Can I use the clean-out at the bottom of my vertical stack to connect a rear outlet toilet?
I know it may be a too strong thing to do, but I clean with clorox bleach. I either use it on a wad of toilet paper or I'll use it mixed with water and use it on a sponge (use gloves please). For the toilet I put clorox in the back (where the water is) and let it set, then I flush and let that sit. Then I swish it and usually it all comes clean. Once in a while there is a build up of lime, and then I use "Lime Away" (letting it soak in water with Lime Away in it) and then lightly scrub, or use cleanser on a sponge to remove what's left of the stain. You'll have to run a few fams in the house and maybe even open the windows till the smell goes away. I understand there are things called "clorox wipes" that may be just as good. Once I visited a Vet with my pet and I realized that they clean everything with rubbing alcohol. So occasionally, and especially in the kitchen, I wipe down my formica and floor with a handywipe with rubbing alcohol on it. When it dries the smell goes away. Clorox bleach will remove mold. In addition, you can use other products like "Windex" for the shower...But I caution you not to use both products simultaneously or you will asphixiate yourself. If you use a lot of cold water after using each product then you can use both at different times to clean with.
Plumbing - How to attach sewer clean-out plate on a wall with a flush plug.?
I'm not a plumber, so bear with me… In my finished basement (here in Brookings, SD) I have two sewer clean-out plugs on adjacent walls that were installed by the original builder of the house (in 1992). The plugs used are the kind with the square protrusion used to give a wrench something to grab onto. If it wasn't for the square protrusion, the plugs would be a little recessed (0.25") from the drywall surface. So, if the square protrusion was gone, I could put a decorative plate on these and make them more attractive in my finished family room, right?!? I know they make flush plugs and I know they make plates used to cover the flush plug and drywall hole surrounding it; however, they aren't seemingly made to be used together, as the plug has no threaded receptacle to receive the long screw that comes with the plate (not to mention the screw would certainly pierce the shallow plug anyways. What am I missing??? Thanks!
Plumbing problems what would cause the water in the toilet to go low?
Ok, if you "flush" and it fills up....then later you find that its "low" then you have a plugged vent pipe. What happens is, you run the water downstairs in the sink, and basement, and it siphons the water from the toilet, because its trying to draw air from the vent stack...(Remember the staw and the drain? The drain goes faster if you have the straw stuck in it, because its getting air and not vacum packing itself or flooding itself while it tries to drain). Ok, go up on the roof and with a flash light, look down there and see if you can see an obstruction. Ok, now if you dont, then have someone in the basement, over the clean out, (cap on the sewer drain that needs to come off, so you can clean out the sewer, usually on the main trunk line), take it off and when you shine the light down there, have someone stick thier hand or something into it and they should see the light reflecting on it...(its a straight shot down). If not, here is the best method I use... Get some PVC pipe..3/4" (they come in 10 feet sections). Now, get male and female ends to join sections together... Glue them on first, before you take them to the roof. Now, (did I mention you should have a rope too?, well, get one about 50 feet long 1/4 inch), attach the rope to the first piece of pvc pipe..(this is so that if you DROP the thing, you will be able to RETRIEVE IT!), put a few wraps of tape around it to be sure it doesnt slip off! Insert the first piece down, and screw on the next piece...(have the rope tied off, so that you can do this with out holding on to it). lower each section down, until your at the clean out...(you should have hit something by now...thump it hard, until you shove the obstruction downward and outward)... Also, have some one at the clean out...(I would put a clear piece of saran wrap, or plastic wrap over the clean out so the sewer gassed dont come into the house and overcome whom ever is down there!)...When they radio up, (two way radios are nice feature to have), then you will know that your vent it clear. If your afraid of heights, have a Professional do this, as you dont want to fall an injure yourself! I wish you well.. Jesse
I think my toilet is blocked, when i flush the water rises and then goes down but not the paper or solids!!?
I think Sparky was referring to what I would call a "clean out." The clean out..... is a roughed in part of the plumbing (always on the lowest level of your house).... where you can actually unscrew a large cap and access the sewer line directly. Unless you have a very old plumbing system your house very likely has a clean out. It is an unpleasant task.... but it beats spending a bunch of money to have someone else do it. Generally running a pipe snake through the clean out is far more effective than trying to fit it through all of the tight turns in your toilet. EDIT: No it isn't a mandatory update.... but it is something that I think every modern building code requires. That's because your problem is so common.... and cutting into pipes (and repairing them) is so difficult... they simply require an easy fix so one can access the waste water system without huge bills. A 100 year old house probably does not have a clean out unless the plumbing has been updated. A 100 year old house could also mean a worst case scenario unfortunately... that being that part of the sewer line has collapsed due to age/ root infiltration/ rust (those old pipes are probably cast iron) etc. The only way to find out would be to have the sewer line scoped... something a plumber or house inspector would be able to do for you. My neighbors recently had that problem.... and it required the excavation of their back yard and around $15K.... so I really hope that is not it. EDIT 2: I hope it's not that too.... but sewer lines don't last forever.... and yes... that's what it costs. That's because they have to dig up the old line from your house out to the middle of the street (or wherever the sewer main runs).... replace that long section of sewer pipe.... fill in the excavation.... and then re-pave the part of the street they had to tear up. It's a mess. Hopefully it is a simple blockage in the line. Good luck.
When washer is draining water is coming back up through the drain or my bathtub?
If more than one drain backs up, call your municiple sewer department, and have them come out and check their lines before you do anything else. Not infrequently, the city-side has roots built up and they can remedy that fast than you can call and pay a plumber to do nothing that will help your situation. If there is nothing amiss on the city-side, you need to check your "clean out" - it should be close to the house. Where is the washing machine? Generally, when water diverts to another area, as you describe, a trap is too small and easy to become clogged; at times, it's must time to clean things out. Always know where your clean outs are and the water turn off valves are at each water source, or outdoors. You can empty the commodes water, by plunging then shoving the cleaning brush up and down in the toilet bowl outlet until the water disappears (or pour a bucket of water into the commode and it will empty the commode of water). Then add a box of baking soda, and let it sit about 4 hours. You can do that to the other drains, too - and follow with a cup of white vinegar in each one and let that sit a couple of hours. Sometimes that's enough to move things along, but you really need to clean out the trap before it requires more effort.
Toilet fills up after EVERY flush and needs plunged to go back down?
I think Sparky was referring to what I would call a "clean out." The clean out..... is a roughed in part of the plumbing (always on the lowest level of your house).... where you can actually unscrew a large cap and access the sewer line directly. Unless you have a very old plumbing system your house very likely has a clean out. It is an unpleasant task.... but it beats spending a bunch of money to have someone else do it. Generally running a pipe snake through the clean out is far more effective than trying to fit it through all of the tight turns in your toilet. EDIT: No it isn't a mandatory update.... but it is something that I think every modern building code requires. That's because your problem is so common.... and cutting into pipes (and repairing them) is so difficult... they simply require an easy fix so one can access the waste water system without huge bills. A 100 year old house probably does not have a clean out unless the plumbing has been updated. A 100 year old house could also mean a worst case scenario unfortunately... that being that part of the sewer line has collapsed due to age/ root infiltration/ rust (those old pipes are probably cast iron) etc. The only way to find out would be to have the sewer line scoped... something a plumber or house inspector would be able to do for you. My neighbors recently had that problem.... and it required the excavation of their back yard and around $15K.... so I really hope that is not it. EDIT 2: I hope it's not that too.... but sewer lines don't last forever.... and yes... that's what it costs. That's because they have to dig up the old line from your house out to the middle of the street (or wherever the sewer main runs).... replace that long section of sewer pipe.... fill in the excavation.... and then re-pave the part of the street they had to tear up. It's a mess. Hopefully it is a simple blockage in the line. Good luck.