Is this a house trap?

Mad Dog_2

As others have wisely suggested...get the A Team in there...These guys are jerking you around...Mad Dog

bdp1999

Water came from the downspouts, it was raining all day. The water supply is located in the front of the house. Cleanout is in the back. I'll be doing me excavating today. Still no call back from the company.

bdp1999

I'm located in Michigan.

leonz

I wish you had told us your location in the beginning,

Please stop digging as you could cause more damage.

I would like you to look at this: www.mybisonplumbing.com/no-dig-sewer-repairs/

www.mybisonplumbing.com

Bison Plumbing Inc.

25780 Ryan Road

Warren, Michigan

1-586-335-2238

The Bison Plumbing Inc., folks are closest to you.

bdp1999

Thanks to all of those who tried to help me out!

bdp1999

Do I replace with sanitary pipe or two way now?

mattmia2

is that ci or clay? ferncos of the type rated for burial and pvc, put the cleanout back, y toward the street, support the ci above with hangers or riser clamps before you cut it out.

leonz

Please call the Bison plumbing folks to take care of this.

pecmsg

why is that ground pooling (i hope) water?

leonz

Pecmsg, did you see the broken clay drainage tile next to the cast iron pipe?

Mad Dog_2

Ok...so..it was a Clean out wye caulked in to a Single vent running trap. Mad Dog

Mad Dog_2

Before you cut it out, make sure you're not going to allow sewer gases where you don't want them. Mad Dog

leonz

Please follow Matts advice, you do not want methane backing up into the basement with a gas or oil fired appliance starting and igniting the methane from the sanitary sewer.

Mad Dog_2

I don't believe any of us have the full picture here. Please be kind enough to give us a very basic sketch of the fittings in question & the layout of the house Sanitary piping, vis a vis the street sewer. For example; see sketch I made. Mad Dog

20250507_082747.jpg

Mad Dog_2

I have the trap reversed, but it's close enough. The big question is...Is THIS the only House trap or trap for the entire house, OR is this trap picking up a yard drain or catch basin...Please add to my sketch to give us the full picture here. Thanks Mad Dog

bdp1999

17466503421751724903705451698548.jpg

mattmia2

The pipe that goes diagonally in to that y just goes outside and is capped?

bdp1999

Yes

Mad Dog_2

Cleanout/Fresh Air Inlet...

Mad Dog_2

In any case, this was not a proper installation from the day in went it. If they can't get their snake through the trap, you're best off cutting that out & install a proper clean out tee as your first fitting past the foundation, replace the trap and tie in the fresh air inlet properly. Mad Dog

Mad Dog_2

20250508_085213.jpg

Easy to snake out to street sewer & in to building. In NY, we'd do this is cast Iron but pvc may be fine out where you are. Mad Dog

mattmia2

it would appear that someone has been getting a cable though it for decades.

Mad Dog_2

If they're any good, but who knows. We also don't know how many main stoppages they've had since day one..could be 4...or this is the first..as Dan says...."It's depends…" Mad dog

mattmia2

None of us expected there to be a house trap there.

Anyone with a little experience with drain cleaning should have been able to tell you that it was right there once they put a cable in there.

Someone probably added that y and pipe to the outside to make it easier to clean so they could clean it from the outside, possibly before the basement floor was poured, dirt floors in basements were pretty common until the mid 20th century or so.

Mad Dog_2

Yeah Matt, why did they make the Homeowner do all the investigating & digging? Mad Dog

Mad Dog_2

BDP 1999...does this make better sense now? Mad Dog

bdp1999

Is this a 3rd hub coming off the single house trap or a hub coming from the city line?

Mad Dog_2

Not sure what you mean? What I drew would replace that Single Vent Trap.. Mad Dog

bdp1999

bdp1999

Misson Complete...

bdp1999

Thanks to all who helped!

mattmia2

is the clay the drain tile for the foundation?

Mad Dog_2

Very neat. I like the Husky clamps. Mad Dog

leonz

You can have the line snaked and cleared of roots and then use ROOTX if its use is permitted by the city's water and sewer department, but it would have to be done annually due to the pipes condition and the root problem will still be there as it is already compromised and damaged by the tree roots.

Is there another 4 inch P trap to block the sewer gasses? if not you will be entirely dependent on keeping all your sinks, shower and tub P traps filled with water. If there is no P trap ahead of the new piping you should consider cutting the cast iron back further and installing a new P trap using more PVC pipe.

Will you be repairing the broken clay tile and snaking it as well?

leonz

Hello bdp1999,

Will you be adding a P trap and 2 new couplers in front of the new drain piping by cutting back the new drain pipe to allow room for 2 husky clamps and a short piece of 4 inch drainage pipe used to connect it to the cast iron pipe?? You could easily use the portion of 4 inch PVC pipe that you removed to create space for the P trap to be installed to connect the P trap to the pipe run using 2 pieces of this scrap pvc pipe.

Will you be snaking and clearing the clay drainage tile and installing another cleanout for the drain pipe??

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1855243#Comment_1855243

Most places in the US do not use house traps and some areas don't allow them.

The OP would have to look at their local codes to find out what is required in their area.

EdTheHeaterMan

This has gone on much too long….

When I first read this

Is this a House Trap

I was going to answer with:

I don't know; but this is a mouse trap! LOL

But now that this is 3 pages long, I had to add this comment to the discussion.