How to Diagnose Plumbing Drain Problems | Ask This Old House
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- Опубликовано: 3 май 2024
- Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey tracks down the source of a clogged drain using some high tech equipment.
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Cost: $10,000 in tools
Time: 1-2 hours
Skill Level: Advanced
Tools List:
- Gloves [amzn.to/31x4uDf]
- Drain Camera [amzn.to/2XdB5Pa]
- Drain Locator Tool [amzn.to/2Xb9Btz]
Steps:
1. Use a drain camera to look for possible obstructions in the main drain line of the house. Ensure the distance meter is reset before entering the drain to give an accurate measurement of where in the pipe a clog may be located.
2. Use a line locator to confirm the location of the camera under the floor.
Richard used a SeeSnake camera system to see inside the drain line and a SR-24 Line Locator with Bluetooth and GPS to locate the pipe under the floor. Both are manufactured by Ridgid [www.ridgid.com/].
Plumbing contractors can be hired to help diagnose drain problems. This diagnostic equipment can also be rented from home centers or tool rental shops.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers-and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Diagnose Plumbing Drain Problems | Ask This Old House
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I love how the home owner knows how to duck just enough to walk through the basement. Something you only learning after many headaches!
He did an excellent job of explaining how drains and vents work. I learned a lot and I've been doing plumbing for years. Love this show.
Jeff: He was classic: But scary is that high-tenured plumbing pros admitting to their lack of roundedness. You indicate this gracefully, but; still, stark of ignorance.
@@eddyvideostar lol “high tenured plumbing pro”? Years could be 3-4 as handiwork in his own house. Everyone has room for growth.
@@stillmatic03: You may be right. When people indicate goodness about themselves, it leaves one high and dry regarding soaking up their credibility.
What’s it like being a plumber? Is it fun?
Wish I had Richard - I went thru six plumbers to find a leak to no avail so I understand the frustration.
Turned out the county sewer department knew exactly where the problem was and saved me a fortune!
Always check with them first to make sure the line is clear from the street to the house.
9:42 That plumbing model at the end helped me understand things way way better
You can tell Richard has a ton of plumbing experience. Good guy.
Love the PVC mock-ups. Really helps me understand. You are also a very clear and articulate explainer.
2:17 Man I was NOT expecting a video on how to diagnose plumbing drain problems to involve digging up your bedroom floor
saaaaame.
It's a basement where they threw a bed. He said there was an access door there where it's opened up, so whomever finished this basement, created that access point for future repairs. This is what could happen to all those homes where people finished the basements in areas where all their drains & plumbing come into & out of the house. Know that this could happen in the future when creating that extra space in your homes.
@@shilohgames3155 I like customers like that. I usually say "well if you want it done for free, why did you call me" then leave.
Me neither! Would have never thought of digging up the bedroom floor.
This is why i am so thankful i have a crawlspace. Never understood why pour concrete over pipes.
Its a basement
I don’t know how I got to watch this, but darn this fella knows plumbing, and I’m hooked. Thank you for all the info!
He might be right but the proof is in the pudding. It ain`t over till it`s over. The weather man gives all kinds of theories too and how often is he right? Just sayin`.
@@REDMAN298 exactly....here's my reply made yesterday...it's not gospel....but it's a rational possibility;
Whole house trap? Get rid of that.....you have it mostly dug up anyway. If turds and paper are making it through the "bellied" pipe and that whole house trap...they'll make it with out it. That model he made (towards the end of the video) of what the plumbing looks like underneath the slab is pure conjecture (not sure why there are 2 other traps...there's only a toilet (toilets have a built-in trap) and a sink down stairs....but it looks cool I guess). What you CAN see from the basement is the upstairs bathroom draining into the same vertical pipe as the downstairs is draining into.(someone probably added that bathroom upstairs later) When you flush the toilet upstairs, that water is falling very quickly past the branch lines serving the bathroom downstairs...that's going to cause air to move no matter what....and that's why its against code. Upstairs needs a dedicated 3" waste line going up.(much less $$$ and work than the other plan) So this homeowner may spend all that money and still have the same problem. The bathroom probably smells occasionally because the wax seal under the toilet is leaking....few people know how to properly set a toilet...the tile in that bathroom looks relatively new...tile guys are not plumbers....it's not as easy as you might think. I've been a professional union plumber since Jr. High....I'm 59 now. (end)
Out of curiosity I'd pull that downstairs toilet (check the wax seal) and watch what happens when the upstairs toilet is flushed. Heck, I live in a new house and when it's really windy outside, toilet bowl water will move that much....and I never saw any bubbles come up in this video.
@@readmore3634 how have you been in the union since jr high school? Lol but I know what you mean. Did you work in a union shop as a tradesman until you got in? When I joined , we needed a valid drivers license and a high school diploma. ..Anyway, about that bathroom, I think the one downstairs was the add on due to its location (in the basement) and the wall was only rocked on one side. The smell probably comes from the traps because all the water evaporated due to lack of use. Those family photos are a dead give away that it's a guest room bathroom. . its location keeps it from getting much use otherwise.
@@jdog4534 _______Well, I guess I miss-typed.
From about 1960 to 1990 my dad ran the only union plumbing shop in southern Calif that primarily did housing. We had about 20-30 guys at one time and plumbed 1,000's of tract homes. They couldn't build houses fast enough(if you are old enough to remember). When I was in Jr. High, (1972) my dad would bring home CASES of tub/shower valves for me to pre-fab. Finally a reason to play with fire (torch)! I worked every summer vacation afterwords. Tried college, ran out of money, got sworn-in in 1979, 4 years apprenticeship school.....went into business for myself in 2008.
As for that bathroom above ^, one of them seems added to the same vertical pipe. Dried out traps for sure will stink too.
I don't know much...but I know plumbing...hand me a set of plans and I'll plumb that whole multi-million dollar house myself. Thanks for the reply.
@@readmore3634 right on brother. Im in nor cal. Ive only been on one residential job tho. Im in a combination local (plumbers, fitters and pipe welders. We do commercial plumbing. I dont know how the shop I was working for at the time landed a housing tract. Other than that, the closest thing to residential plumbing ive done have been hotels and patient rooms in hospitals but the hospitals still get closets hung on carriers with flushometers and all pipe is cast iron for waste n vent and copper for water. They also usually some med gas piping, at least medical air, oxygen and evac.
Yea, I figured it was some kind of shop experience you were getting at such a young age. I've had a couple superintendents who had the same experience. Both of them in the same shop, at the same time. Now they're both probably about your age, living large and in charge, at the same shop.
I took a different route. I joined the army first, then went to college, less than a week after I graduated, I took the test to get in the union (one of my army buddies had joined a couple years earlier and was loving it. I wanted to join sooner but they were only testing every other year. That was '95. You know it's a 5 year apprenticeship now, huh. ..and there's talk about adding a 6th). Anyway, I always figured the building trades ran a very fast pace down there in so cal. Is your shop still a union shop? Ive been thinking about opening up my own union shop and taking advantage of my veteran status. Supposedly, on federal jobs, veteran contractors get some kind of preferential treatment during the bidding process.
I'll have to watch the video again to check out the piping a little better. Its been maybe a month or more since I saw it. I just remember thinking that the lower bathroom was added on due to its location and all the exposed plumbing on that wall with rock on only one side. You know, if that's a handyman special pipe job, it could be that it's not vented .. Lol
Hey, thanks for your reply..
Wow! I have a feeling a lot of plumbers would have just thrown their hands up. This guy knows his stuff! Just goes to show the importance of proper venting in a plumbing system.
Brian P: You wrote: _" I have a feeling a lot of plumbers would have just thrown their hands up."_
It is a disconcerting shock to the system that workers, whom we trust, procure nebulousness regarding their skills and ability.
After watching this video, I put drain snake into vent pipes and unclogged my drain pipe. Saved me hundreds or thousands of dollars. Thank you guys. You’re the best.
Richard, you are the man!! I’ve watched your videos so many times on job sites with great success. Love this old house!!
Hi Sir! I want to extend my gratitude for uploading such informative videos here on RUclips. I am from the Philippines and is currently reviewing for the Architecture Licensure Examination this June 2019. Your videos help me to have a visualization for the actual plumbing system and give me a vivid comprehension of plumbing concepts from the books, translated from actual plumbing problem stories. More powers to your team and God bless!
Would be nice to have all that expensive equipment! So we hire a plumber who lets us pay for his expense equipment. You can’t win!
Richard and his team are absolutely amazing at explaining the fine art of plumbing!
I never thought of it as a fine art before. :)
Most excellent teaching...Nothing better than learning from Pros...I'm a 30yrs. HVAC man, still learning that too...I feel good having watched this...I have learned, again, and still...Thank you, sincerely.
MR. RICHARD TRETHEWY knows plumbing. My Grandpa was a plumber. I'm FACINATED at modern plumbing.
Thank you for making great videos. I liked this video because it gives credit to the trade of plumber experience and skill led to a proper diagnosis. And the explanation to the homeowner makes a hard situation much more bearable.
Easily the best TOH video I've ever seen, and it's not even close. Full diagnosis and explanation. Incredible work. Too bad the first plumber he called wasn't as thorough, although I'm glad we were able to get this video as a result.
Maybe the guy did but the homeowner wanted a second opinion because the solution was so expensive. This owner is in a pickle either way. Some major remodeling. Hope he solved it in the end.
@@cosmicallyderived Just put a scissor jack under the sagging pipe. In ten more years when it sags again, crank it a couple more turns. :-)
This is a wonderfully made video! I teach a class called Be Your Own Handyman in Vermont and often reference TOH videos. This is a perfect video to share with my class on plumbing so homeowners can understand how their system works!
I love this show. These guys really care about their job.
I wonder if the homeowner ever made the repairs... that would be an interesting follow-up video to this exceptionally informative episode.
Was gonna say the same thing, that must have been a nightmare job, digging up the whole floor.
Me too. Insurance will not likely cover this either...likely a 25-30K job. Lots of houses in the current "hot market" have these issues. Waiving inspections isn't helping.
Rich, you did some great sleuth work. Nice explanation for the lay people and I agree with your conclusion. I've seen many a lead hub pipe sag after many years of service. Salute.
love this old house Richard Tom and the others are so informative dont stop making videos.
This guy makes plumbing sound so interesting
Great job!
Excellent video! It's TOH stuff like this that I love.
Pure talent. Great teaching. Great team.
He did all the work for me. Thank you for sharing the knowledge. Now just need to rent a camera to confirm. Thank you so much.
just amazed at the way he identified it. cool equipment too.
This guy could make a hell of a bong.
rofl
🌪️🔥🍼
That’s how the Zong was invented
another excellent plumbing video very education and well done. thanks.
Richard! Richard! You are the best and most enthusiastic teacher. Thank you!
I am thankful my Dad taught me a lot about home repair and building. He was proud of my work on many occasions 😊
I loved the camera tool and the camera locator.
You might think I'm nuts, but I was fascinated with the plumbing video.
I’m thankful for the technology advancement in plumbing. My 1962 split level was originally septic. Converted to city sewer in 74. 100 ft of 4” ABS out to the street. Backed up in 17 on me but I caught it before work and tried power snaking myself from inside the basement toilet location. Didn’t get it. Hired camera crew plumbing company and it is $250 hour billed in 15 min increments...they snaked drain out to street and i saw the video was clean as whistle....for $800 (camera was only to 90’) *crap* lol...2 years later in dec 19 it backed up but i wasn’t home and wife didn’t know. So probably an inch of dishwashing water and mixture of toilet paper slurry in toilet...was so mad...dug up clean out in yard that I found on drawings i got from city after the ‘17 backup and hired a new crew that had a 120’ camera...as I needed to see the city connection. Paid them to jet clean my line $2200. Called city and they had to clean the stub from the main line...we are only 4 house on an 8” stub so city camera showed soft plug in main line...we bought home in 07 so 10 years before anything happened. The cameras show me everything and i know my whole sewer line and the city line too. Information is important when you spend a lifetime buying these things.
5:18 I was not expecting that noise.
Sounds like some sound effects dubbed in. haha
I heard that sound, and it was so out of place, I thought "Did my cat fail?" :D
Deany K
Legend has it that there was a dude behind the camera oscillating his finger on his lips while blowing air out in a high pitched hum.
My dog enjoyed it...😂
Tommy Silva has always been my favorite, but Richard is right up there.
You know he knows what he’s talking about when he brings up the science behind why what’s happening is happening
Amazing diagram and exclamation thank you really helped out
The demotion aspect of the appropriate remedy made me shiver all of the way over here in my comfy, cozy place.
SMARTEST PLUMBER - thank you for this lesson. [I am trying to avoid crawling under my house to the kitchen drain clean out, so searching for clogged drain videos and just watched another one of yours - I think my pipes are galvanized, so avoiding harsh treatment - using B.Soda + Vinegar and blowing a 1/4 x 4 ft hose to stir up the 'mass' and rotate the soda, vinegar and now salt + I purchased an Enzyme/Bacteria dissolver. Day 4 still clogged, but breaking up material.
Great diagnosis! He knows his plumbing. Columbo of plumbing 👍👍
Hahah, i love how he says “now before i have you dig that”
I'm a plumber from Nigeria, I'll like to learn this modern plumbing system cuz in my country we still the olden days methods
It would be cool if you could.
USA plumbing isn't modern they still glue pipes when pipes with rubber seal has been available almost century.
And making trap on actual pipe lines is bad because you need snake to clean them when needed more modern is trap in fixture which can be opened when cleaning is needed an all pipe lines are more straight flowing.
Outhouse and a hole still?
"olden days method" also known as crap in a bush
@@mr.wizeguy8995 what's wrong with pcv cement? My house has ABS bonded "glued" with acetone, and I'd trust both abs and pvc to last longer than any rubber seal on a sewer pipe.
I'm studying to become a home inspector, and looking at the walls I could tell there were settlement issues with the home, which would make sense to have the pipes sag. Awesome work!
Your information was superb on this video, great detail and I enjoyed listening.💯
Great quality stuff ! People like this plumber makes the world go round !!!
The moment I saw the family pictures in the bathroom, I had to stop the video to read the comments LOL
M Paul film of j l CSU I’m doing pres trump
Wisdom is having the right tools and knowledge reveal the mysteries.
First video to watch on your channel and I love it when you know what you are doing. I subscribed within the first 3 mins cos I could see your intelligence. I love this and will always come back. Thanks man
great video, this guy makes plumbing interesting ,I wanted to know the answer to the problems
Learned something on this. Thanks. Surprised a rat trap works. After 22', solids are low velocity. I would expect it to quickly fill and clog the trap. Pipe looks intact. Before ripping it all out, I'd maybe do a surgical excavation. Cut the slab at the low point of the dip. Put rope under the pipe. Use a 2x4 to lever the pipe back up into position. Check with a torpedo level. 1/4" to 1/8" pitch per foot ( half a bubble on the level) Backfill with self leveling (soupy) concrete. Now swap the house trap if your budget and ambition supports it
I was thinking about this!
Well hmm I have a floor drain in a laundry room that has nasty water that hasn’t budged, washer is not working/ old speedqueen , had water in tub as it would not spin,, just tried again and water backed up into the sink next to washer.. dark stinky .. I have tried power mainline down floor drain
Still have standing water!
Help Richard !! Can you send me a plumber like You!!
Another great plumbing video on drains and venting procedures :-)
Wow, this plumber really knows his stuff!
Richard, thanks so much for that bit of information. I have run into similar situations in the past and this video confirmed my suspicions. I have found one c.i. house trap and at least one sagged main, pvc no less.
Superb explanation: clear, concise and easily understood. You provide a 5-star DIY service. I have watched many of your vids and used your suggestions with success. Nothing beats DIY - until running into a massive job like the one in this clip - poor guy!
To Urbino 237: It's hard to DIY life: Dada or a least, data needs to come from somewhere.
Execellent video that explains a dwv system in simple terms. I love it. Odors are usually the hardest issue to correct. . It’ll be a step by step process until it’s fixed. Either With using a cam, smoke etc. odors are subjective to each individual.
Can test entire system with water or smoke and find no leaks but homeowner will still believe they smell something because they can’t understand how everything works.
Those are the toughest jobs.
anth0r, I have had luck by using peppermint oil and putting it in the vent on the roof with the leaf blower behind it for a couple minutes. Don't let the same person who administered the peppermint back in the house cause they will give you a false diagnosis of where the issue is.
Wow!!
Excellent!
Exciting!!
From "This Old House, to This high tech gadgets camera etc. house"
Learned a lot !!👍
Keep up the good work and Thank You.
Richard is the man! Can't decide who I'd rather have a beer with. Tommy or Rich.
I'd imagine that if you're buying, they'd both come. Me too lol!
That was wonderfully explained. My husband is away for 21 days on a Supply Vessel in the Gulf and of course, things usually happen when he is away. As a woman, I have replaced the seal on the toilet and "snaked the clean out", but I will leave climbing on the rooftop to him when he gets home. Thank you for your help.
Great explanation of how venting works.
Ask this Old House is a godsend thank you for this episode 😄😄😄
This whole episode sucked me in from beginning to end. Really enjoyed it.
Man. That was instructive.
David Zomeño b
CRAPPY SHOW. THEY DID NOT DO ANY REPAIRS. THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE SHOW!
@@joewell3074 If you didn't get a useful lesson in troubleshooting methodology, Im sorry.
Great knowledge leads to great investigation!
Thank you a lot for this video. This is very interesting and informative. Keep posting like those amazing videos, this is awesome.
What a fascinating video. Impressive.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge for us newbies. Most helpful in plain language.
Shows like this is much more important than another EZmatic House Flipping show. Dealing with real problems with people who actually have a home and not some get rich quick project. This is why there is a PBS.
im impressed. this man obviously knows his trade. Ive learned so much from him.
It may not be ideal, but I'd run a secondary vent to the bathroom, back to the main house vent. It wouldn't be a long term solution, but it would be trivial looking at the location and access to the bathroom, compared to a complete basement "remodel".
knowledgeable man for sure
This Dude Knows Plumbing! HE'S AWESOME TO FIX PEOPLE'S BAD DAYS. 👍😸🏩🧱
Good old fashioned detective work Elementary Watson. Well done Sherlock. Great Job!!
Get outa my house, Richard! You are bad news!! Ha ha ... you're my rock star, Richard. Thanks for the very interesting and educational video.
"Don't shoot the messenger I'm sorry." then smiles and nods his head. LOL! Another way of telling the customer "Listen buddy, you're going to be paying me a lot of money."
That was a nice case to diagnose. Thanks for sharing
This is very helpfull. Thank you.
Abandon the old pipe. Don't fix it. Run a whole new pipe system out in the yard next to the house so you don't have to dig up everything. I did that and it worked great.
👍🏼
dsrekjw I don’t understand how that’s cheaper than the original solution
@@jimk5307 you ought to read his comment over again.
Max R it looks like the bathroom is still in the mix for at least a partial demo even with the reroute to the yard. And that’s a concrete wall with the waste system in it so it would need work too. Maybe less work and cost than tearing up the floor in the bedroom but still an expensive project.
dsewkjw
That was my thought as well. I have done loads of jobs like that where we just abandon the old stuff and break out into the outdoors rather than digging up the house floor.
wow, great investigation work. can't find plumbers like that anymore.
This guy is brilliant
That's a perfect explanation for positive and negative pressure in a plumbing system . That's WY studior vent must only be used in special circumstances. It only allows for negative pressure usage an not positive .
lmfaooooo, he whipped out the 60's alien equipment.
Good old Trethewey! Gotta admire his style; figures it all out but has some other poor bugger do all the dirty work. He's surely earned it by now.
The toys this guy has - awesome!
wow that is amazing. Nicely explain
Dangerous video. Makes me feel I can replace an entire plumbing system. Lol
3:13 That look when you know what you're getting yourself into...
im impressed. what an explanation!
Awesome analyzing skills , deadly awesome
what an expensive problem! poor fella
corey Babcock yeah the anxiety of it all would have me selling the place instantly... with knowledge passed on to the next owner of corse..
@corey Babcock U can't leave it, methane starts seeping trough the cracks.
Tbh the digging part. Would be the hardest... Abs or pvc is easy to work with
Is there any plumber or homeowner have seen the “belly” cast iron drain pipe under basement foundation? Could you please let me know which video is this problem? Thank you very much! I was told that my drain pipe has this problem, but the plumber can’t show me a picture with this same issue. Cast iron, no broken, belly, under foundation! Thank you!
I What probably just get rid of that bathroom and turn it into something else plugg it up
Legend has it, the pipe is still sagging.
No crap, I'd deal with a little smell over a complete remodel
@@morecrapforputdowns The smell will only get worse
@Michael Ross You minimize the problem. It will worsen to where solids will collect at the low point and the pipe will become occluded. Then it will need to be snaked each time otherwise the basement toilet will overflow each time the upstairs toilet is flushed or the bathtub water is released . The condition that caused the pipe to sag will eventually cause it to separate and sewage will be running out.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Your comment is sagging.
Awsome Job! Love the vent system forensics as well
Very informative video... you guys are thorough professional..👍
I feel bad for that person, he seemed so sad about the problem in his house. Such an expensive thing that isn’t even his fault :/
Same. I wonder if he ever got a chance to fix it or he decided to live with it.
Hey Luciano, You sound like a Biden boy.
@@GlennC789 No. I mean a wussy panzie who feels sad for a guy with a plumbing problem.
I'm surprised you didn't say ,"His plumbers are so racist !!"
Man every time I have a problem in my house I immediately think it's going to be some nightmare like this.
@@jessedover6175 Having empathy for another person's problems isn't a bad thing you a**hat. How about you don't make everything some political battle for your own sad little existence since all you do is identify your entire personality by being a right-wing Trumper?
Timely video, I've got a venting problem between two vanity sinks right now. Hope mine doesn't run into the expense like this homeowner had to pay.
ecleveland1 studor venting is always an easy fix for a homeowner
Best no nonsense home show ever.
I didn't knew about Rat trap , thanks for the awesome explanation
Had no idea there was a plumbing main stack and vent stack.
as a plumber myself im not convinced that was the full cause of the smell.. i didn't see any air bubbles come through the toilet. i agree its something that needs changed but often times there is a leak in old venting or cast piping causing the smell sooner then coming through the floor.. but if the bathroom floor isn't cemented in its very possible as cast piping isn't sealed very well
2007dalin he said that. The sag may have broken the seal
As a plumber yourself you should pay attention before shooting your mouth off and trying to sound superior.
Richard is amazing! Great video.
That right there is a land lords nightmare.
dude, i have a rental property. it is having some drain issues. 100 yr old house. i'm snaking it out now, but I don't think that's gonna resolve everything. I'm pulling out roots. Probably a deteriorated pipe. Would be expensive to repair. Should I sell the house as-is and let new owner deal with it?
@@nofurtherwest3474 sell the house like that and it could be a serious legal issue for you when they find out you didn't disclose it
@Matt P Ok thanks
@@charkswitlazers Ok. I'll just fix it. I bought a endoscope camera to inspect it. It drains fine after I removed roots. But I am still curious of the condition of the drain pipe. Certainly it's not expected for all drain pipes to be in perfect condition right? We are talking about many old houses out there with very old pipes. I can't imagine that all of these pipes are in perfect condition when the house is sold.
@@nofurtherwest3474 is this the sewer pipe with roots? My house had the same thing. I ended up re-sleeving the sewer line. Expensive but fixed the issue