# Case study of snaking a drain



## natem1986 (Dec 29, 2013)

The other day we were called to a residential setting of a slow bath tub drain. We brought in a snake and put it in the overflow drain. We solved the problem of our intentions of being there.. Drain swirled down fine. However the landlord and rentee complained about a very slow leak coming from two bathroom groups upstairs. A crack was visible in a beautiful kitchen and was about 10 ft long with little discoloration. After solving the clog and with landlord and partner upstairs i noticed leak coming from ceiling in kitchen . We cut open a patch and found a cleanout off a 1 1/2 trap. The snake had pushed off a cleanout that was hanging on by a couple threads. We rethreaded the cleanout and felt we solved the leak that was creating the crack. 

Lessons learned : only put a cleanout trap in accessible area 

Know that a snake can push through pipe and create leaks by water or the snake itself, double check the area under the fixture


----------



## Ptturner91 (Oct 13, 2012)

natem1986 said:


> The other day we were called to a residential setting of a slow bath tub drain. We brought in a snake and put it in the overflow drain. We solved the problem of our intentions of being there.. Drain swirled down fine. However the landlord and rentee complained about a very slow leak coming from two bathroom groups upstairs. A crack was visible in a beautiful kitchen and was about 10 ft long with little discoloration. After solving the clog and with landlord and partner upstairs i noticed leak coming from ceiling in kitchen . We cut open a patch and found a cleanout off a 1 1/2 trap. The snake had pushed off a cleanout that was hanging on by a couple threads. We rethreaded the cleanout and felt we solved the leak that was creating the crack. Lessons learned : only put a cleanout trap in accessible area Know that a snake can push through pipe and create leaks by water or the snake itself, double check the area under the fixture


Clean outs are put in the worst spots all the time 

Once I got called out plugged floor drain in a Chinese restaurant, i worked it for an hour with the 1500
I finally got it the whole kitchen floor with water all over the floor from someone hosing the floor drained
As I was packing up my snake a very wet and angry lady came yelling at me
The gym downstairs was doing some work and someone capped off the floor drain and I blew the cap


----------



## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

Hope you got rid of that fernco

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## natem1986 (Dec 29, 2013)

plumbdrum said:


> Hope you got rid of that fernco
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


And that fitting to the left of the fernco is a TY on the flat. Am I correct that that's just not supposed to happen?!


----------



## natem1986 (Dec 29, 2013)

Ptturner91 said:


> Clean outs are put in the worst spots all the time
> 
> Once I got called out plugged floor drain in a Chinese restaurant, i worked it for an hour with the 1500
> I finally got it the whole kitchen floor with water all over the floor from someone hosing the floor drained
> ...


Wow thanks for sharing , they should only be used for accessible areas , weird things happen to them , an angry lady , what did she say?


----------



## Ptturner91 (Oct 13, 2012)

natem1986 said:


> Wow thanks for sharing , they should only be used for accessible areas , weird things happen to them , an angry lady , what did she say?


A lot of swear words, but what idiot caps off floor drains for the place upstairs?


----------



## natonlindo (May 2, 2014)

what I have noticed in the field, is that renovation projects or just structural changes to buildings is usually the cause of hidden clean-outs.


----------



## natem1986 (Dec 29, 2013)

Ptturner91 said:


> A lot of swear words, but what idiot caps off floor drains for the place upstairs?


I agree I wouldn't figure it as accessible , these cleanouts on PVC traps have a washer. Plumbers aren't needing thread sealant nor tape. the cleanout becomes vulnerable even more.


----------



## natem1986 (Dec 29, 2013)

natonlindo said:


> what I have noticed in the field, is that renovation projects or just structural changes to buildings is usually the cause of hidden clean-outs.


I agree that it would make sense in a maintained building. A maintenance official keeping track of cleanouts and where they are would be benefitting themselves and theplumber ..


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Are dead ended sanitary drains not illegal in your state?


----------



## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

Protech said:


> Are dead ended sanitary drains not illegal in your state?


Correct, unless for an extension for a C.O

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## titaniumplumbr (Jun 11, 2014)

Yeah should have been a combo and a merchant band


----------



## HonestPlumb (Jan 25, 2015)

My code dead end is 2' max allowed. If it is a clean out at the end,then not sure max distance. Pretty sure there is no max if it has a clean out on end.


----------



## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

I fought with one capped off in a soap trap. The handy man son capped the pipe going into the trap for some reason. He didn't know what it was but I asked the lady if there was a soap trap out side I was told no. Well my cable grabbed the rubber test cap and it got stuck in the pipe as I pulled it back. I also may have put a snake through a rubber fernco tee a handy hack had used.


----------

