[Shop-talk] bacteria based drain cleaner was Re: Soil stack venting issue

[Benjamin Zwissler]

It's been a few years, but bought it either at Lowe's or Walmart and it was
a quart size plastic bottle with a powder you mixed with warm water.  I
think it was roebic brand.

Ben

On Mon, Dec 7, 2020, 5:47 PM Tim . <tims_datsun_stuff at outlook.com> wrote:

> Any favorites out there or brands to avoid?
> thanks
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Shop-talk <shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of
> Benjamin Zwissler <bjzwissler at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Monday, December 7, 2020 8:01 AM
> *To:* Jim Franklin <jamesf at groupwbench.org>
> *Cc:* Shop Talk <shop-talk at autox.team.net>
> *Subject:* Re: [Shop-talk] Soil stack venting issue
>
> I've had two similar issues.  Both solved and one may be helpful to you.
> BTW, my house is all PVC drains, but I'm not sure that matters.
>
> My clothes washer drain shared a pipe with a floor drain and utility tub
> (sink).  The floor drain began gurgling when water drained from the other
> two.  I tried flushing it but that didn't help.  What did help was using
> some bacteria based drain cleaner.  It claims to have helpful bacteria
> that, among other things, eat soap scum.  That has worked for many years,
> except when I flush a lot of harsh cleaners down the utility sink.  I used
> to do some auto part washing in that sink, but don't any longer and I
> haven't had to add more bacterial cleaner for a long time.  My thought was
> the harsh chemicals were killing the bacteria.
>
> The other example was on my HVAC unit's condensate drain.  It was nothing
> but a gravity drain and after many years it began backing up occasionally
> and then flooding the whole unit with water.  I could disconnect it and
> blow through it and that was enough to clear the clog.  Also using that
> pipe was a bathroom and the kitchen sink/dishwasher.  I tried lots of
> things (bleach, detergent, bacterial drain cleaners, etc) thinking mold,
> moss, grease, etc was blocking it, but in the end I installed an HVAC sump
> with a pump that collects a quart or so of water and then pumps it out.
> That's worked flawlessly for a few years --- until the pump breaks.
>
> Ben
>
>
> Ben Zwissler
> bjzwissler at gmail.com
> 812-343-5533
> Columbus, IN
>
>
> On Mon, Dec 7, 2020 at 8:25 AM Jim Franklin <jamesf at groupwbench.org>
> wrote:
>
> Maybe some of you have an innovative solution...
>
> My house has a single cast iron soil stack that does both drain and vent.
> When I flush the toilet, it sucks air from the tub drain. The toilet and
> tub enter the stack separately, but at the same height, using an oddly
> specific T with a 4" toilet and a 2" tub inlet about 45 degrees apart. The
> tub does not have its own vent. 2 years ago I had a plumber snake the vent
> from the roof, he found "stuff", and it was fixed. Last week it started
> again.
>
> My kitchen sink T's into the stack at knee height, so it's the highest
> item on the stack. My thought is, because it's a straight T, not a sanitary
> T, stuff from the sink is solidifying inside the T when the flow hits the
> back of the T, and eventually forming a cap of "stuff" just above the T
> entry, sealing off any venting. I can't tell if the sink is also being used
> as the toilet's vent because there are too many walls in the way to hear
> what's happening.
>
> My other thought is that the "stuff" is growing like a mold, and sealing
> it off. Does stuff grow in drains?
>
> Any thoughts on what it might be, and how to prevent it? I rarely put oils
> down the drain, and when I do they are cold and mixed with Dawn to emulsify
> it. There isn't enough canopy for leaves or squirrels to get in the roof
> vent.
>
> thanks,
> jim
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