Sewers

Does regular toilet paper clog sewer lines if used in normal amounts? We are having an argument that toilet paper is bad for the sewer lines. Do you know of any research on this topic?

Who can make a city pay for a clogged sewer on city property? The sewer line is clogged on city (Pasadena, CA) property and is backing up into our house. We have all been getting sick the last couple of months! They want us to dig up the sidewalk and street and pay to fix it. It's their city tree that is clogging up the sewer on their city side walk. All our lines are clear. We pay property taxes and a sewer charge on our bill. Shouldn't they fix it?

How do I clean a clogged sewer? There's a cement square on my back patio that water was coming out of. I lifted it up and see that it's a big sewer pipe about as wide as a typical bucket. I see that the gunk and water is just sitting in it. I'm guessing it's clogged. Anyone know what I should do? Would this be the townships responsibility?

Any opinions on sewer cleaning companies in City of Poughkeepsie, NY. I have a clogged main sewer line? I have a clogged main sewer line that is leaking in my basement. About 6 months ago, I had it snaked. Looks like it's repeating. The house is old. I have replaced the sewer line from cast iron to PVC inside my basement but the line going from the basement to the city line (underground) is still cast iron. Any opinion on a honest local maintenance company will be appreciated. Thanks

help with clogged sewer lines? My wife and i have had the issue a couple of times, our sewer lines are bad and about every 3 yrs they clog and back up into yard , we have clean outs that is where it backs up into. in the sewer lines is a belly of some sort that builds up and causes issue. my question is , is there a chemical i can put down the sewer or clean out that will eat or disolve the toilet paper and build up?

Our main sewer line is clogged we tried augers and enzymes and it still won't unclog, any suggestions? When we flush our toilets, the water comes back up through a shower. We have tried an Auger, a snake, and enzymes, but nothing has worked. We think the clog is definitely in the main line. Is there any product that would work better for cleaning Main Sewer lines?

sewer line clogging up with roots;does copper sulfate(Root Clear) help or do damage--older home? Don't want to auger out--too much danger of collapsing sewer lines. Does the chemical work? It claims not to damage trees/shrubs.

If my sewer is clogged up, Can I wash clothes, wash dishes, use the toliet and take a shower ? Just alittle of water come up..... I took a shower nothing happen yet....

Sewer cleaners in phila area besides rooter? My sewer keeps clogging every few years and I hate to call the rooter guys they charge too much.I need service but dont know who else to call.

Can a drain auger clear a clog in a main sewer line? I have a pretty solid clog in my main sewer line. If I flush the toilet, it comes out of the drain in the garage floor. Likewise with every other drain in the house. I have dumped bleach and (later) enzymes down my drains, but don't hold much hope that they will work. A friend has a nifty drain auger called a Ridgid auto-spin that has a cable only 1/4" and is designed for drain pipes up to 1 1/2". If I stick this down my garage floor drain (the closest to the city sewer connection), will it help or will it just tie itself in knots in a 4" line? This is not a root problem. No trees anywhere near. I figure the clog is just buildup and paper. I would like to use this little machine because it has sleeves around the cable that keep it from splashing. I am fairly certain it is long enough (30') to get to the main sewer.

What could be clogging my main sewer line? I had Roto Rooter come out to clear my main drain. They said they went 80 ft out and could go any further. They are now wanting to put a camera in to investigate further. Am I looking at some major work to fix this problem? Could there be a simple solution to fix this? There are a few trees. The big ones have been pulled out. Our house is more than 50 years old.

Our sewer line was clogged by fabric/dryer sheets. We never flush fabric, where could it have come from? Our rental house was experiencing a clog so our landlord called the plumbers. They snaked out to the main sewer line in the yard and found a fabricy/dryer sheet like substance. Problem is we never use dryer sheets or flush fabric (no kids either). Now the landlord is blaming us for the clog- is there any other way this could have gotten into our line besides from us? We recently had very heavy rains in the area (causing something on the order of 100-year flooding).

Sewer Drain not clogged just standing water in the pipe and backs up after a few days?

What would cause a neighborhood sewer line to "clog"? Tonight I came home and the city maintenance crew was on the corner of our neighborhood doing something to the sewer. I went outside to ask the guys what they were doing cause my house was start to smell like poo (although luckily I didn't find a back up in my basement) and they that the sewer was full and would have backed up by tomorrow morning. What would have caused this? We have gotten a lot of rain and our area is completely saturated from that and from a lot of melting snow.

Sewer drain keeps clooging & needs replaced. Any ideas on preventing the clogging? My old clay sewer drain pipe needs replaced due to shifting in the soil that caused it to become "uneven". Does anyone have any ideas on how I can prevent the clogging as a temporary fix until I can get the money to afford to have the pipe replaced, as it will probably cost a couple thousand. I would rather not have to pay my plumber $150 a visit to unclog it either as I have done twice in 3 months!

My whole house smells like the sewer. I think it may be that the sewer pipe is clogged. What can I do??? It just smelled today. I woke up and the house smelled like the sewer. The basement's even worse. The sewer pipe water is coming out and there's water in some places in my basement. What can I do about this?? Is there anything i can do besides calling a plumber?? I don't have any pets at home, so can this still be toxic to humans??

How can I fix a clogged vent pipe for my sewer system? The drains gurgle after flushing the toilet.

Why is the sewer backing up into my toilet? Ever since they replaced that floating black ball thing in the tank, it smells like sewer and the water is dirty looking. And it clogs a lot more often now.

Is there a program that will put a screen on the sewer entrance to keep people from using it as a trash can? I live in a corner house and I have actually seen people throw all kinds of debris in the sewer so much so that when it rains it clogs.

Sewer Line Clogged? My sewer line is clogged... I think. Attached to the sewer line are three things. 1. Upstairs. A toilet, shower, sink 2. Downstairs. A sump pump 3. Also downstairs. A washer machine. 2 and 3 are hooked to same pipe The washer machine was draining into the pipe when...holy crap... water shoots to the ceiling from the washer machine drain.. To diagnose the problem I: a)put water in the sump pump to kick it on....more water on the ceiling.... b)flushed toilet...water half way to ceiling c)used sink and shower...water raised a little over the washer drain.. To fix it i snaked from the toilet..my nearest guess is i got ten feet down...couldnt find a clog but the snake would go no further. I imagine it is a bend in the pipe the snake is unwilling to make it past. i tried snaking through. the washer drain... too many bends.. ok...i imagine the problem is below where upstairs and downstairs connect since toilet water made it downstairs...then the ceiling.... anyone have a solution...? Yes... I thought of calling a plumber..but would like to save the cash.. i'm cheap...i;ve heard flushing a cup of rock solt gets rid of roots....i am terrified at roots ruining my pipes... in response to the rude comment (#2) as far as the use of TP.. I use bunnies..not TP..contribute or move on..smart comments are not appreciated. the cleanout plug is inaccessible. The genious who designed this house decided the best place for a lowboy water heater would be almost directly in front of the clean out plug........the water heater piping is welded in place..

Clogged Sewer? The main sewer pipe is clogged and runs very slow. Every time something comes down the drain, the water comes up out of the floor drain in my basement. I have tried a bottle of Liquid Plumbr Prof. strength and it didn't work. Today I put 3 bottles of that stuff down there and it still didn't work. Could it be a tree root blocking the pipe? There is a tree in front of the house but it isn't on top of where the sewer line runs. My house is the second lowest on the block (my street is on a hill) Could that be the cause of the problem?

how much should I expect to pay to have my sewer line replaced? We've had trouble with our bathroom getting clogged and it would be great to have a bigger sewer out (we've an oldhouse).

How can i make sure that my sewer or sewage pipes are not clogged? Such as with toilets, sinks, sump pumps, etc

are there any known posible ways to destroy roots, growing into the sewer pipes? i'm curious as to find whether there might be a way to get the roots that have clogged up our sewer lines. can't help but wonder whether or not there may be some old time remedy. or root killer.

what is the best way to clear a blocked sewer line? i have a bathroom in the basement and when ever i run the water in the house anywhere it comes up thru the toilet in the basement so there is a clog somewhere how do unblock the line

When I take a shower upstairs and toilet(sewer)water from the same bathroom comes up through the kitchen sink. Where should I snake the drain?Downstairs in the kitchen or upstairs in the bathroom under the toilet.I'm not sure were the clog is to make the upstairs toilet water come through the kitchen sink downstairs,but only when I take a shower upstairs.PLEASE HELP ME!!!

How can I get a small plastic toy out of my sewer pipe? My 2-year-old flushed a small, 2-inch hard, round, plastic toy down our toilet. It is lodged 6 feet down. I rented a 5/8-inch snake from Home Depot, but the tip broke off. I called a plumber, but their snake broke too. Our house is completely clogged. Other than digging through the floor to find the toy, is there a way to dislodge the toy, break it up or push it through to the septic tank?

What can I put down my drain to unclog tree roots growing in my main drain pipe that connects to the sewer? I have already had a plumber root out my drain and they're already clogging again in just a few weeks.

Soooooo, why does my bathroom sink smell like a sewer? I replaced my bathroom sink about 4 months ago and over the last few weeks there is a very bad odor coming from the sink. The water runs off great so it's not clogged with gunk.

What eats grease in sewer pipes? We have snaked it 3 times within hours and still clogged. Pieces of grease come out about 1 inch thick. We really need help. THIS IS RENTAL PROPERTY. THEY MOVED AND DID NOT LET US KNOW THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THEY HAD LIVED THERE ABOUT 7 MONTHS.

Preparing to redo the sewer service line? I found out there is roots in my service line and it is clogging. My Uncle is experienced with this and has offered to help me replace the line if I can find friends to help dig. This would save me a ton! What leg work do I need to be doing, i.e. how to locate, what pipe to buy, fittings I will need. Anything to make this as easy as possible on him. Thanks!

Below Grade Toilet Clog? Our home has a toilet in the basement that is below grade (i.e. below street/sewer level). Accordingly, there is an "injector" that pushes any waste water from the toilet, sink, etc. up so that it can go down to the sewer. The problem is that the toilet has very little "suction." In other words, it will sometimes clog on nothing more than a tissue. What would cause the toilet to clog like this and what can I do about it? The toilet was newly installed prior to our purchase of the house, which has been fully rehapped. Additionally, the other day, I flushed the toilet and it again clogged. However, water continued to flow into the bowl, eventually spilling out onto the floor. I've never seen a clogged toilet do that. What's up with that problem? Thanks.

Cost to have main sewer line cleaned, like Roto Rooter? Having some plumbing problems. The shower and toilet will not drain at all, and when doing laundry the water backs up in to the shower. I've had this problem before, and it was due to clogged pipes - tree roots. Does anyone know how much it normally costs to have the main line cleaned (I do have a clean-out access outside). I've tried to look on Roto-rooter and similar websites, but nobody gives any kind of rough estimate.

What exactly are you suppossed to do with a condom after sex? In the condom wrapper instructions, it says "DISCARD" after sex but I don't know what to do. I heard you aren't suppossed to throw condoms into the toilet after you bust into them because they will clog the sewer system - or wrap around baby seals necks and suffocate them or something. I'm afraid to toss mine in the garbage can cause I don't want my X to get her hands on one and come after me for child support. I saw this movie with Alicia Silverstone called CRUSH where she takes a guy's condom, puts some manpudding inside her and lies to the police saying she was raped. I'M NOT GOING OUT LIKE THAT... YOU HEAR ME DIANE !!!!

Can tree roots still grow without the tree or stump? I recently cut the tree down and in the process of digging out the stump. The tree was clogging my sewer line.

What would you install and where to prevent a sewage back up in your home? We've had problems where sewage has backed up through our basement toilet. The problem is caused by the city sewer system being clogged with debris and we are located at a low spot. What do you suggest we install (be specific please) to prevent this problem?

plumbing question . Ok every time I flush certain toilets in my house the drain in the basement floods? This lets out a very bad smell if we flush anything or not. Rotor rooter told us we had a cracked pipe under our steps. We hired an independent guy who told us that the trees in the next yard roots were getting pipes clogged and our sewer needed snaking from the out side every few months. Rooter rooter wants at least 3,000 to repair the so-called pipe. Who is right and what exactly is happening. Why would this independent guy be dancing around this problem the rotor rooter diagnosed? Is there any way we can test the theory?

My sewer drain is clogged wahat is the best was to unclogg that.? The downspouts plug into this drain and I had to remove it so it flows to the ground. Is there an easy fix to unclog that? I tried a hose but that did not work. its not roots it just clogged cause i have a lot of crap in the area that goes into the gutter.. and the joints at this point turns and turns again then goes ito the swewer. So if a tool or an idea comes to mind please post it I want to hear it. Like where do you get a blow up thingy from?

how much can i expect to have a plumber come out on a sunday for a clogged main sewer line? this morning around 5am my wife took a shower as usual before she went to work. we heard some gurgling sounds from the toilets as she showered. then all of a sudden the shower stopped draining and the toilet bowl emptied and now we have standing water in the other tub and in the shower she was in. and the water in the unused tub is filthy to say the least. but considering i've never had any problems with the plumbing before i'm not sure what the typical cost of a plumber on a early sunday morning would be. any ideas?

Plumbing: Does a drain for a bathroom sink have to approach from the back of the sink? OR can I re-route the drain to enter from the side? My bathroom sink is located in a corner with the back to an outside wall. The builders installed the the drain pipe to come up through an interior wall to the right hand side and turn the corner 90 degrees to get into the outside wall so that the drain could approach the sink from the back. This sink clogs constantly due to all the angles - I have to remove the trap and clean the pipe in the wall every four months and the smell from the pipe clog is horrible, like straight sewer gas. I would like to know that if I tear off the drywall and route the drain to come from the interior wall straight to the drain, to remove the 90 degree turn in the outside wall, if it would still meet code? http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/464/sinkrf2.jpg In the picture the Pink represents the CURRENT drain and the white tape represents what I want to do. the house was built in 1979 and I don't know what they were thinking when they did this.

Clogged basement shower, and sewer smell upstairs? I have a house from 1964, and my basement shower drain is plugged, again. I have snaked it out in the past like today, and flood has gone away for a couple months. Like usual, I dig out the crap that I can see, and then I snake the bypass (which is capped) and get a big smelly mess out of there. Then I usually snake down the line get little to nothing and then its fine for several months. Well after doing it for a while, I just gave up, because using the drainage snake is tiring. Any ideas, what is wrong possibly. Also we get the smell of sewer constantly in our upstairs bathroom. So bad sometimes, we pour lysol down the drain and open our window. Any ideas on that too?

I'm in chicago and I'm looking for a cheap plumber.Can anyone help? We once had someone go to our house to look at a sewer we had clogged in back.He wasn't a proffesional and he wasnt able to finish the job. He charged us alot of money. I just need someone that has a liscence and could have a warranty. does any one know where I can find someone cheap?

tree roots in sewer drain modesto ca? clog starts at street causing back-up into house

Sewer backup caused by the sewer company flushing main line? I have lived at my house for 10 years and never had my sewer back up till this year. MSD has been flushing out the main line and every time they flush the main line it causes my lateral to backup and clogg. They have been to my house and say the main is clear so the problem is at the lateral not the main. Well of course the main is clear because it was just flushed two days ago. Several other neighbors have also called plumbers due to clogged drains immediately after the sewer company flushes out the main line. They say its very unlikely that flushing the main caused it to backup and clog my lateral but what else can I assume when I ve never had a sewer problem till this year and only have a problem when they are on my street flushing out the main line at least three times this year I've had to call a plumber when they have done this on my street. Help

Softball in sewer line!!? My son dropped a softball in our sewer line in the backyard, now our drains inside are clogging up. My husband has tried sticking the hose of a shop vac down in there to try to suction it out, but he had no luck. Does anyone have any ideas to try to get this out on our own without having to call a plumber?

How much does it cost for a plumber to snake a main pipe clean out? So the entire house drain system is backed up. Every drain is clogged after I plunged a clog from the bathtub, must have gotten stuck somewhere down the line. Toilets cant flush, water eventually backs into bathtubs if we run too much water. I figure that the main sewer clean out will need to be snaked. Any advice?

How can I clear roots out of a drain? The pipe that drains water from my backyard to the front gutter is clogged with roots. I'm afraid to use granulated products that are made to clear roots from sewer lines by flushing them down the toilet.

My bathroom flooded and the laminate floor smells.? My small, half bathroom flooded last night with water from my washing machine and some sewer water. The main sewer line was plugged. We used a wet vac to get the water up very quickly and wiped down the floor with Colorox wipes. Will we need to use a dehumidifier? The plumbers came today and cleared the clog. Some duct work under the house will have to be replaced too because water got in it. Should I be concerned about mold too? Is this covered under my home owners insurance? I know, lots of questions. I've never had this happen before, so I want to make sure we are taking care of things properly.

Why is the toilet and bathtub backed up, yet not the bathroom sink? A month ago, a cable was snaked through the vent stack on the roof to clear out the sewer line that apparently had my bathtub and toilet backed up. It worked, even though the plumber said he felt there could possibly be something like roots about 30ft out still in the pipe (which by the way is the original cast iron or cement used in the 50's). Now a month later, the two are clogged again, but why not the sink?

Is it better to dump used motor oil down the public sewer or the kitchen sink? Before you get too crazy with your answers telling me not to dump oil into the sewer, I know that it is bad to dump regular motor oil into the public water system. I am committed to saving the environment and recently bought a hybrid car. Since I own a Prius I know the oil is eco-friendly and biodegradable. So, no worries about any having any negative environmental impact! I just changed the oil on my Prius and want to reduce carbon emissions by not driving to the oil changing place. (It is about a quarter of a mile away.) I wasn’t sure if I should dump the oil down the sink or the sewer. I wouldn’t want any problems clogging up my sink so I thought I would ask. Although, I plan to put some “Impeach Bush” bumper stickers on my car later, so the sewer is close to my garage. What do you do?

How does a sump pump with in relation to a drainage system and sewer system? Does the stuff from the toilet & sink go in the sewer system and whatever water that seeps in from the ground go in the drainage system, or are they connected? If it all goes into the same system what is a sump pump for? Does it just deal with overflow (and the thought being no poop will rise that high)? What does it mean in one of the drains in the basement is flooding but the sump pump doesn't have a lot of water in it? Is there a clog between the drain and the sump pump or in the sewer? D'oh! I meant "How does a sump pump WORK in relation..."

Backed up sewer line......? I cleaned out my sewer line inside the house, got a lot of gunk out. I thought I was done and this morning, helping around house, I was doing a wash load, took cap off open sewer line too see if it was clear-when the washer was letting water out...wam..back up again...poured harsh chemicals in line , used high pressure hose and plunger. Then I thought I'd check outside--sure enough gunk coming from outside trap....Now I think that the line is clogged from house to street...I removed concrete covering and started digging...2 feet down--water...I know there's a trap there--seen it, but I think line is clogged there.....My ques: Is there a very harse chemical I can use? I've used Nitrate Acid and that help some, but I'm sure there has to be somethingelse out there!! HELP--MAN IT STINKS!!!!

My sink isn't draining, is it septic or a drain clog? Every time I run the water in my kitchen sink, after a few seconds it backs up. Also happens when I run the dishwasher. A few hours later it drains out, VERY slowly. We have tried using a pipe snake to no avail, I think it's clogged really far down. However, we have been in this house 4 years and have only just realized we may not be on city sewer but a septic tank. (the City says we aren't paying for city sewer so either we have one or we're somehow getting it free) Maybe it's plugged? But if it was wouldn't the water not be draining at all? And the other drains in the house aren't plugged like the kitchen. Help! I'm going insane and don't want to waste money on a plumber snaking the drains if it's a septic problem, and vice versa.

Can the slope to the main sewer line change from a negative slope to a positive one? Our guest toilet clogged. Plumber tried to snake it, pushed something through and then diagnosed it as poor jets. Next day our kitchen sink clogged. Plumber snaked it and got it flowing slowly. 4 days later our master bath sink backed into the shower. Today plumber checked the main drain through the cleanout and couldnt clear it with a 300lb snake. Stated he couldn't push through and then got a camera out. He saw a massive toilet paper clog and noticed water collecting in the main, down stream from the clog. He diagnosed it as improper installation or a shift of earth around the main, not adhering to 1/4 inch slope every foot. He stated that he could not remove the clog and to fix the problem he would have to dig out our main pipe in our crawl space and re-lay 50 feet of pipe. Damage estimate is $4000. The house is 30 years old and we bought it 5 months ago. Can earth move sufficient enough to change the slope of the main with sudden effects? Why can't he remove the clog?

sewer line clogg? is there any way that we can tell if its just a reaccuring clog or if its due to the pipe being broken from tree roots, we have had to have plumber come out 6 times in a yr and each time they are only getting toliet paper out. We are currently working with a new plumber from our church who advised us that he thinks we have what he calls a shakey elbow and he is gonna help us replace in spring for only 1/3 of the price because we are gonna do the manual labor part.

Sewer Pipe (Epoxy) Re-Lining - what is the cost? We have a large section of our pipe from the house to the main line, that should be replaced and we were told that the (epoxy) relining would be much more affordable. But it's about $100 per foot, which includes all the costs and a 50 year warranty. I'm going to try to call and get other estimates from other plumming companies etc, if they will tell me, but I would like any input possible from other homeowners who have done this. And how strong are these "relined" pipes? If we use drano in a sink, will it be damaged? (Not that we should have clogged pipes again for a long time).

Will my new homeowners insurance pay for.....? I just bought a new home on October 17th and had it inspected. I was only in the home for 6 days and already the sewer is clogged up and had to have a plumber out who said I would need all new sewer lines because mine were full of roots and it would cost around $1500, which I don't have. Would my home insurance cover this, or at least some of it???

AC Unit drainage issue? Alright, here is my problem. Lately when my air conditioner is running, water is either dripping or streaming out of the drain on the side of my house. At first I didnt think much about it but then as it got more and more I started to worry. Now with it hitting 100+ every day its running all the time. I was told by a neighbor that the only time water should be coming out of the outside drain is if the drain from the ac unit that goes directly to my sewer lines is clogged. I'm assuming that this is the case since I know nothing about AC and plumbing. So my question is this... Is there any way I can try to unclog the drain to my sewer pipes myself or is this something I need to call a tech about? And if so has anybody had this done and what kind of price tag should I expect for this kind of service? Thanks in Advance, Adam

Neighbor problems.? I live in a three story apartment bulding. I'm having problems with the neighbors on the floor above me. Two weeks ago, their child was playing in their toilet throwing things in it. It caused my toilet to back up because of the clog in the sewer lines. A month ago, their child was playing with water for over 2 hours. I panicked and called the landlord. He said that he was having trouble with this particular tenant. Two years ago, the ceiling in my former apartment collapsed onto my bed. The upstair's hot water tank was leaking. It caused the ceiling to collapse. It took the landlord nearly a month to repair the ceiling. Tonight, the child was playing with the toilet again. Again, my toilet backed up. I was cleaning with bleach. The bleach caused a new sweater to be ruined and also the bathroom rug. I don't want to cause any problems. What can I do so that no damage will happen to my apartment.

Should the City be liable for the roots? The city's Tree roots are getting in my sewer line,and clogging them up. every year this happens. ( 5 times i have snaked my line) The city says its my problem i need a better line. I say my line would be great if not for the tree. they payed a damage claim on this issue befor, and did nothing about the ongoing problem. so they have already admitted fault right?what should i do? I am not rich, but would like to get this resolved.. thanks

chemical exposure? i was in our school art room today and it smelt really stinky and everyone noticed it and was complaining. the smell was coming from a closet next to the art room that connects the two art rooms. the art teacher thinks is a clog somewhere in the sewer but two janitors came in and said it wasnt, but they dont know what it is. about 15 min. pass and my sinuses felt too clear, and it felt cold and weird when breathing in. i had headaches and the nose thing followed me throughout the rest of the day. when i squeeze my nose together it burns, and i hardly ever have nose bleeds, but it bled a little once i got home. the back of my tongue hurts and im coughing a little. also ive had earaches all day. but i dont know what ive been exposed to, or if its anything serious

plumbing problems? Ok first thing is.I live in a whole house in the city.In the basment the floor drain flooded all over the place spewing what I think is sewage.well anyway the drain eventually went down but went up again later,Than drained agian. now the toilet dont flush sometimes and its not pluged.Also the toilet bubbles when when its flushed,Or when its just sitting there. what can this be. The sump pump works fine and is doing its job, So it can't be that. Im guessing the problem could be roots in the sewer pipe, or a clogged/ice covered vent.