Members diocide Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 If the ball/check is working as it should, then you must have just a regular old clog in that line somewhere. If it's a 2 or 3 inch line, it'll be a pain to do without a pick-a-pack or other mechanical means to clean the drain. You could try a liquid type acid based drain cleaner, but honestly, that can cause more harm than it will help. Depending on what the clog is, it may not do anything. First things first, pop that cleanout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crunchtime Posted July 5, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 I put a pipe wrench on clean out plug and it didn't want to move. I'm going to go to town and get some penetrating oil. Thought I had some but don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheFigurehead Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 I'd dump some of this down the drain, and add water until the drain is full and hope for the best, before I did anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diocide Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 I'd dump some of this down the drain, and add water until the drain is full and hope for the best, before I did anything else. He may have a clog further down the line that has nothing to do with the iron he found near the drain. I'd wait and see what's causing the clog first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheFigurehead Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 He may have a clog further down the line that has nothing to do with the iron he found near the drain. I'd wait and see what's causing the clog first. This may be true, but it's a $5 suggestion. I'm guessing he doesn't have a scope or an auger, so I'm not sure how he'll diagnose / repair it, should that be the case, without professional help (which he seems to want to avoid, if at all possible). Rule out the easy stuff... then call in the pros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crunchtime Posted July 5, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 I want to first determine if the trap or line is plugged. If it's the line I'll be happy. I figure it's not in the main line yet because everything else drains. I can try to pull the debris out with my magnet. If that dont work, I'll call a pro. If it's in the trap, I'm {censored}ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wayne2 Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 Excellent thread. I imagine the air conditioning water being pulled right from the air is more corrosive than normal water. Code in my town is the air conditioner condensate water has to be pumped to the outside anyway. There's a little pump and a plastic tube that leads out to next to the unit outside and it just goes out on the lawn. Anyway you might want to consider just capping that drain and finding some other way to get the water outside the house. I don't know if the code is the same in your area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MattACaster Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 That happened to me a few weeks ago. Hella cheap, I read the reviews on Yellow for plumbers, and this bloke came and charged me only $100 to fix it (and that included a new drain/plughole). God I hope it's that cheap. It's going to be a bad month if this is an expensive fix... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diocide Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 This may be true, but it's a $5 suggestion. I'm guessing he doesn't have a scope or an auger, so I'm not sure how he'll diagnose / repair it, should that be the case, without professional help (which he seems to want to avoid, if at all possible).Rule out the easy stuff... then call in the pros. Pouring chemicals down a drain is not a first step. First step is to figure out where the blockage is. 2nd is to determine what's causing it. Not trying to sound like a dick here, but that 5 dollar "solution" could cause more problems down the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diocide Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 This may be true, but it's a $5 suggestion. I'm guessing he doesn't have a scope or an auger, so I'm not sure how he'll diagnose / repair it, should that be the case, without professional help (which he seems to want to avoid, if at all possible).Rule out the easy stuff... then call in the pros. Pouring chemicals down a drain is not a first step. First step is to figure out where the blockage is. 2nd is to determine what's causing it. Not trying to sound like a dick here, but that 5 dollar "solution" could cause more problems down the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thefyn Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 God I hope it's that cheap. It's going to be a bad month if this is an expensive fix... If it is accessible without cutting walls/concrete etc it should be ok if it is leaking at one joint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diocide Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 Excellent thread. I imagine the air conditioning water being pulled right from the air is more corrosive than normal water. Code in my town is the air conditioner condensate water has to be pumped to the outside anyway. There's a little pump and a plastic tube that leads out to next to the unit outside and it just goes out on the lawn. Anyway you might want to consider just capping that drain and finding some other way to get the water outside the house. I don't know if the code is the same in your area. Different units have different PH's of their condensate. For example, condensing boilers are required by code in most of New England to have acid neutralization kits installed on their drains. You can get simple PH test kit strips and see what the PH of your condensate is, if that's determined to be causing the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheFigurehead Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 Pouring chemicals down a drain is not a first step. First step is to figure out where the blockage is. 2nd is to determine what's causing it. Not trying to sound like a dick here, but that 5 dollar "solution" could cause more problems down the line. I hear what you are saying... it IS safe for pipes and plumbing, however, and used quite often to remove rust from pipes. Is that his problem? I couldn't say... but I can tell you that the Super Iron Out is safe to use as I described, and safe to drain into sewer system. At worst, it's going to clean the rust off that crappy looking drain inlet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wayne2 Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 Different units have different PH's of their condensate. For example, condensing boilers are required by code in most of New England to have acid neutralization kits installed on their drains. You can get simple PH test kit strips and see what the PH of your condensate is, if that's determined to be causing the problem. Maybe I'm not calling it the right thing. I think it's just pure water that the air conditioner produces as a by-product of doing what it does. Like how window units just let it fall on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diocide Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 Maybe I'm not calling it the right thing. I think it's just pure water that the air conditioner produces as a by-product of doing what it does. Like how window units just let it fall on the ground. Typically AC condensate is just regular water. I was jut generally sparking about condensate as a whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crunchtime Posted July 5, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 My wife just went to town and she's getting penetrating oil for the plug. I want to really oil it and scrub it with the oil a few times if needed. Last thing I need is to {censored} up the drain trying to pull the plug. I also agee with Diocide. I avoid putting chemicals in my drains. I'm so disappointed in myself for neglecting this drain. I'm a Nazi with my sink and tub drains. I won't even use my garbage disposal. I say to my wife," Sure you grind it up but it still goes in the drain." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diocide Posted July 5, 2012 Members Share Posted July 5, 2012 My wife just went to town and she's getting penetrating oil for the plug. I want to really oil it and scrub it with the oil a few times if needed. Last thing I need is to {censored} up the drain trying to pull the plug.I also agee with Diocide. I avoid putting chemicals in my drains. I'm so disappointed in myself for neglecting this drain. I'm a Nazi with my sink and tub drains. I won't even use my garbage disposal. I say to my wife," Sure you grind it up but it still goes in the drain." I HATE garbage disposals. Some people literally think you can put ANYTHING down a garbage disposal. You wouldn't believe some of the conversations I've had with homeowners. Not to mention that most people don't run enough water when they do use them, so all that stuff just congeals and turns to {censored}ing cement in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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