Have you found where it terminates? I suspect you might be looking at a vent line. If so, it will go all the way up, and through the roof. Do you have roof access? If so, see if there is a pipe coming out of the roof at that point. If so, DO NOT block it off - this is a critical part of the waste system.

Posted by: dbarufaldi at January 23, 2008 4:15 PM in response to strange waste line = roaches?

Don't use pool supply diatomaceous earth. You want food-grade, which is available from several online sources. Google for the food grade stuff.

Posted by: dbarufaldi at March 5, 2008 4:43 PM in response to Prepping for a summer attack! Waterbugs.

I think you can probably do a little deductive reasoning to help you narrow it down.

- Run the shower with the drain covered. If it doesn't leak, it's in the drain system, not the supply system (seems like that's the case since both shower and toilet cause leak, and you state it's during flushing the toilet, not filling)

- If it's in the drain system, and both the toilet and the shower leak, then you can look downstream of whichever device is closest to the main sewerline. In other words, if the shower is upstream of the toilet, but you get a leak from both sources, the leak is at or downstream of the toilet. Vice versa for shower. It's possible to be in between the two, but highly unlikely if the rest of the DWV system is installed correctly.

- Where does the sink drain? If it's downstream of the other two, and it doesn't leak when used, then the leak is between the sink and the other two sources. If the sink is on a different drain line, then it wouldn't be leaking for the same reason.

- Where is the water coming out in the kitchen? If it's already damaged the sheetrock in the kitchen, pull that out to see if you can see the leak. Either way, you're probably going to replace the sheetrock unless the leak is fairly minor and recent. Sometimes leaks come out and follow a beam to a different exit point, or follow electrical conduit to exit in a fixture. It seems to me that if you've already finished the bathroom (assuming tile on floors and wall), you'll want to try to access the drain from below. The kitchen ceiling is easier to patch than the tile floor.

Does that help at all?
Dan B

Posted by: dbarufaldi at August 8, 2008 2:41 PM in response to leak detection

I contacted a site called "Dirtworks" for the diatomaceous earth; I would not recommend using them. Try Perma-Guard Inc. in Albuquerque, NM. and specify food grade.

Posted by: guest at March 5, 2008 6:12 PM in response to Prepping for a summer attack! Waterbugs.

Boric acid is an organic product and should not be harmful for pets or children. Also when you apply Boric acid you have to use a very very very light layer they will not walk on it if they know it is there. Home-defense works good for outside but may be a little to strong for inside use. My neighbor has a bunch of those railroad ties and waterbugs swarm to those things in the summer. Its disgusting so I have had to become somewhat of a professional when it comes to getting rid of them. If you are looking for organic use Boric Acid if you are looking to not see them and know they are dead bomb your house (sucks and takes a lot of work to clean up after but it definetly works).

Posted by: guest at March 26, 2008 3:31 AM in response to Prepping for a summer attack! Waterbugs.

We have 'em. First got them 6 years ago when the water heater wore out and started leaking. My exterminator (21st Cent. Pest Elimination Corp.) explained that water bugs can't live 24 hrs without moisture, so thier presence usually indicates a leak of some sort. Then I found out our roof needed replacement, as moisture finally discolored some walls near the roof, but it was not evident from examining the roof. There are still some, but much less. I'm now thinking of them as early warning signs indicating water problems of some sort. Helpers in a weird sort of way ???

Posted by: handygirl at April 7, 2008 9:09 PM in response to Prepping for a summer attack! Waterbugs.

I get waterbugs too, they've freaked me out my entire life. I couldn't think of anything to do, so I just tried to scald them and it worked! If they're any in the sink, I heat up a filled teapot and when it's whistling I take the teapot off the stove and pour the water wherever I think they might be. It killed pretty well. I don't think that'll work anywhere but the sink/bath/shower, though. It'd be a little messy.

Posted by: guest at July 27, 2008 9:33 AM in response to Prepping for a summer attack! Waterbugs.

for those interested:

1) we dug through tile in new bath and through floor of bathroom.
2) the water was leaking from a pipe in between the kitchen (upstream) and bath fixtures (downstream)
3) we found two 3-4 inch holes in pipe
4) water back flows from toilet and shower to point of leak, so it would seem the drainage system is not installed correctly.

We'd rather not dig up the entire floor to the main line. Any thoughts on ignoring the back flow problem? Is the only risk a broken pipe in 60 years from standing water?

Posted by: annon at August 11, 2008 5:46 PM in response to leak detection