It once again rolls downhill

Awhile back, I mentioned that we had a pretty bad Saturday that culminated in erupting sewage in our house.  There is more to the story of course and you dear friends, are always so patient to listen to my ramblings…

The tool of doom!
The tool of doom!

So we finished our ’round-the-clock pumping and called the plumbers.  They immediately told us that our city sanitary board offers a free service where they will run a camera through the system to identify the location of the problem.  In fact, a simple clog will sometimes break free when their camera passes so we were pleased with the possibility.  The city came and did their thing…after they finally found a spot that the could even access the system.  You see, in our old house, there are essentially no viable clean-outs they could use.  Luckily they were able to access the system through the floor drain that was the original source of our problems.  After some work, they identified a spot 44′ out into the yard that was the problem…it just went black on the camera.

Replacing our sewer line
Replacing our sewer line

We called our plumbers back and they began the task of roto-rooting the system.  Of course, without a clean-out, they had problems.   The only option for their bigger tool was to remove one of our toilets and go through the system that way.  Luckily we have 3 bathrooms so we weren’t immediately doomed.  The problem, however, was that they got their tool stuck in the system somewhere 80′ or so in from the entry point.

Replacing our sewer line
Replacing our sewer line…all the way down to the main!

The only solution was to excavate to retrieve their tool.  I figured that since they were going to have to excavate, we might as well replace the old clay tile pipe with new pvc and hopefully avert future crises.  So, with a huge tool still stuck in our bathroom and plugging a large part of our drain system, we entered day 3…or was it day 4?  Who knows?  Anyhow, the excavator came and dug up a large part of our yard, including the water line which was apparently buried on top of the sewer line.  Yeah!  More problems and expense!  Yeah!   #+@#$*!  It turns out the line was full of roots from the house clear to the city’s tap.  The city had to replace their tap and a section of their line as well…luckily that won’t immediately cost me.

Replacing our sewer line
Covered again…waiting for the mud!

Everything eventually got put back together and reburied.  We flushed and flushed to make sure it all rolled downhill as…stuff…is meant to do.  There is nothing left in our basement so it seems that all is well once again in our little piece of Heaven!

8 thoughts on “It once again rolls downhill

  1. Oh crap, er…..
    Seriously, it really seems like when it’s not one thing, it’s another. My Nana always said to look at the bright side when you’re surrounded by the negative, so at least you won’t have to replace any lines in the middle of another hard winter. Right?

  2. Indeed you are right…my biggest fear was I would have to replace stuff inside the house which would have been very expensive!

  3. OH MY HEAVENS! That just sucks eggs!
    When we lived in the city (city water, not well water/septic), if the clog was so many feet from the main, then they fixed it at their cost and vice versa. There was always this big prayer that went out among folks who had clogged lines–“Please let it be closer to the street, please let it be closer to the street….”

  4. Yeah, the city covers 5′ from the tap…this was clogged there but also 25′ or so on my side also…so it will cost me for sure

  5. I remember an incident when I was probably eight or nine and the clay tile between the house and the septic tank collapsed. As part of the solution, a septic truck came to pump out the septic tank. He stuck in a hose into it and fired up the pump and that is when it happened. I’m don’t remember what came loose or wasn’t connected but #$&% shot up about 30 feet in the air spraying the truck, the septic guy, the front lawn, the shade tree by the stoop and the side of the house. It was a mess but something that has remained with me all these years!

  6. Thanks Ed! You just made me laugh outloud in a doctor’s office waiting room. Now everyone is looking at me. 🙂

  7. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! We know a thing or twelve about new sewer lines and that is NOT a fun way to spend money! Praying all is as it should be!

  8. Holy cow Ed! I am sure it was hilarious for a moment but talk about hoping for rain asap!

    So far so good with the fixes…now just waiting for the bill!

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