# Need Help With This One



## Mr Plumber (Oct 20, 2011)

I got a call today for a drain clean job on an older house with cast irion pipes and has been vacant for about three years untill this guy bought it.

The Problemt - Toilet was backing up into the shower. "Doesnt sound like a big deal but was it ever". 

Its a second floor bathroom. I puilled the toilet and started to snake the drain and about 2 feet in my snake just starred to buckle like crazy after about fifteen min and not getting know where i decided to pull the camera off the truck and see what was going on.

Here is what i found the cast irion is about 3/4 of the way full of scale. I was able to break enough free to get my snake through but my camera is at a dead stop because of all the scale. 

Once i got the snake through about 6 feet down it stoppped again im assuming its more scale build up.:furious:

My question to you pros is is there anything I can do to loosen up the scale so i can get the toilet flowing again.
Here is a pic of the first stop you can see how bad the build up is.
Thanks for the advice guys.


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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

I would march to the basement , cut the stack set up a couple of trash cans and start feeding the trash cans.


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## Mr Plumber (Oct 20, 2011)

He may very well end up replacing a lot of drywall and having new plumbing ran to his second floor bathroom.


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

I had a similar problem on a 3rd story unit in a apartment complex, except it was a shower drain. We started running a cable from the attic of the building. I had to cut behind the tub/shower and install a cleanout. I could not get thru it. I ended up using a cable that had the head broke off to bore thru it. I had to pull the stack apart in the basement to pull a hair-clip out along with about 10 pounds of scale.


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## billy_awesome (Dec 19, 2011)

Mr Plumber said:


> older house with cast irion pipes and has been vacant for about three years untill this guy bought it.


You said it right there, galvanized is even worse when not being used for an extended period of time....


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

Re pipe


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

You won't have that problem if it was piped properly with pvc pipes.


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## plumberinlaw (Jan 13, 2010)

What machine and cable, and cutter were you using?


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## Mr Plumber (Oct 20, 2011)

Speed rooter machine with 5/8 cable and different cutters. Tried the drill type cutter and various saw root cutters. I picked up a 3" root saw cutter and will try that on Monday. I told them this is my last shot at it.


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## drs (Jun 17, 2011)

Sewer Jetter.


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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

Mr Plumber said:


> Speed rooter machine with 5/8 cable and different cutters. Tried the drill type cutter and various saw root cutters. I picked up a 3" root saw cutter and will try that on Monday. I told them this is my last shot at it.


 
Take the straight spring head and heat the tip. Facew the tip forward The tip then acts like a drill bit pulling it forward and slowly work it back and forth until you penetrate the scale. Then start changing the size of the heads until cleared.


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## UnclogNH (Mar 28, 2009)

Chain knocker:thumbsup:


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## Mr Plumber (Oct 20, 2011)

UnclogNH said:


> Chain knocker:thumbsup:


I was looking into a chain knocker. However I have a general machine and cable. I have only seen ridged chain knockers. Is their any way to adapt a ridged cutter to general cable.


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## MikeS (Oct 3, 2011)

I'm gonna hazard a guess here. Image is inverted, top is bottom,. bottom is top. Tile floor? Wanna bet some yahoo poured his excess grout, whatever down the toilet? again, a wild ass guess, but, I've never seen "scale" like that grow on the top of a pipe, and, even if it was "scale" your cutter should go thru it. Just a guess.


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## UnclogNH (Mar 28, 2009)

Mr Plumber said:


> I was looking into a chain knocker. However I have a general machine and cable. I have only seen ridged chain knockers. Is their any way to adapt a ridged cutter to general cable.


Call Allan J Coleman they may have some kind of adaptor or switch cable brands General has a poor selection of cutter options.


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## MarkToo (Dec 17, 2011)

Mr Plumber said:


> I was looking into a chain knocker. However I have a general machine and cable. I have only seen ridged chain knockers. Is their any way to adapt a ridged cutter to general cable.



Ridgid makes adapters to run Ridgid cables in General machines.


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## plumberinlaw (Jan 13, 2010)

have you ever used a drill to spin 1 1/4 eel cable?


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Jetter with a chain flail will have that pipe looking like new... :yes:


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

I second the chain knocker unless you have a jetter. Just don't let the knocker sit in one spot too long.


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## retired rooter (Dec 31, 2008)

Back in 80's I took a job for a plumber friend of mine(who did not do drains of any kind only new work) He had finished a set of condos and 1 had a stopped up tub and inspector would not sign off. It was at lake Eufaula Al, (I live near birmingham) they had tried RR out of phoenix city and dothan and some other plumbing co. Since the unit was new, nothing @ else stopped up I knew it was grout.We agreed on a price 450 if I could not get it 700 if I did .It was spring and I was ready for a fishing trip. One of my fishing buds took a couple of days off and away we went, boat behind work van. I removed faceplate ,took out stopper and put plate back on with one screw holding it tight, I had a 50 ft 3/8 cable for my my tanna m-661 with a no end just bent cable. The other guys had all used 1/4" (according to straw boss on job) and the 3/8 went thru ,it wasn't real easy ,but no longer than 30 minutes and we were cleaning up and hunting a motel. Like I said it was spring and we caught some nice bass,nothing over 5 lbs but still had a good time. He had given me the 450 up front and gladly paid me the rest when I got home. If I couldn't get it tub was coming out)That was a fun call I will never forget.. Try a 3/8,(or 5/8) cable with no end on a good powerful machine,if you get thru then go to a bigger blade(or spear head) and so on!! GOOD LUCK (( I think its cool we all have different ideas, one of them will have to work!!!!


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

I would cut in basement or outside install 2 way co and jet up the stack. If it remains it may very well be grout maybe get a good sample of the material in the drain first.


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## Mr Plumber (Oct 20, 2011)

*Update*

Thanks all for the replays. Well we went back to the house and ended cutting the wall out and a section of the cast. I tried snaking it one more time before cutting the wall but once the snake started going up the roof vent  that was it for snaking. 

The problem ended up being a buch if construction debris and old scale stuck at the old cast irion T. Once we cut the wall and the pipe we were able to snake up the drain 3 feet to remove all of the obstructions. 
Thanks again for all the replies.:thumbup:


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