Crack in floor drain piipe

[bearberg]

It appears we have a break in a pipe on our basement floor drain. I was putting a snake into the line about 12 feet and reached a stop point. I gave the snake a few twists and pulled it out with clay in the head of the snake. Today we are having a camera inserted into the line to determine the what & where of it all. Anyone dealt with this situation? My thoughts are towards a costly, expensive fix.

[Powerstroke]

Doesn't have to be. Depending on the overall condition of the pipe it would be possible to line the pipe with a poly liner. They are pushed in, expanded to the shape of the pipe, and cured in place so it conforms to the shape of the pipe creating a new smooth surface within your sewer line.

Only 12ft from the main drain most likely means it may still be under the floor or foundation. Hopefully the pipe is still in good condition.

[Tom7227]

Wouldn't it depend on whether it was just a small drain from the basement or the entire pipe from the house? At my house 12 feet would get you into the main pipe. Some places it may even get you outside the house. if it was just the floor drain then there wouldn't likely be much liquid going through it, but if it's the main pipe then eventualy I would expect it would clog or collapse.

Hope you have a home equity line of credit cause I don't think you're going to get by cheap. Good luck, and please let us know the bottom line.

[Powerstroke]

Its completely dependent on the individual property. 12ft from a floor drain in a long way to go without being vented so I assume it is in the line leading away from the home.

Bearberg, what did you find with the camera?

[Archerysniper]

Plumbing code is 25 feet from a vented line unless it is reciving discharge from another fixture like a furnace condensate then it is normal trap arm distance. With that said it probably ties into the kitchen drain and is cast iron wich will rought out I don't know what causes it but kitchen drains rought out the fastest I know soda is a big factor in it going bad I replace alot of bar waste lines where the soda eats the cast Iron. Condensate from a furnace is acidic and you can install traps on the drain the will bring the ph back up so it is not acidic. I hate to tell you this but I have done jobs like your house where I end up replacing the whole under ground sewer because the bottom of the pipe is gone the whole length of the house lets hope you have pvc and it's just a broken fitting and can be replaced easy.

[bearberg]

I think locator would be a better description of what was used to find site of the crack/hole in drain line instead of camera in the line. They taped something onto the snake and went into the line as far as they could (stopped where the snake bound up) and then used a locator to identify where the crack/hole should be. Did that and now I am waiting for the plumber to assess the situation before he starts working. Water flows as good as it ever did.

[bearberg]

I forgot to mention the crack/hole is under the basement floor which means a little jack hammer time etc.,

[Archerysniper]

If you are able and certain where the brake is you could bust it up and save you some cost instead of paying the plumber to do it most rental shops have jack hammers.

[Surface Tension]

PVC or Cast Iron? Floor drain as in?

Do you have a pit with drain tile running into it then exits out to the main drain? If so is there sediment in that pit and could that have filled in enough that it ran into the drain and settled in a low spot or joint and plugged?

You said the water is flowing better then ever. Did the snake take care of it?

[krinkle]

So how old is the piping? If it is 50, 70 years or older just save the money on tracers, cameras and what ifs and get the jack hammer. Hate to say it but 50 to 70 years on a drain line is pretty good. Especially if it is cast under the ground. Guess it all depends on the lay out and age of your house as to time and cost of the repair. Ive seen some homes where we could break the entire under ground out and have it patched back in a day. Others you may be there a week. There are a lot of older homes in the cities that a good whack with a framing hammer and you are threw the floor.

Some homes owners seem to think its the end of the world if you need to break into a wall or floor. Get over it, get in there and get it done. But on the other hand if you want to pay us for a camera, tracer or what ever else that will help you make up your mind we will be happy to take your money. In the end you will most likely still pay to have the floor broken up.

[Powerstroke]

As long as you know exactly where the break is, go right ahead, but I would usually be more comfortable sending a camera down there to see what you're repairing. You said you pulled back a piece of clay. Most private lines are not clay, but anything is possible. I'd be thinking it might be orangeberg, but its hard to say until you uncover it.

Sounds like you've got a good handle on it, so I wish you luck. Grab some PVC and fernco's and you'll be set.

[Archerysniper]

Grab some PVC and fernco's and you'll be set.

Fernco's are not allow inside a home or building once you are inside the footings. You would need a mission band or a nohub coupling.

[Powerstroke]

Thank you arch. I muffed that one.

[Archerysniper]

Thank you arch. I muffed that one.

Thats ok

[Redlantern]

Ahem, no hub coupling? I'm assuming you're attaching cast to cast?

[MNice]

FYI, fernco's are allowed inside the house, not above grade. Below slab only.

Subp. 6.Transition couplings.A transition coupling is one which is to be used when pipes made of different materials are to be joined. A transition coupling may be made of elastomeric materials (ASTM C 425 and ASTM C 564) and 300 series stainless steel bands and bolts, except that an exterior corrosion-resistant shield to prevent outward expansion of the coupling must be included on above-ground installations. Any transition coupling joining plastic to plastic, copper to copper, or galvanized to galvanized, must be approved by the administrative authority.