Sewer Backup

[pmnagle]

I am renting a house with 3 large trees in the yard. I have lived here for about 2 1/2 months. About every 3 1/2 weeks the plumbing backs up. My landlord believes that I am putting something down the drain and I am not. When she has a plumber come out and snake the drain, he always pulls up tiny brown tree roots. My family is larger than hers. Is there something that I can do to the to prevent this from happening. We dont put anything down the drain that isnt normal. The landlord says she only had to get the drain snaked about every two years. This is pretty hard to believe since I have had to have it down twice since I have been here. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I am doing or what the existing problem could have been here prior to my moving in.

[Mallory ParkerParticipant]

I have been in this house for 5 years and have had someone out to clean the sewer line 3 times in the last year…do tree roots grow back that fast? (Dec 98, Feb 99 and Oct 99) and am having the same trouble again. Is there something else he should be doing he has been cleaning the line from the outside toward the street and the house – how can you tell where the block is – we have used a commercial root kill but that doesnt seem to be working either. any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Mallory ParkerParticipant]

Have the plumber put a camera down the drain if it happens again. The pipe may not have been cleaned well the first time.

[Mallory ParkerParticipant]

The camera would be a good idea. Or just have the landlord replace that old sewer line. Roots arent suppose to be able to grow into it. If roots are brought back everytime the pipe is augered…Those same roots will snag toilet paper, or anything else as it tries to go through the pipe, and cause a blockage. This type of problem rarely gets better, which might explain why more frequent augering is needed now.

[Mallory ParkerParticipant]

Teri, You might want to make a new and separate post regarding your problem…More people will see it.Anyway, I dont know if roots grow that fast, but I have always thought it was impossible to remove all the roots everytime I augered a pipe. So I was never totally surprised when I had to go back on a job. We always augered a sewer free within a month and if we had to go back again within a year…We recommended sewer line repair or replacement. This is because roots really arent supposed to be able to grow into the sewer pipe.

[Author]

Posts