole cover and using die is a professional only job, not for a homeowner. An inexperienced person should never enter a sewer.
brickeyee
13 years ago
"Lifting a manhole cover and using die is a professional only job, not for a homeowner. An inexperienced person should never enter a sewer."

You do not normally have to enter the manhole when using die.

A decent flashlight and the colored water is readily apparent from the street level.

"that is way beyond my level of qualifications."

Not a lot of qualification to lift a manhole cover.
Insert tool, lever up, look for colored water.
vgkg Z-7 Va
13 years ago
Are there any trees along the line? Root ball big enough to stop the auger but small enough to allow some water thru?
alex14
11 years ago
Well, I think that there are roots that block the snake from going through. Those roots may still allow water from flowing in (since water is just a liquid substance) but can also stop the plumbing snake from continuously entering.
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bus_driver
11 years ago
So alex joined today to answer a thread that is over 1 1/2 years old.