how does it work??

[Joe Peters]

New homeowner. My home purchase fact sheet says I have storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and city sewer. I also have 2 large holes in the basement floor with sump pumps in them and 4 diameter drain pipes going out laterally through the basement wall to the underground outside. I dont understand how it works. When we use water on the first floor, it drains down into the sewer pipe and goes outside. Then, a minute or so later, the water comes back in through one of the 4 pipes into the sump pump holes inside. When the hole gets full enough, it pumps the water back out through the sewer pipe. Then a minute or so later, the water comes back in AGAIN. This continues a few times, until no more water comes back in. This repeats everytime we use water inside. This happens even if it has not rained for 2 weeks and the ground seems very dry. And, when it rains, the sump pump is constantly going off and on trying to keep pushing water back out, for at least a day after the rain has stopped.Is this how it is supposed to work?? I know I need to slope the ground away from the house next year, for the rains. But, I dont know why water keeps coming back in, when we use water inside the house??

[KeithParticipant]

This is definately not right. It sounds like you have a partial blockage or backup of your sewer line. My experience in this area is limited and hopefully another MasterPlumber can answer your question in detail; including a possible soulution.

[KeithParticipant]

Something is not right, is right. It sounds as if the pitch from the main house to the street is not right. To correct this problem call a Licensed Plumbing Contractor in your area and have them video inspect the line from the house to the street. This will show you exactly where the problem is, and how extensive it is as well. My guess is that you have a section of pipe that is constantly full of water, either it has sunk lower than the other pipe or a break in the line. The only way to tell for sure is to video inspect the line. If in fact this is a new house and you can proof that this was an existing problem that was not disclosed before you purchased the house, you could get monetary damages to correct the problem.

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