[Cp5]

Ok, so first off, thank you to any taking the time to read this post. Now to business:

Some background on my situation:
1. home built in 1976 and to my knowledge pvc piping out to city sewer system
2. has a history of roots cloggin up main drain line
3. I have a hand auger I purchased for $25, grew tired of paying $200 every few months to have a plumber come out and snake the drain
4. said hand auger has worked like a charm each of the three times I've had to use it
5. several days ago used my hand auger and there were some roots I was able to pull backon the end of my snake line
6. this morning I end another small flood in my basement coming up from the floor drain yet again.
7. after my morning routine of dropping kids off at school, went down to work on my recurring problem, and it was gone...
... this is the strange part as once a flood has appeared due to a clog, it has never slowly drained back down on its own.

Should I go ahead and snake the pipe? Has it fixed itself (asking in vane Im sure, but one can hope)? Or is there another possible problem I haven't considered?

Again, thanks to any who are able to help.

 

[hammerlane]

Should I go ahead and snake the pipe?

Its not going to hurt so why not. Sounds like you need a camera inspection of the drain to definitely know whats going on. Set aside about $250 and get it done.

 

[Cp5]

I was worried for that recommendation, money is definately tight being this close to Christmas (tight anyways). I'll run my snake down the pipe and see what comes of it and post an update. Thank you for the reply lane.

 

[joecaption]

Do one of two things replace the whole drain all the way to the street, or hire a plumber that has a drain cammera to find out where the stopage is and just fix that one area.
Had to believe is it's PVC all the way to the street that's it's roots in the line.
Unless you got a great deal on a used snake there's no way you got one that has an auger on it that would eat through the roots. All a hand one is doing is punching enough of a hole in it to get it flowing again.

 

[Canarywood1]

Why not just rent a power snake and be done with it,and your not PVC to the street or you wouldn't have roots in the line.

 

[TheEplumber]

How long and what diameter is your cable? How big are the blades? I can't believe you're doing as good of a job as the plumbers machine. You've been tearing at only the smaller roots. I bet for 50-75 bucks you can rent a machine that will be better fitted for the job.

 

[TheEplumber]

Why not just rent a power snake and be done with it,and your not PVC to the street or you wouldn't have roots in the line.

That's not necessarily true. It may be cracked, a separated joint, bad connection to the sewer stub......That's what a camera is for. Perhaps the whole problem can be remedied with a spot repair rather than a line replacement.

 

[Cp5]

Every now and then a story has a happy ending. About ten feet in at (I'm guessing) a bend in the pipe I met resistance. Cranked through it, water drained, and when I pulled the snake back up there was plain paper debris on the end. Couldn't tell what exactly but I have a solid theory...

 

[hammerlane]

About ten feet in at (I'm guessing) a bend in the pipe I met resistance.

An elbow in the line?? Probably more like the roots trapped some paper.

 

[jagans]

Floor Drain?

You have a Basement floor drain that is plumbed into the city sanitary sewer system? Does it have backflow prevention?, and a trap? And how do you keep the trap full of water ?

Your main soil pipe heading out to the city sewer has a turn in it? Is there a cleanout just uphill of the Elbow?

What is "Plain Paper" doing in your sewer line? Kids?

Do you have "Water Saver" Toilets?

I know lots of questions.

 

[paintdrying]

Can you rent one of the sewer cameras as well?