Small flood up floor drain. Sewer backup

[Sundancefisher]

What would cause a small sewer backup? Should we get roto rootered?

[buckbrush]

How old is your place? First time this happened to me I tried to clear it but couldn't. Turns out the line to my septic collapsed. I think the plumber said that in the 70's some sewer pipe was basically tar paper and epoxy. It was real bad. In a 50' stretch there wasn't a chunk that came out longer than 4 feet.
I was starting to get worried since it goes in under my basement luckily when the basement was done they ran real sewer pipe a few feet out.

It has happened another time to us since. Seems it plugged off at the septic tank when redoing line they put a 90 fitting going into tank #1. That was where it plugged. I also have young kids though so you never know.

I'm no expert but a flat bar snake would probably do the trick and be cheaper? I'm sure one of our local experts will chime in...

[buckbrush]

Also, If you're in a pinch and happen to have access to some sandline or heavy cable that worked good for me. when it would hang up I would give it a twist and it would kick it into place. Pulling it was pretty messy though.

[CaberTosser]

The cause can be anything from tree roots growing in the line to dips or 'belly's' where the line has a low spot in which solids collect. Tree roots tend to accumulate masses of items that the ladies should not be flushing, when I have to pull a bunch of those off an auger cable isn't needle nose pliers the bag of evidence and the lesson is provided to the homeowner.

If it won't dissolve readily, don't flush it. I'm sure there are likely going to be a few gents who love tossing their used dental floss down the W/C reading this.

I have the machines for this, I was just looking at upgrading to a new unit today as mine existing machine requires some parts (bought it used already needing said parts)

[omega50]

Perch spines are the obvious culprit

[ReconWilly]

Call 311 and pray that the problem is on the city's side of the property line.

They will send out a crew with a camera to inspect your service to determine the cause.

If the cause is on the city side they will repair it (eventually) this could involve digging up the road in front of your house and up to a meter back of your side walk.

Anything on your side of the property line would be your responsibility.

Lots of noise and lack of parking during the work are fun side benefits!, seriously though this stuff sucks to deal with good luck.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by ReconWilly

Call 311 and pray that the problem is on the city's side of the property line.

They will send out a crew with a camera to inspect your service to determine the cause.

If the cause is on the city side they will repair it (eventually) this could involve digging up the road in front of your house and up to a meter back of your side walk.

Anything on your side of the property line would be your responsibility.

Lots of noise and lack of parking during the work are fun side benefits!, seriously though this stuff sucks to deal with good luck.

I have seen this in older neighborhoods often. I have always felt terrible for homeowner. Big kick in the groin when sidewalks and lawn are ripped up.

[sewerrat]

I would get a roto rooter and root out the pipe, then get the camera and run it through the pipe , it will exactly tell you where the problems are. I had my sewer line replaced 5 years ago as the old claytile pipes were cracked and tons of roots entering. The city came by every year to roto root out their side as they did not replace their side. Just last fall they came and blew a new liner thru the old clay tile sewer line they just hydro vac a hole in my front yard and entered the line that way. my house was build in the 50's

And if you are getting your sewer line replaced and have a trench in the front yard, upsize your water line at the same time as they both run in the same trench, I went from 1/2inch copper to 3/4 poly.

[oilngas]

Totally uninformed opinion, but houses, waste lines etc. were not installed for low flow toilets. Maybe your not flushing enuff water with waste??

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by sewerrat

I would get a roto rooter and root out the pipe, then get the camera and run it through the pipe , it will exactly tell you where the problems are. I had my sewer line replaced 5 years ago as the old claytile pipes were cracked and tons of roots entering. The city came by every year to roto root out their side as they did not replace their side. Just last fall they came and blew a new liner thru the old clay tile sewer line they just hydro vac a hole in my front yard and entered the line that way. my house was build in the 50's

And if you are getting your sewer line replaced and have a trench in the front yard, upsize your water line at the same time as they both run in the same trench, I went from 1/2inch copper to 3/4 poly.

There are no trees in the front yard that would cause a problem. Home is 1994.

Our water line leaked a few years ago. Not in the same trench. A new one was pulled. Just recently started smelling a stink. Thought maybe it was just no water and sewer gas. Maybe something else.

Have a back flow valve however didn't completely stop the back flow.

[dodgeboy1979]

I had a backflow valve fail too, installed 1 year prior. Get the city to snake and scope the line, it may be debris piled up from their end.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by oilngas

Totally uninformed opinion, but houses, waste lines etc. were not installed for low flow toilets. Maybe your not flushing enuff water with waste??

There has not been a change to the gradient that pipes are installed to since the advent of low flow toilets, it’s been the same for the 3 decades that I’ve been at it and probably was the same gradient for numerous decades before I even started in the trade.


I’ll post photos of whatever we yard out of SDF’s drain and have him stand 6’ behind it to make it look larger

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by oilngas

Totally uninformed opinion, but houses, waste lines etc. were not installed for low flow toilets. Maybe your not flushing enuff water with waste??

That is always a question isn't it. All toilets are low flow however family takes excessively long showers.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

There has not been a change to the gradient that pipes are installed to since the advent of low flow toilets, it’s been the same for the 3 decades that I’ve been at it and probably was the same gradient for numerous decades before I even started in the trade.


I’ll post photos of whatever we yard out of SDF’s drain and have him stand 6’ behind it to make it look larger

I'm a big guy so bring the wide angle camera for those pipe deposits.

Super Stuart to the rescue. It's a ****ty job and Stuart is a go to guy.

[oilngas]

Caber; You are right when I was doing install over 5 decades ago the number was 1/4" / ft. and you are right that's still the slope used today. Sundance sorry I was not any help, yucky and expensive situation.

[Freedom55]

It has been my experience that more often than not a 4" sewer line becomes clogged with ordinary bacon drippings poured down the drain with the hot water running to flush it away. Except that it doesn't get far.

[Dewey Cox]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Have a back flow valve however didn't completely stop the back flow.

If you mean a whole house back water valve, that will only stop water from outside your house from coming into your lines.
If your line is plugged somewhere, and you send more water down, it has to go somewhere. Usually out a floor drain or basement shower.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

If you mean a whole house back water valve, that will only stop water from outside your house from coming into your lines.
If your line is plugged somewhere, and you send more water down, it has to go somewhere. Usually out a floor drain or basement shower.

Floor drain back flow preventer.

[Sundancefisher]

Stuart...Stuart...he da man. If he can't fix **** no one can.



He also saw a monster spider. I didn't see it. So.

SpiderStuart, SpiderStuart, does whatever a plumber can
Spins a snake any length, catches crap just like flies
Look out, here comes the SpiderStuart
Is he strong? Listen bud, he's got radioactive water
Can he swing from a wrench? Take a look undersink
Hey, there! There goes the SpiderStuart

[dodger]

Tell Stuart to put on his safety glasses, hard hat, and hi visibility vest! Safety first!

Dodger

[CaberTosser]

Egad! I got the issue fixed but I'm going to have to deny any involvement with the composition of that poem

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Egad! I got the issue fixed but I'm going to have to deny any involvement with the composition of that poem

Lol

So people get this. This idiot owner before me drywalled in a plumbing stack but didn't put on the cap piece. So we had a **** volcano in the wall.

What we thought was occasional sewer gas coming up from the floor drain was sin fact actual sewage eruptions.

Wow. Wow. Just wow. Some people are the opposite of handy.

The previous owner was a complete train wreck.

[CaberTosser]

The previous owner seemed to have an issue with caps, aside from the missing cleanout cap at a wye on a 3" sanitary stack there was the even-worse missing cap on a gas line in the garage; someone removed lord knows what gas appliance that was attached with a gas flex and they simply left the flare adaptor there with no cap on it. If someone knocked that valve open with a rake handle or such it would have been a significant KABLAMMO

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

The previous owner seemed to have an issue with caps, aside from the missing cleanout cap at a wye on a 3" sanitary stack there was the even-worse missing cap on a gas line in the garage; someone removed lord knows what gas appliance that was attached with a gas flex and they simply left the flare adaptor there with no cap on it. If someone knocked that valve open with a rake handle or such it would have been a significant KABLAMMO

It was just a good thing I asked you to check the garage heater and you were thorough enough to look at the bigger picture in the surrounding. A lesser professional plumber may of glanced over it.

Thanks again for popping out on a Saturday SpiderStuart.

Sun

PS

Still haven't seen the big spider.

[ReconWilly]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

The previous owner seemed to have an issue with caps, aside from the missing cleanout cap at a wye on a 3" sanitary stack there was the even-worse missing cap on a gas line in the garage; someone removed lord knows what gas appliance that was attached with a gas flex and they simply left the flare adaptor there with no cap on it. If someone knocked that valve open with a rake handle or such it would have been a significant KABLAMMO

WOW!

Good job Caber.

[Crankbait]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Stuart...Stuart...he da man. If he can't fix **** no one can.



He also saw a monster spider. I didn't see it. So.

SpiderStuart, SpiderStuart, does whatever a plumber can
Spins a snake any length, catches crap just like flies
Look out, here comes the SpiderStuart
Is he strong? Listen bud, he's got radioactive water
Can he swing from a wrench? Take a look undersink
Hey, there! There goes the SpiderStuart

if stu dyes his hair blue next Halloween, he could be a tall oompah loompah

[Bushmaster]

Good job Caber.

And I've got to add, just a point in general. Just because there isn't a tree on the front lawn doesn't mean its not roots. I've seen tree roots go a LONG way looking for water.