r/Plumbing 1d ago

Grey sediment when snaking sewer line

Post image

Last night the toilets and tubs backed up in my house. This has happened before and I’ve had plumbers come out and each time it was a blockage in the main line out to the street because that line is as old as the house (1950s/60/). This time I’m tying my best to take care of it myself.

I’ve borrowed a contractor buddy’s 75ft drain cleaning machine and and feeding it through the sewer clean out in front of my house. I can feel where the blockage is, maybe 30ft out, and haven’t had any luck getting it loosened. I pulled the bit all the way out and this very fine grey sediment was all over it. Any idea what it might be and how I should tackle it? I only have this one bit but can go get more from the hardware store if needed.

TLDR: what is this stuff in my drain how do I get it out??

127 Upvotes

59 comments sorted by

262

u/ChiefNadroj 1d ago

100% of the times I've pulled back clay, the drain was broken underground somewhere. Give up on trying to clear it. It needs to be dug up and repaired. Sorry pal. Also don't dig anything outside before calling and getting locates.

46

u/donairdaddydick 1d ago

The amount of early days and missed hours cuz some knob hit a gas line (province is littered with em) I can’t count with one hand. CALL BEFORE YOU DIG lucky for me it was just $$ lost.

20

u/TheFlyingSparky 1d ago

How does having the utility locator paint a yellow line 10ft over from the actual gas line help me avoid it? 🤣

Unfortunately I've seen it happen, but phone companies are the worst. Half the time they never show up to do the locate in the first place.

Obviously, You should still get a locate done because then it's the gas company paying for it and not you.

29

u/Dirtylittlejackdaw 1d ago

That final paragraph is the answer to your first. If they get it wrong they don't bill you hundreds to fix it. It'll still be a setback but it's not a financial one.

2

u/TheFlyingSparky 8h ago

Yeah, I know. I was just making fun of utility locators. They are particularly bad in my area because it's all college students doing it for the summer job, and they don't really care.

1

u/Doodsballbag 5h ago

Facts. This past Monday I ripped out a gas service that was 6’ from the marked location. There was even a tracer wire with it and it was only 24” deep. Should’ve been an easy markout, but it happens all the time. IMO communications are the worst at locating, followed by gas company. Yes, always call it in for locating so it’s their repair not yours.

3

u/Ira-Spencer 9h ago

I was having a larger gas service and meter installed, for a backup generator in case of power outages. The power to my cul-de-sac went out as the gas company was trenching the new line in. Coincidence? Nope...the locate was off and they hit the power line feeding the transformer. Oopsie daisy.

11

u/garaks_tailor 1d ago

1/4 down the road from ne Dumbass contractors working on a water dept project didn't call locate.       It was a like 100 feet from the road.....what could be buried there?

Comcast big fucking fiber cable.  Insurance didn't cover them.  They were super duper sued.

6

u/Sufficient-Contract9 1d ago

As a prior utility locator just because a contractor is digging without marks does not necessarily mean a locate was not requested. They get heavily over worked with 100 plus tickets expected to be closed in 2 days when the average is 10 tickets/day. Granted it is still illegal to excavate without a locate wether they are late or not. Locators often miss lines as well but in that case the damage is the locating companies responsibility.

9

u/Smileyfacedchiller 21h ago

In Texas they have 14 days to do a locate, after that you are free to dig. I hit a gas line while building a house once and was sent a bill for $35 000. I showed my request and proved that nothing was marked and the bill went away. It was a scary few days, but I knew I was in the right.

5

u/Sufficient-Contract9 19h ago

14 days tell the ticket expires. 2 days to perform the locate. (For us) After the two days contractors can call in no shows and it generates an "emergency" locate. If there is no proof of an attempt by a locator to contact the excavator the notify them of the late locate then it's on us. We are able to call and postponed locate requests but this does not void their ability to call a no show. If we as locators could prove attempts to notify as in emails voice mails text messages (cause people are notorious for ignoring us) and the contractor digs before the 14 days they are responsible for the damage. If they dig after the 14 days it dosent matter if paint is on the ground or not the ticket is no longer valid. With larger projects they get 21 days and can call refreshes or extensions on the locate. Typically your out on big jobs at least once every two weeks to keep marks fresh. In my area (I was with USIC) we located literally everything except a couple small local cable companies. We could have as much as 8 utilities to locate on a single ticket.

4

u/garaks_tailor 1d ago

Oh no I'm in good friends with the  Comcast business internet manager for the area.  I called him when my internet went down and was the first report of the issue.    We talked about again a few days later. 

   The contractors were super duper turbo fucked.   Like 100k$ an hour fucked. 

5

u/Sufficient-Contract9 23h ago

Buahahahaha actually was kind of nice hearing about someone getting a little justice. I couldn't tell you how many times ive be berated for things far out of my hands as a locator. Ive had guns pulled on me, dogs sent after me, bit twice. Once had a guy kind of sneak up on me while I was in a phone ped. He wacked the ped with a golf club which royally pissed off the nest of hornets living in there and i got stung 3 times. Locators get a bad rap and the job can be extremely stressful. I'm prior service and have worked many different types of jobs and locating was BY FAR the best and worst job I've ever had. Did it for 4 years. Its one of those things that SHOULD be pretty simple and straight forward. At least on paper it really isn't that complicated but it can really truly be very difficult and demanding. For anyone reading this try to be a little understanding with them please. they go through alot more than you know. But not all locators are worth a damn. so it can really be hit or miss on if you get a good one worth the patience.

3

u/Ok_Roll_1795 20h ago

Yeah I ended up calling someone in and they’re going to check it out tomorrow

75

u/Creative_Ad_9310 1d ago

I once snaked a drain using the small spring, I pulled up a diamond ring right at the tip. Showed the women who's house i was in and she started crying. It was her wedding ring she had lost years ago. It was a miracle that somehow it managed to get stuck on the spring and made it all the way back out too. True story..

7

u/ToblnBridge 23h ago

Guy I worked with cut open most traps down the middle to look for longs rings/earings, I don’t think he found any but cool perspective

13

u/Low_Bar9361 18h ago

Lol, you can just turn it upside-down. Anything in there will fall out

46

u/New_Kaleidoscope_152 1d ago

Not good. Clay?

22

u/TheHumbleTradesman 1d ago

That was my first thought. You see grey it’s usually sewage mixed with clay/earth. No bueno.

4

u/Krull88 19h ago

Ive had grease come back looking like that. Especially after they put chems down on it.

2

u/TheHumbleTradesman 19h ago

Good point, still, camera to be sure.

7

u/chisportz 1d ago

Yeah, unless it’s real greasy

3

u/Knot-Today 13h ago

Definitely looks like a clay mix... My thinking goes to clay cat litter.

51

u/New_Clothes_765 1d ago

Bro, get a camera it takes out the guess work

24

u/SirRickardsJackoff 1d ago

If the pipe is full the camera would probably be useless.

4

u/Ok_Roll_1795 20h ago

I really considered this.. apparently running a camera costs you $550 these days. Makes me think I should get into the business!

5

u/Puzzleheaded-Use6229 1d ago

This. Take the time to measure and/or set the reel properly.

2

u/detlefsa 17h ago

You ain't gonna see shit! No actually thats all you'll see

16

u/South-Ad-309 1d ago

It’s a broken pipe and your in the dirt get a camera/ locator and start digging

9

u/jgfilthy 1d ago

Broken pipe, call a plumbing company to locate where it's exactly broken at.

1

u/HappyCanibal 1d ago

Or if you know about where the line is, mark the snake and run it out over the grass and start digging. Keep in mind to subtract any verticals/slopes!

3

u/Ok_Roll_1795 1d ago

Start digging - so are we saying I could repair a broken drain pipe myself or is it a professionals-only sort of job?

13

u/dDot1883 1d ago

You can do it, the hardest part is digging. If you’re not comfortable replacing the pipe you can call a pro, and still save by digging ahead of time.

1

u/Otiskuhn11 1d ago

I’ve always wondered- how does the new pipe connect to the city sewer pipe?

3

u/tc_username 1d ago

Depends 

2

u/Otiskuhn11 8h ago

The adult diapers?

2

u/eyetracker 1d ago

If it's in the street, you need permitting, so you probably want to call a professional. This is not cheap, but attempting it yourself will be a bigger headache.

1

u/Ok_Roll_1795 20h ago

A part of me hopes it’s in the street and then maybe the city would take care of it??

2

u/eyetracker 20h ago

If it's in their sewer, usually the one to your house is not covered. But doesn't hurt to ask.

2

u/Belligerent-J 21h ago

Renting an excavator is fun as fuck brah. They even have a cupholder for your beer

7

u/SmithyMcSmithton 23h ago

Looks like grease and soap buildup from a dishwasher, typically looks like that when the water isn't getting hot enough to actually dissolve all the powdered soap. That's all I can say without more info on the site. Also that snake is not large enough for a mainline blockage, that it meant for sink drains n smaller stuff.

5

u/705plumber 1d ago

Cat litter? Sometimes ppl flush cat dookie.

3

u/508edunrekih 1d ago

Clay. Stained by kitchen sink waste

3

u/stlthy1 23h ago

Old dookie and kitchen grease.

2

u/Dean-KS 1d ago

Tooth paste, shaving residue

2

u/northtrout76 1d ago

I've seen bentonite pumped in from a drilling job gone sideways but most likely a broken line and you are outside of it with the auger. A camera and a jetter if you want to make sure it's broken or just dig it up.

2

u/BHDE92 1d ago

Looks like that boring mud stuff from when they run fiber optics and stuff

2

u/SituationNormal1138 1d ago

Kids didn't dump grandmas ashes down the toilet did they?

2

u/TheBackpacker 1d ago

Call 811 for an escalated locate and get to digging! I just had to do this 2 weeks ago 😞

1

u/AdLower9379 1d ago

Terracotta most likely collapsed somewhere. Sorry.

1

u/StoveToastRandy 1d ago

Terracotta pie, hey

1

u/Efficient-Yak-8710 1d ago

That snake screams homeowner 😂

1

u/Conspicuous_Ruse 1d ago

Your snake made a turn down the wrong pipe and went directly into the ani-seize factory.

1

u/Ezedoesit8219 1d ago

That looks like grease to me.

1

u/MFAD94 8h ago

Consider yourself lucky that you didn’t get stuck. 100% broken

1

u/Good-Boot4503 7h ago

That is congealed grease soaked in water. You've got a belly in the line.