Author Topic: Can I DIY a possible pluming roof vent blockage?  (Read 1116 times)

The Fake Cheap

  • Bristles
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  • Location: Canada
Can I DIY a possible pluming roof vent blockage?
« on: September 14, 2017, 06:08:48 PM »

My lower toilet has been bubbling when the washing machine goes through it's drain cycle.  The washer machine itself seems to have a very small leak from the washer when draining, and suds often comeback up from the drain hose pipe.  The bathtub upstairs is also draining very slowly, no issues with the upstairs toilet.  According to what I've found online, I likely have a blockage in either the roof vent pipe or further downstream, like between my downstairs toilet and where we connect to the sewer system.  Seems like an easy DIY job to go on the roof and have a look down the pipe and remove whatever may be in there, (a bird maybe?) there are no trees around.  Some of the information was saying do not try to remove anything yourself, but it seems like a (possibly) simple job to extract from the roof vent if that is my problem.  If there is nothing there, I would like turn to a plumber, assuming the blockage is in a not to easy to access area.  Any thoughts? Anything I could possibly screw up in the removal processes via the roof vent?

SoundFuture

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
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Re: Can I DIY a possible pluming roof vent blockage?
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2017, 03:50:05 PM »
(Not a plumber here, just a guy who occasionally fixes things). As long as you feel like you can work on your roof safely you can take a look and clear out anything within arms reach.  If you can't see anything you can take a garden hose and poor water down the vent to see if it backs up (indicating a clog). Sometimes the water will flush it out, if it doesn't you need an auger.  If there's nothing wrong with the vent you more than likely have a drainage clog on the main outgoing sanitary sewer (if your neighbors are having similar problems it could be the street sewer).