Part 1: Attempted Tunneling Under Slab to Repair Broken Drain Line

[@IvethandJq]

This guy is a legend

[@DarthFetid]

well not what i was looking for. have fun.

[@haccoon5458]

Glad I watched. I forgot about the footer around the slab.

[@petelu]

Great video, lots of good detail. Can you explain more how the demo hammer help you dig? Did it help loosen the soil and you shovel it out?

[@AtHomeDIY]

Hi Pete, I appreciate the feedback. So in my area of Texas there is a lot of clay. It was nearly impossible to dig through the clay with just a shovel. The demo hammer burrowed through it quite easily on the edges of the hole (essentially expanding the hole wider and deeper by chipping off the edges), and then I would use a shovel to remove the loose dirt.

[@petelu]

@@AtHomeDIY Thanks for the update, I'm located at North Texas as well. I got a sewer drain issue that I think I need to dig to get to repair/replace it. The plumbing company wanted a few thousand dollars to fix it and I don't have that money right now. Keep up the good videos, appreciate the insights.

[@bigtexajd]

put a shovel attachment on the chipping hammer

[@supersoakher]

Did you video or have pics of what it looked like underneath the slab?

[@rickhamilton2332]

It sounded like that 2 inch line only ran for three or four feet until it hit a 3 inch line. If that was PVC, and your small auger did not work, why could you not have rented a big auger and cleaned it out until it hit the 3 inch line? If it was cast iron and collapsing I could understand that, but if PVC you should have been able to get it cleared. Just curious.

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

I was thinking the same thing. A camera can also be run into the line to locate the blockage. Even if a plumber had to be paid to do it, it would be a lot easier than digging up the floor.

[@mts7274]

I heard that insurance companies don't like jackhammering into slab because it can weaken the structure of the home.

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

Of course, the insurance company doesn't own the home, this gentleman does. -Screw'em!

[@mts7274]

​@@rosewoodsteel6656 Well, when the insurance company finds out a jackhammer was used previously by the owner, then THEY will just just say "screw em!" if he ever made a claim dealing with structure related issues.

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

@@mts7274 I wasn't aware that insurance companies covered structural related issues unless it involved a tree falling on the house or a tropical storm. What company are you using, MTS?

[@1gkgrandpa]

ETEX plumbing excavation in Dallas East Texas offers amazing whole sale digging straight to the homeowner or plumber.

[@TK-qm8rb]

It would have worked. Just make it a bigger hole. I have to do that because I have post tensioned cables not re-bar in my slab.

[@AtHomeDIY]

Definitely would have worked, I just felt going through the slab was going to be much less effort (and it was). Yes, you have to be very careful on a post tensioned slab. Thanks for watching!

[@vppr-jszm5632]

awesome directions and explanation....do u buy or rent ur equipment/tools? and if yes, from where? sorry it failed...wanted to see how u fit in tunnel, curve around and fix pipe 👌👏👏

[@AtHomeDIY]

Thanks! I have a good assortment of tools, but for the ones I don't have I either borrow or rent (from Home Depot). Check out parts 2-4 to see how it turned out!

[@woodcrafter7361]

How much farther did you have to dig?

[@AtHomeDIY]

You'll notice at the end of the video I decided tunneling was going to be too much work, so this was as far as I dug out. Parts 2-4 detail how I actually ended up fixing the issue though, feel free to check that out.

[@TheNightmareBeforeyouakaDrnigh]

He has ET fingers. Haha

[@Auburn7543]

So stopped up pipe and it needs to be replaced......😂

[@plumberjoe82able]

Just seems like a whole lot of unnecessary work for a small slab repair. A for effort though.

[@AtHomeDIY]

Absolutely. Lesson learned for sure. Way easier to just go through the slab.