Any plumbers out there? 50 year old house with cracked drain pipe somewhere under it

[BHD]

does the pipe go under the slab or out of the wall and to the out side, of the house?

do you know were it meets up with a larger pipe?

one could have the pipe cleaned and cameraed, and see what the condition really is, and if it needs a replacement, or can just be fixed from where it is,

not sure if this is applicable but there plumbers who can split and pull new pipe in the old hole, not sure if this applicable in this situation, a there usually has to a place to put the pulling hydraulic device,

if the pipe needs to come out I would cut two kerfs in the slab with a diamond saw, and then bust out with a electric jack hammer, do the replacement pipe and pack the soil or replace with gravel that settles less and repour the floor,

 

[EddieWalker]

There is also a very large 2'+ diameter oak tree very near the area of problems. I told him the tree might have to go. He says is is shade for much of the home and the driveway....So he has some decisions to make.

If the house settled enough to crack a drain pipe, then he has much bigger issues then just a drain pipe.

If the pipe is corroded from chemicals, then it all has to be replaced and new PVC installed, which means lots of digging and demolition, or it means installing a new drain line somewhere else. Is he on septic?

Odds are that neither of these are the problem. My money is on the roots of the oak tree. Here in Tyler, a lot of houses have clay drain pipes and roots from trees get through the pipes all the time. Cast iron is usually much better and keeping the roots out, but it still happens. I would focus on where the roots are first.

And just to be sure that I understand what you are saying, when you say that the drain pipe was leaking and he opened up the wall to find the problem, is the leak from water backing up in the pipe and not draining properly? Could it be a plugged up pipe and not a leaking pipe issue?

 

[RNeumann]

The plumber who estimated said that probably 2 reasons for pipe failure. Cleaners used in kitchen area, and the house has settled and has a cracked foundation. There is also a very large 2'+ diameter oak tree very near the area of problems. I told him the tree might have to go. He says is is shade for much of the home and the driveway....So he has some decisions to make.

This is a foundation and tree issue!

The sewage under the foundation isn’t helping foundation settling. He will need to fix the foundation and tackle the DWV together.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

And just to be sure that I understand what you are saying, when you say that the drain pipe was leaking and he opened up the wall to find the problem, is the leak from water backing up in the pipe and not draining properly? Could it be a plugged up pipe and not a leaking pipe issue?

I'm not sure that I understood his explanation perfectly. He said the sink's drain goes into the wall, into a smaller diameter drainpipe that goes down into the slab. I can only guess that the rusted out part starts underground due to the roots and the clog worked it's way up?

He said it feels like the movie "The Money Pit", where the house is just one problem after another. Considering selling it to a "flipper".

So buyer beware on flipped homes. A new coat of paint doesn't fix much.

 

[the old grind]

I'd re-rout the small drain if it's just a sink. Shower, tub, stool, ... lots going on there and need 4" piping. If the sink is just a place to wash up, shave, and brush teeth, route the gray water outside and use a downspout splash-block or planter to terminate.

Rig up whatever you want/can (even temporary) below the trap weir. (Horizontal slope 1"/ft, others vertical). Use an under-cabinet vent ('AEV') if/as needed so you won't suck the sink trap dry. Isn't there a couple-gallon tank and pump-out setup for campers to use under a sink? Condensate pump for AC units just lack reservoir capacity.

I hope to put a std laundry tub in the barn with a float switch & pond pump in a 5 gal bucket underneath and water gallons on a shelf above for quick wash-ups in mild weather. Lots of easy temporary solutions if going all out is ultimately best and $$ are currently 'least'.

 

[jaxs]

I'm not sure that I understood his explanation perfectly. He said the sink's drain goes into the wall, into a smaller diameter drainpipe that goes down into the slab. I can only guess that the rusted out part starts underground due to the roots and the clog worked it's way up?

He said it feels like the movie "The Money Pit", where the house is just one problem after another. Considering selling it to a "flipper".

So buyer beware on flipped homes. A new coat of paint doesn't fix much.

That's good advice,here's some for people that don't take it and buy house anyhow. Wading into sewer,foundation,electrical and roof problems without necessary training and experience then turning to the net for advice is a recipe for disaster. Wading in where problem involves two or more in combination might call one's sanity into question. The project you have laid out doesn't just separate men from boys,it separate's pro's according to their experience and training. For you to attempt sorting it out with help from the innerweb and you don't even know which way or how far pipe run's is,,,,,,,,,,,,well,if you don't have the picture already,there's no use in saying more.

 

[zzvyb6]

I had a water pipe burst under the slab floor in my barn. The $5,000 sounds similar as an estimate. Instead, the plumber used a solution he's had success with in the City: He stuffed a smaller diameter plastic water line inside the broken on and spliced it into the ends of the original pipe. As good as new ! Maybe this would work for the drain line.

 

[YLee Kioti]

Wow-wee feel for you bro., because we just went through something similar about 8 years ago.
Our house was built in 64. around 2009 or so had to have the slab corrected with concrete piers.
Then the sewer lines had to be replaced. My first exposure to a tractor also. Rented a tlb from McCoys and dug out old clay and asbestos (?) pipe? They were about 4 ' long white about 1/2 " think and weighed about 45 lbs each. Oak roots at every joint. The cast iron pipes from underneath the slabs were tied in with rubber boots. All in all about a 5k job and I did most of the digging. sigh...
You can save a lot by doing your own digging or hiring young summer labor and have a plumber make the tie ins and have the inspection pass, then pour some quick-rete to close it all up.

Best of luck I feel for your pain.....

 

[Molalla1]

The plumber who estimated said that probably 2 reasons for pipe failure. Cleaners used in kitchen area, and the house has settled and has a cracked foundation. There is also a very large 2'+ diameter oak tree very near the area of problems. I told him the tree might have to go. He says is is shade for much of the home and the driveway....So he has some decisions to make.

It's tree roots. Been there done that on a rental . . . tree roots can reek many problems on one's foundation.

If the house settled enough to crack a drain pipe, then he has much bigger issues then just a drain pipe.

If the pipe is corroded from chemicals, then it all has to be replaced and new PVC installed, which means lots of digging and demolition, or it means installing a new drain line somewhere else. Is he on septic?

Odds are that neither of these are the problem. My money is on the roots of the oak tree. Here in Tyler, a lot of houses have clay drain pipes and roots from trees get through the pipes all the time. Cast iron is usually much better and keeping the roots out, but it still happens. I would focus on where the roots are first.

And just to be sure that I understand what you are saying, when you say that the drain pipe was leaking and he opened up the wall to find the problem, is the leak from water backing up in the pipe and not draining properly? Could it be a plugged up pipe and not a leaking pipe issue?

Spot on Eddie . . .

 

[D2Cat]

It's been mentioned, but I'll repeat. Hire a plumber to clean the main drain. He should have a camera with a transmitter and receiver. He runs the camera into the drain to inspect. He can determine the type of pipe, and locate exactly where the failure is. Only then will the home owner have enough information to make an intelligent decision on a repair.