Hello Homesite

I have a plumbing problem and would appreciate any advice you can offer.I’ve had an extension (laundry and ensuite) added to my home and in the
process the plumber didn’t block off some the existing pipes. As a consequence, it appears that quite a significant amount of debris (mainly remnants of bricks) has managed to get into pipes resulting in blockages for my existing bathroom and kitchen (essentially the shower, sink, etc., back up).

The plumber has endeavored to fix the problem but doesn’t seem to be able to resolve the main issue i.e. removing the debris. My challenge as far as I can see, is to find a way to remove the debris from the bottom of a vertical 90 mm stormwater pipe where it has collected in a stainless steel sump. The sump is about 1.5 meters underground. I can see the debris but can’t figure out a way to get something that is narrow enough to fit down the pipe and has some form of “grip” on the end.

Thanks

Spencer

Answer:

Dear Spencer,
Your plumber probably realises that he/she has made a mistake and is trying to find an easy fix.  They probably also realise that there is no easy fix, but does not want to go to the expense of fixing the error properly.

Based on the information provided, I would suggest that the only real way to rectify the matter is to excavate around the pipe, to the depth of the elbow or trap, remove the pipe and debris and then replace the pipe.

I am sure your plumber will not be happy with this suggestion but at the end of the day –hey who made the mistake?
Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Mike