Sewer Downpipe Leaks by 45 in Summer

[Rmay635703]

My moms house is designed so there is only one main sewer downpipe.

It apparently started leaking by the 45 7’ above the floor in 1978 and my father did something to stop it, his fix lasted through last year.

I emptied the 5 gallon bucket that collects the small summer only leak and shut all the water, including the main off flushed the toilet and depressurished all the sinks as we were going to be gone 9 days.
Despite there being no water, no dripping faucets , no water flow I came back to a nearly full 5 gallon bucket which never happens.
Considering the leak is 7’ up I’m a bit worried that more is wrong than a leak since it should be impossible to have water sitting that high.

When this started I placed a rope to guide the leak where I wanted and placed a 5 gallon bucket.
I’m not decided how I want to repair it and that isn’t my concern.

Typically this pipe only leaks in the summer and only when your running water, might get up to a gallon a week of leak, water is always clear.
-5 gallons of leak with no water source is concerning

Really don’t want to pay $5k to have a plumber walk in and rip out the entire down pipe and roto rooter into the city side of things. Wondering if the leak is only there due to a clog but the sinks and everything seem to drain fine.

 

[doitmyself]

Considering the leak is 7’ up I’m a bit worried that more is wrong than a leak since it should be impossible to have water sitting that high.

Typically this pipe only leaks in the summer and only when your running water, might get up to a gallon a week of leak, water is always clear.
-5 gallons of leak with no water source is concerning

Yes, that is very odd. Water cannot appear out of nowhere. I can only think of two possibilities: 1.) There is a clog somewhere upstream. Maybe water is somehow backing up into a vent pipe if something is plumbed incorrectly? 2.) Is there a possibility that an appliance is improperly hooked up to the drain system? - Washer. Water softener? - could the water softener regenerated while you were away???

If that is PVC, you can cut out the offending parts and reinstall new pipe - all kinds of couplings and repair parts available. Or, because that line is not under pressure, I had excellent luck cleaning the leaking joint ultra good, roughing it up a bit, and applying two part epoxy labeled for PVC.

Please follow up with your results.

 

[Nukeman7]

If that is PVC, you can cut out the offending parts and reinstall new pipe - all kinds of couplings and repair parts available. Or, because that line is not under pressure, I had excellent luck cleaning the leaking joint ultra good, roughing it up a bit, and applying two part epoxy labeled for PVC.

^^^^This is your best option. Go get the Rectorseal EP-200 Epoxy putty in the plumbing section of your local Home Depot. EP-200 sets up in 20 minutes and fully cures rock hard in an hour.

 

[wwillson]

It apparently started leaking by the 45 7’ above the floor in 1978 and my father did something to stop it, his fix lasted through last year.

I had a very similar leaking sewer pipe in a house I once owned. I figured out the joint had never been cemented, so I cleaned and cemented it. It never leaked again.

 

[Rand]

They forgot to cement my vent and intake lines for my furnace when they installed it anything is possible.

(its a direct power vent model)

but why would water leak out when no activity... that part is odd. Was there any crazy rain when you were gone?

 

[RhondaHonda]

Probably worth a camera or a roto rooter call, seems like water is backing up in the drain pipe somewhere.

 

[Rmay635703]

Was there any crazy rain when you were gone?

Yes

 

[hemitom]

Does your weeping tile around the foundation or sump pump tie into this drain ? possible cause of back up .
Just reread the post with no viable source of water from fixtures etc you have a back up !

 

[Mazomopar]

Is there a clean out plug at the floor/grade level of that pipe you could open to see if there is any head pressure going up the pipe?

 

[Rmay635703]

^^^^This is your best option. Go get the Rectorseal EP-200 Epoxy putty in the plumbing section of your local Home Depot. EP-200 sets up in 20 minutes and fully cures rock hard in an hour.
View attachment 288259

Is there an ideal way to clean/prep/prime before using that stuff? (Hard, super smooth and ancient usually doesn’t make for a permenent connection)

Is there a clean out plug at the floor/grade level of that pipe you could open to see if there is any head pressure going up the pipe?

Sadly no, after the town converted to city sewer water the floor drain was disconnected and the only thing close is a full size elbow near floor level with a large cap. Removing it might result in a lot of unwanted lengthy fun as I don’t have anything for the muck to spill into, recapping and resealing would be interesting as well.

Sheer size might also mean I can’t spin it out

 

[doitmyself]

Is there an ideal way to clean/prep/prime before using that stuff? (Hard, super smooth and ancient usually doesn’t make for a permenent connection)

I would use a metal hand tool to meticulously scrape off the crud down to clean plastic. Even scrape a bit of plastic off to ensure no embedded residue. A power tool might burnish that crud into the plastic. A wood chisel would work. A utility knife? Exacto knife. Next, clean it off with alcohol to remove any hand oils, etc.. Then sand it with medium grit sandpaper or emory cloth, coarse enough to actually leave some scratches in it. Fold the paper into about a quarter inch wide long strip that you can wrap around the pipe. Sand the lip of the fitting too. Alcohol wipe one more time. That should leave a great surface for the epoxy to adhere to.

I've never used the EP 200 Epoxy stick. Obviously it is easier, requires less skill, and sets faster. It has a tensile strength of 2000 pounds. Two part JB weld is my preference. It will be a bit runny, so you have to work it a few minutes until it stiffens up. It takes hours to fully cure (a heat lamp will quicken things). I'm confident that it will have superb adhesion and it's tensile strength is 5000 pounds. JB Qwik Weld sets faster, with a tensile strength of 3100 pounds.

My repair pictured above was done 30 years ago. During a bathroom remodel, I started sawing into the wrong drain pipe!

 

[facility1]

cut out old ell and install 45 dg fernco. while apart run a cup snake up and down line.