Need Help: Urgent Plumbing Issue!

[Nehkara]

Hey CP!

We have dirty water backing up into our basement laundry room. It is not getting worse for now but it seems that there is a blockage between our house and the main city sewage line.

What should we do? Is an Emergency plumber the best option? Should I try to get a plumber here tomorrow?

Anyone have any idea how much getting the blockage fixed would cost in either scenario?

Thanks!!!

[Clarkey]

Call the city, at the very least they'll come out and assess and give you some free info you can use to fix the problem Best case, it may be an issue at the city's end and they'll fix it. Best case still involves you cleaning up shart in your basement... but not costing you anything.

[trew]

We had this happen a couple times in a house we were renting. The landlord called in a company that ran a big drain snake into the clean out and it chewed up / pushed through the blockage. Didn't take very long to do. Not sure of the cost, but I'm guessing it's a couple hundred bucks or so to get someone out on short notice.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

3-1-1

[afc wimbledon]

It is always cheaper if you can survive till the morning, then have the guy rooter it out.

Couple of questions, is the dirty water really dirty () or just laundry water?

where is it backing up out of and can you get a plunger or snake in there as it may just be hair or that wierd cotteny crap that the dryer spits out.

[Flames_Gimp]

311 they will come snake the line

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Flames_Gimp

311 they will come snake the line

Seriously! Vancouver will just laugh down the phone and tell you to eff off.

[puckluck]

If it is the City's problem they will fix it, and even if it isn't they might accidentally fix it trying to figure out the problem.

[Nehkara]

City plumbers came, snaked the line and fixed it for free at 12:45 AM!

Thanks guys!

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

City plumbers came, snaked the line and fixed it for free at 12:45 AM!

Thanks guys!

So now that this is settled. Tell us, you clogged it with a massive crap, didn't you?

[Flames_Gimp]

glad its fixed. I had my sewage back up about 6 times. the last time the basement bathtub filled up with raw sewage..... we had to break up the floor to install a backflow preventer.

[Lego Man]

Originally Posted by Flames_Gimp

glad its fixed. I had my sewage back up about 6 times. the last time the basement bathtub filled up with raw sewage..... we had to break up the floor to install a backflow preventer.

Do you mean a backflow preventer right in your washroom, or a backflow valve right before your sewer line exits the house? Depending on where it's installed, a backflow preventer only stops flow coming towards your house.

If the cause of your blockage was roots for example, your backflow preventer does not help at all, because you are flushing your stuff and it stops at the roots, and backs up from inside. However, if there is a plugged main out in the main streets, then yes - the backflow preventer will stop the plugged main from creeping into your sewer service, and spewing from the floor drain.

[GFG4Life]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

City plumbers came, snaked the line and fixed it for free at 12:45 AM!

Thanks guys!

This place amazes me... CP found my dog 2 years ago (http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...50&postcount=8), and now this... incredible. Just wow.

[cKy]

Not supposed to jerk it in the shower, it clogs the drains!

[tvp2003]

Yup -- call 311 and they'll send a couple of guys to snake the line (not with an auger but with a long metal "file" that will basically poke a hole through the blockage. Depending on the problem, it may only be a temporary fix, but it's better than having grey/black water sitting in your basement

If there is a suspected root problem, what you can do is have the City come back and send a camera down the line to basically do an inspection. Wait list is a few weeks I believe but there is no cost (versus $200+ to get someone private to do it). If there is a problem and it's on city property, they will fix it at their expense.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Yup -- call 311 and they'll send a couple of guys to snake the line (not with an auger but with a long metal "file" that will basically poke a hole through the blockage. Depending on the problem, it may only be a temporary fix, but it's better than having grey/black water sitting in your basement

If there is a suspected root problem, what you can do is have the City come back and send a camera down the line to basically do an inspection. Wait list is a few weeks I believe but there is no cost (versus $200+ to get someone private to do it). If there is a problem and it's on city property, they will fix it at their expense.

I am begining to understand how Alberta is blowing all its money!

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by cKy

Not supposed to jerk it in the shower, it clogs the drains!

Its like cooked egg whites all over the tub.

[photon]

I had to pay to have this done once at like 11 at night, and then tell the tenants to stop flushing their feminine hygiene products down the toilet.

[Flames_Gimp]

Originally Posted by mpaca

Do you mean a backflow preventer right in your washroom, or a backflow valve right before your sewer line exits the house? Depending on where it's installed, a backflow preventer only stops flow coming towards your house.

If the cause of your blockage was roots for example, your backflow preventer does not help at all, because you are flushing your stuff and it stops at the roots, and backs up from inside. However, if there is a plugged main out in the main streets, then yes - the backflow preventer will stop the plugged main from creeping into your sewer service, and spewing from the floor drain.

its installed where the sewer exits the house.

[Lego Man]

Originally Posted by Flames_Gimp

its installed where the sewer exits the house.

So that will only prevent sewage going towards your house in the event that there is a plugged mainline out front (or in the lane - depending on where everyone's sewer lines run in the block). If you live in an older area, the storm and sewer lines may be combined as well. If that's the case, in the event that there is a huge storm and the storm lines overflow, the water won't overflow into your house either.

Unless I confused your post with another one in this thread, it sounded like you had the blockage in between your house and the mainline? If that was the case, the back-flow preventor cannot help prevent any backups next time the problem arises.