# Tile grout and mortar anyone?



## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Got a call last week from a licensed plumber who uses my company for drain cleaning (as do just about all of em in my area, just incase any drain only haters are reading this) called me saying a new construction house he had done the plumbing on was experiencing a sewer back up. The couple who had the place built had just moved in 3 days prior lol. 

Anyways we pulled the 4" floor clean out to find it dry but all drains upstream of it were holding and covering the basement in toilet paper filled water. Dropped camera and found this:





















That's tile grout filling up the better half of the pipe for nearly the entire length of the basement floor. We figured about 40 feet of it. Carried in the mobile reel from my new brute Jetter and went to work. After about three hours of I inching along foot by foot we had it restored to this:











When checking to make sure we got it all out of the private lateral I was able to get this gem of a shot at the city connection: 











It looked to be already slowing flow in the city line a bit but the builder refused to pay for us to bring the trailer jet over. There are no more homes upstream of this place but luckily I have these photos incase anyone points the finger at me when the city line clogs. I'm not worried about it as I have a great relationship with my local municipality and probably could have got a city owned vactor on site with one phone call but builder was kind of a dick. Hope I get paid....


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## TheDrainGuy (Jan 1, 2014)

Awesome before and after pics.
Like it was never there.
That jet is a beast.


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## Leach713 (Nov 1, 2013)

I seen that plenty of times specially in newer homes , them stupid tiles guys like to clean there grout filler bucket and pour it down the toilet riser or tub


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Yep not my first one either. I will say it was probably the worst. The lady of the house was a big fat woman. We were joking that 4000 psi broke up the grout but wouldn't get her poop stains off the pipe, kind of ironic that the utility room that flooded had a treadmill in it


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## theplungerman (Oct 26, 2011)

What nozzel or nozzels did you use? 
I went to a 'choosing the right nozzel' class in indy at the pumper cleaner show. So I'll let you know if you did it right. Lol
Unsicited advice here,,, I'd refrain from describing your customers girth.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Great job and good to see your investment paying off. So how much did you pay the tile guy?


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

gear junkie said:


> Great job and good to see your investment paying off. So how much did you pay the tile guy?


I gave him Commission on that job and every future job as well


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

theplungerman said:


> What nozzel or nozzels did you use? I went to a 'choosing the right nozzel' class in indy at the pumper cleaner show. So I'll let you know if you did it right. Lol Unsicited advice here,,, I'd refrain from describing your customers girth.


 The only nozzle I used and it was on from start to finish was the basic all rear jet flushing nozzle that comes with the Jetter. Towards the end I was debating using the root rat because of one stubborn piece that wouldn't pass but it ended up cooperating. Edit to elaborate: If you notice the top of the first two pics there is a small opening at the top of the pipe where paper is built up. My thought process when selecting the all rear nozzle was with aid of the camera I would roll it up into that opening, push as far as I could with the machine off then give it full throttle. That approach made progress from the beginning so I never felt a nozzle change was needed


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Did you have to ram it with the nozzle? Was the jet flow actually cutting the mortar? Any reason why you didnt start off with the root rat? How does the root rat do in pvc....will it mess it up?


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

gear junkie said:


> Did you have to ram it with the nozzle? Was the jet flow actually cutting the mortar? Any reason why you didnt start off with the root rat? How does the root rat do in pvc....will it mess it up?


I removed the camera before starting the jet as I'm paranoid about cracking my lens (did that once when I had a Jetter get into gravel unexpectedly) so I can't confirm if it actually cut it or just loosened it up enough to flow out. My experience with the root rat is you have to give it a hole to work from and isn't a good tool to start the job with but rather finish up a good root mass or descaling job with


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## theplungerman (Oct 26, 2011)

Unclog1776 said:


> I removed the camera before starting the jet as I'm paranoid about cracking my lens (did that once when I had a Jetter get into gravel unexpectedly) so I can't confirm if it actually cut it or just loosened it up enough to flow out. My experience with the root rat is you have to give it a hole to work from and isn't a good tool to start the job with but rather finish up a good root mass or descaling job with


As much as this displeases me to say,, I think the root ranger would have done it much quicker,, lol. With that being said I would have tried this first. (next paragraph) Cuz I'm stubborn and don't like the root ranger. 
I learned when your up against a big hard blob you want to try to slice into it at different sections, in this instance, a nozzel with an aggressive 90,, then undercut it with 45 degree. 
Warthog is coming out with a new one I saw and it would be exactly what you would want for that application. It's a grease Descale. You thinking on the root rat makes sense but I think if you went real slow it may have worked,,, but the protruding nozzel head on the root rat makes me think,, maybe not,,,, my micro mini chain flail from enz would have been doable I think, as it has its own little cutter head in front. 
If you got some money burning a hole in your pocket contact warthog for there new descaler,, if f not use that stupid rr next to. Lol.


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Do you have a link to this new warthog? I've been a hog user since before they were cool but only on much larger applications.


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## theplungerman (Oct 26, 2011)

Unclog1776 said:


> Do you have a link to this new warthog? I've been a hog user since before they were cool but only on much larger applications.


http://www.sewernozzles.com/descaling-heads/
I don't see one for a 3/8 but 9gpm isn't anything to sneeze at,,, maybe you could Bush up. 
Have you seen this? The keg salsmen said I could Bush it down to 3/8 and still get good performance. It has the protruding cutter head I was mentioning.


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Looks like they only have them for the 1/2 and larger models. The line in the picture reduced the 3" about halfway across the basement floor for the section only servicing the basement bathroom, 3/8 hog is already pushing it in that. I have a 3/4 WH for my trailer though and that descaling head looks sweet


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## theplungerman (Oct 26, 2011)

Unclog1776 said:


> Looks like they only have them for the 1/2 and larger models. The line in the picture reduced the 3" about halfway across the basement floor for the section only servicing the basement bathroom, 3/8 hog is already pushing it in that. I have a 3/4 WH for my trailer though and that descaling head looks sweet


Yeah I fondled one last week. On the wish list.


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## Ptturner91 (Oct 13, 2012)

Unclog1776 said:


> Got a call last week from a licensed plumber who uses my company for drain cleaning (as do just about all of em in my area, just incase any drain only haters are reading this) called me saying a new construction house he had done the plumbing on was experiencing a sewer back up. The couple who had the place built had just moved in 3 days prior lol. Anyways we pulled the 4" floor clean out to find it dry but all drains upstream of it were holding and covering the basement in toilet paper filled water. Dropped camera and found this: That's tile grout filling up the better half of the pipe for nearly the entire length of the basement floor. We figured about 40 feet of it. Carried in the mobile reel from my new brute Jetter and went to work. After about three hours of I inching along foot by foot we had it restored to this: When checking to make sure we got it all out of the private lateral I was able to get this gem of a shot at the city connection: It looked to be already slowing flow in the city line a bit but the builder refused to pay for us to bring the trailer jet over. There are no more homes upstream of this place but luckily I have these photos incase anyone points the finger at me when the city line clogs. I'm not worried about it as I have a great relationship with my local municipality and probably could have got a city owned vactor on site with one phone call but builder was kind of a dick. Hope I get paid....


 That's amazing! How did you get the camera in backwards to get that first picture? Or was that after it drained?

Edit - also that camera looks sharp! What system are you using?


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

I haven't put my hands on it but the chain flail from picote is amazing for descaling. I've seen pics where it made cast iron shiny again. Worked way better then the keg chain flail imo. I think it's the next evolution in drain cleaning and pipe preparation for lining. The Root Ranger not a good choice as it was completely blocked although it hits quite hard and may have been able to break the grout up. However I think Unclog did alright.....may of been a different method and tools but the result would've been the same if any of us did it. Job well done.


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## theplungerman (Oct 26, 2011)

gear junkie said:


> I haven't put my hands on it but the chain flail from picote is amazing for descaling. I've seen pics where it made cast iron shiny again. Worked way better then the keg chain flail imo. I think it's the next evolution in drain cleaning and pipe preparation for lining. The Root Ranger not a good choice as it was completely blocked although it hits quite hard and may have been able to break the grout up. However I think Unclog did alright.....may of been a different method and tools but the result would've been the same if any of us did it. Job well done.


I assumed since he used his rear jetted nozzle he could have squeezed in a rr. 
I put my hands on the Picote system last week in Indy. A relining Co was offering it as an upsell,,, $2600 for the beginners package 100 ft,,, to reinstste laterals or polish off screw up line jobs that went to far into city. Add on the chain flail attachments and tax,,, gotta be at or over 3 grand,,, THEN you still gotta jet it afterwards, since the Picote is waterless. Also I read the FAQ,,,,, scary
I saw it in action,,, the rpms wer'nt even close to the keg,,,,, I could spank and clean up a cast iron line faster with my keg, or a root rat for that matter, faster than a Picote. I put my impeccable reputation on the line. Lol


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

I'm basing my opinion on video from another plumber(he hasn't posted the video here so I won't say his name) did vs the video you did. Consider something for a house plumber like me....you have that big jetter to run a chain flail....more or less. 50k investment or spend 3k(really the number would be closer to 1800) and I have a chain flail. Picote is waterless but it turns the scale into dust....not chunks like the keg flail did. btw....the circle chain flail was less then 300.


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

Being that Keg was brought up, I talked with them for a bit in Indy last week. Real nice guys and very knowledgable. My friend purchased a set of nozzles right there. As soon as I get my jet, I'll be doing the same. Enz didn't give me the time of day.


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## theplungerman (Oct 26, 2011)

Drain Pro said:


> Being that Keg was brought up, I talked with them for a bit in Indy last week. Real nice guys and very knowledgable. My friend purchased a set of nozzles right there. As soon as I get my jet, I'll be doing the same. Enz didn't give me the time of day.


I'm sorry to hear about your enz experience,,, I talked with them, they were cool,,, but I believe you. 
I forgot about checking out keg, I'm surprised I missed them, walked the floor 3 days. But not in the market right now for nozzels. 
Enz has a great Pusher nozzel so don't let your first experience make you not give them another chance. 
Call the office and tell them they were snobs and..............


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Unclog1776 said:


> Got a call last week from a licensed plumber who uses my company for drain cleaning (as do just about all of em in my area, just incase any drain only haters are reading this) called me saying a new construction house he had done the plumbing on was experiencing a sewer back up. The couple who had the place built had just moved in 3 days prior lol.
> 
> Anyways we pulled the 4" floor clean out to find it dry but all drains upstream of it were holding and covering the basement in toilet paper filled water. Dropped camera and found this:
> 
> ...


Great job, Unclog. Having a camera takes all that guess work out so you can focus on the right solution. How long did the entire process take?

A home builder that's a dick, huh? Wonders never cease...


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Set up and tear down included it took right around 3 hours. My set up includes backing trailer into driveway, connecting water sources and carrying jumper reel and camera to basement. I'm sure he is a good guy and was just bummed by the circumstances, he never haggled about price but stood there staring at the monitor not speaking the entire time. Oh well can't say I blame him I guess the alternative would have been break up floor


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Unclog1776 said:


> Set up and tear down included it took right around 3 hours. My set up includes backing trailer into driveway, connecting water sources and carrying jumper reel and camera to basement. I'm sure he is a good guy and was just bummed by the circumstances, he never haggled about price but stood there staring at the monitor not speaking the entire time. Oh well can't say I blame him I guess the alternative would have been break up floor




Yeah most people aren't at their best when they have a clogged sewer and especially if its a home they just finished building.


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## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

I see a back charge in the tile guys future. Unless he worked for the general. Then again, this could explain why he was so pissed.


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Builder does his own tile work. Still haven't been paid btw. I don't get worried until they hit 60 days and up


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Unclog1776 said:


> Builder does his own tile work. Still haven't been paid btw. I don't get worried until they hit 60 days and up


That's pretty generous. I would be worried about getting paid from a tile setter turned builder approximately six weeks before the permits are pulled.


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## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

That is awesome, good job! Back in the days before jetters.... Was working for a commecial mech. contr., was the only service plumber on staff...got called to an addition to a mfg. plant, the GC's concrete contr. mistakenly filled up a floor drain with concrete. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth ensued. I said give me 3 trips and it should be done. Used Chloroben DE descaler. Cut that crap right out, was hailed as a hero.


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

plbgbiz said:


> That's pretty generous. I would be worried about getting paid from a tile setter turned builder approximately six weeks before the permits are pulled.


The plumber will take care of it if needed. Been doing business together since I was in high school


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