Raw Sewage Rant!

**JustJoy** · 07-23-2007, 07:56 AM

Here we go again! This will be the 4th time in 7 years that our house has been destroyed by raw sewage! To date we've had nearly 30K in damages. Our first insurance company finally dropped us last year after our 3rd claim (can't blame 'em). We had a heck of a time finding a new company to cover us and let me just say...the premium we are paying now is outrageous.

Anyway....DH and I got up this morning as usual. He jumped in the shower at 6 a.m. and soon after I heard the toilets start bubbling. That's the first sign, and my heart started poiunding like crazy as I ran from bathroom to bathroom. The water in the toilet bowls kept getting higher and higher. They finally stopped just before they would overflow. Then it starts....the lovely raw sewage coming up through the shower drain in the master bedroom. The bottom of the shower is now covered with it! So far nothing else has happened...yet. But at the moment I am without water and cannot use the toilets! Anytime you use the water it starts bubbling again! Thankfully my MIL lives about a minute away so I'll be using her bathroom today.

I am just so sick of this! We have had 10 million plumbers out here and no one can find the problem.

**nodmicks** · 07-23-2007, 08:07 AM

Hug! I'm so sorry!

**FrugalMomof3** · 07-23-2007, 08:10 AM

I am sorry this is happening over and over again for you, might want to have a super experienced plumber or even the local sewage company take a look, this shouldnt be happening over and over again. Also, we pay insurance for this sort of thing so if a company drops you for this, that's bad business, heck you pay for it!

**baxjul** · 07-23-2007, 08:35 AM

Call your local sewage department. We had that problem in PA, and it was tree limbs in the lines. Or if you have a septic tank, the tank could be backing up, we had that and needed a new leach field put in. Let us know what happens! Good luck!

**halloweenfreak** · 07-23-2007, 10:07 AM

we had that happen and it was our pipes. they were old pipes and had rusted out. had to replace the entire plumbing under the house. of course we went thru 3 plumbers to figure that out and in the end it was just some handy man that came out on a sunday and figured it out in no time.

**Buckeye5** · 07-23-2007, 10:45 AM

Is this a city sewage and not your own sewage system??? You know like spetic tank or something?? We have had problems with ours (septic tank) but it is has gotten better since we have gone to liquid detergents, and hair catchers on the tubs and showers. It is a mess, I am so sorry this happened. We have an electric snake that lives in our basement...just in case it happens again.

**Odilia** · 07-23-2007, 11:24 AM

I'm so sorry.

I know how horrid this is, and it only happened to us once.

**fernykins** · 07-23-2007, 11:28 AM

Sorry that has happened to you. I lived in an apt. that that happened to. not only mine but 5 others on the ground floor. We came home to 2 feet of water thru out the whole apt. gross. I hope you find out what is causing it.
Fern

**Mom23boys** · 07-23-2007, 12:11 PM

Oh no!! I am sorry you are having to go through this. I hope someone will eventually find the problem and fix it for good. Thank goodness your MIL lives close.

**Darlene** · 07-23-2007, 04:35 PM

Ugh.

Septic? Sewer? Apartment? Upstairs , down or both? Heavy rains recently?

**Libby** · 07-23-2007, 05:58 PM

Ick! Reminds me of when my toilet and shower drain tried to be fountains!

Instead of plumbers, ask the City or Township to step in and help you. This way they can file a proper report and if its something on their end its all documented for the next time. My fountains errupted a 2nd time in that one summer and b/c the city had already come and done something with the sewer pipe they had no choice but to replace the whole thing - at their expense. Nothing like 50 city workers, engineers and private contractors gawking into a deep hole for 3 wks straight!

I hope things clear up for you - the smell must be horrid!!!

**JustJoy** · 07-23-2007, 06:39 PM

Boy am I tired. The plumber finished up at about 12:30 and I've been cleaning and disinfecting both bathrooms ever since.

To answer some of your questions.....We have city sewer & water. We also live in a condo (bottom floor) of a 4-unit building. It's the same thing every time....the plumber routes it out and rarely finds anything that could be clogging it. He then puts a camera through the pipes to double check. Nothing...Nada! He said whatever it was....he must have pushed it through.

I just wish someone could figure this out!

**Libby** · 07-23-2007, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by JustJoy

Boy am I tired. The plumber finished up at about 12:30 and I've been cleaning and disinfecting both bathrooms ever since.

To answer some of your questions.....We have city sewer & water. We also live in a condo (bottom floor) of a 4-unit building. It's the same thing every time....the plumber routes it out and rarely finds anything that could be clogging it. He then puts a camera through the pipes to double check. Nothing...Nada! He said whatever it was....he must have pushed it through.

I just wish someone could figure this out!

Do you use the same plumber each time? Ask the city to give you a list of 'approved' plumbers? And try to start cleaning out your drains? Meaning, be very mindful in what you put down there. Liquids only. Start using hair traps/mesh filters so only liquids get to go through and anything else doesnt. This goes for all drains in the house. Use bleach and hot water or vinegar/baking soda to clean it once a week? Never ever flush tampons down your toilet, those take forever to break down and end up clogging a lot. Try googling for tips on how to keep a healthy drain and see what you come up with....there MUST be a cause for this. Perhaps as someone else has said its on the city's side of the property and its just backing up into your place by default.

**JustJoy** · 07-23-2007, 07:08 PM

I've been doing everything you mentioned above plus more....for years. Growing up we had well water and a septic system. I learned at an early age that nothing goes down the drain but water and only toilet paper in the toilet.

We have different plumbers come almost everytime, but they are from the same company. I'm on a first name bases with most of them....lol It's a very reputable company and the one my association chooses to use. They pay the bill on this.

**Darlene** · 07-23-2007, 07:41 PM

Could it be the condo above you having something that made yours back up?? Glad it's better now & hope this is the last time. Definately no fun
Just a thought...woodchuck come thru?