Help!! Why does my sewer back up?

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

For the past few weeks my sewer has been backing up, creating a mess in my basement. I’ve “snaked” it to 100 feet, replaced the pipe and had the city inspect the pipe in the street. I have one basement floor drain and I think the problem’s underneath the house. Help!! Anyone have any ideas????

[TheLocalPlumberParticipant]

Have a licensed plumber come out and video inspect the sewer line.
Without a video you are guessing and frustrated.
Good Luck,
Bill
The Local Plumber
Tustin, California http://www.TheLocalPlumber.com

[LaneParticipant]

Bill’s advice is 100% correct! Hire a professional and have your sewer line camera’ed and located, it’s a relatively inexpensive procedure and eliminates all guesswork. You can’t solve your problem until you know what it is.

[SylvanLMPParticipant]

Besides having a Professional licensed plumber video inspect your sewer ask him/her to also bring the locator if it isnt in one unit.

I have video inspection system (MicroEngineering from California) But the key is not only to see the problem but to locate the exact spot, even if it is even under 15 feet of soil and the transmitter (sometimes called sonde) is in cast Iron pipe.

By using this type of system I can see the problems but pin point where repairs have to be made.

Seeing is one thing, locating is another.

The problem with just seeing a sewer pipe with root infiltration or belies is trying to find it as sewer pipes can and do have offsets.

One more point I use a JetMax and other high pressure water jetters up to 3000 PSI @10 GPM to flush and clean the lines prior to video inspections as the jetting if properly performed will scrub the inside of the piping to a like new condition removing all the soap scum and other deposits to make a clearer picture possible of what the piping walls look like
.
I don’t know what Lane considers “inexpensive” but between my water jetting and video inspection and locating I charge about $900 for approximately 11/2 hours work

The equipment like the jetter is over $12,000 plus the van that is dedicated to strictly for this type of work.

The operator is not some stumble bum helpers but a highly skilled mechanics (Journeymen) who makes over $35 per HR in the envelope.

Plus his partner 2 men required (I never use apprentices as they get confused easily)

My accounts realize that it saves them bigger bucks to know exactly where to dig and what to expect either joint failure or cracked piping I normally do this procedure for other plumbing companies.

Ever have a doctor operate without an ray 1st?

Same thing WHY dig up the entire place for possibly one defect?

The Color video inspection picks up every flaw the sewer pipe has and this is important for proper repairs to be effective.

Good Luck.

[Author]

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