Is it a good idea to reroute pipes for a 12 unit building rather then take the chance of digging up concrete parking lot and plumber not finding where break in clay pipe is? Conflicting stories from 2 plumbers. If there is a break in the pipe at all how can you put a liner in if you can't see?? I personally think the plumber is lying because my backup problems don't happen all the time. 3 times in a 4 month period. And when it did backup from my floor drain its about the amount of water from 2 toilets. Before the backup occurs bubbles came from toilets and then water dissappeared from 2 toilets? Is this the water that comes out of my floor drain? Twenty minutes later I was able to take a shower and flush toilets without it backup again. What do you think?

If this happens during a heavy rain storm, it could be sewer overload. It can occur if there are cracks in the sewer system systemicly that causes rain water to enter the sewer system.
It doesn't have to be your place. The sewer line can be videoed. The county usually likes to know about it when it is happening, not that it did happen.

I'd suggest putting a check valve in the cellar drain. They are commercially available.

I need to do that and replace the seal in the toilet in the basement for an event that might happen once in 5 years.

Thanks for response, AND yes it's raining like craZy tonight and it won't stop in Chicago. The Bubbleing toilets started happening again tonight. I ran down stairs to underground garge after I knew damm well the water would come up my floor drain because of the bubbling toilets. I opened up the spout to where my tier of the building releases to the underground outside clay pipes and go's to city sewer. NOT all the way because I didn't want to kill myself with line of water exploding out of the pipe. But here's the thing I can't figure why I hear water coming down pipes above me and no one is using water. I had the neighbor turn his toilet valve off and water stopped running down pipe. This Rain and unexcepected water coming down pipes are too much of a coincindence. The other day when it happened it wasn't raining. Would the city come out to place a check valve in the cellar drain. Or is that in our building. Note I found 4 points in our underground garge where water leaves the building. Mine is the furtest away from the city sewer. THANKS

I think his toilet tank is leaking (defective flapper) and contributing to the excess water. If there is a meter to watch and you don't use water for an hour and it budges, you have a leak.

Have him put food coloring in the tank and wait for an hour or so. If it appears in the bowl, you have a leak.

The check valve in the drain is your building. This is when you need to call the city.

PS: I'll be in Chicago for a funeral starting tomorrow. I checked the weather there and it looks a little better toward the middle of the week.

"Conflicting stories from 2 plumbers." I'm surprised the plumbers didn't advise running a camera through the sewer line to determine if there is, in deed, a breal in the pipes. Your neighbor either has a defective flapper or his tank level's set too high, but, a leaky flush valve wouldn't let out enough water to back up your system. The city won't install a backflow check valve on private property, it's the owners responsibility.
The very first thing you must ascertain is the source of the back up. From the city sewer, in which case the expense falls upon the city, or, on the building side in which case it would be the owners that pay.
If this were a city sewer back up then all units in your building would be affected. Is this the case? Most local codes forbid, by law, anything but sewerage and gray water to be discharged in the city sewrs main so unless there's a major break in the city sewer the rain water should should go into a storm sewer and not impact you. Have a camera run through the sewer and find out for sure. PS. As a Rockford transplant to Florida I know what you mean about heavy rains. Regards, Tom

Thanks for your guys responses, Im having plumber come out tomorrow. The Plumbers did want to put cameras in but came up with excuses that the water is to dirty. So they went with feel alone when they stuck there snakes in. Is it possible city sewer water is level with my water level when too much water is disperseing from our building? Causing back up. Clay Pipe underground set to low and not much angle. Is it easy to find defective Flapper on toilet? I'll keep you posted with plumbers work tomorrow.

"The Plumbers did want to put cameras in but came up with excuses that the water is to dirty."
The plumbers are blowing smoke. The water could be black as ink and still the camera would show a broken section of terra cotta pipe when it ran into it.

"Is it possible city sewer water is level with my water level when to much water is disperseing from our building? Causing back up."

Anything's possible, however, this would impact every unit on the lower floors in your building. Is this the case?

" Is it easy to find defective Flapper on toilet? "

Sure is! Take your finger and run it around the flat side of the flapper. If it has wavy edges or your hand comes away all black then the flapper needs to be replaced.
Let me know the next excuse the plumbers come up with for not repairing your back ups. HINT! You have to locate the source of the problem before you can began to repair it. Good luck, Tom

Plumbers blew me off today, but I know now for sure upstair neighbors toilet keeps running water after being flushed, and the valve has to be turned off to stop it. Like you said it's the flapper or a bad floater. Rescheduled for Thursday, with knew plumber. As long as my neighbor keeps an eye on his running toilet and it doesn't rain like last Sunday, shouldn't back up again. Let you know what these guys come up with.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by speedball1

"The Plumbers did want to put cameras in but came up with excuses that the water is to dirty."
The plumbers are blowing smoke. The water could be black as ink and still the camera would show a broken section of terra cotta pipe when it ran into it.

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Huh?

As someone who routinely cams existing waste lines during remodels and additions, I can state unequivocally that you are incorrect, Tom.

The technology is only as good as the conditions in which it is being used.

A waste line full of silt or roots can be too dark to see much of anything, let alone cracks, fissures or drop-offs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rubinwolf

Plumbers blew me off today, but I know now for sure upstair neighbors toilet keeps running water after being flushed, and the valve has to be turned off to stop it. Like you said its the flapper or a bad floater. Rescheduled for Thursday, with knew plumber. As long as my neighbor keeps an eye on his running toilet and it doesn't rain like last Sunday, shouldn't back up again. Let you know what these guys come up with.

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From what I've read so far in this thread, it sounds like you need to install a backwater valve on the waste line.

Lots of homeowners and contractors illegally route their downspouts and groundwater drainage systems into the sanitary sewer, which can overload the system further downstream and cause backups into homes and businesses during extended periods of heavy rainfall.

"As someone who routinely cams existing waste lines during remodels and additions, I can state unequivocally that you are incorrect, Tom.

The technology is only as good as the conditions in which it is being used.

A waste line full of silt or roots can be too dark to see much of anything, let alone cracks, fissures or drop-offs."
I agree that murky water will obstruct vision but are you telling me that if a section of Terra-Cotta broke off and the camera ran into it the operator wouldn't realize it? I'd know it if I were just shoving a tape in the busted line by the feel.

"From what I've read so far in this thread, it sounds like you need to install a backwater valve on the waste line."

And I might agree if all the ground floor units in the building were affected, but since I've asked and got no answer we don't know do we? Regards, Tom

He's right. That's why it nned to be checked when the problem is occurring.

What the hell I, The upstair neighbor shut his toilet valve off so his toilet would stop running. NOW the neighbor above him has her toilet running every time she flushes. What's with the valve does it have to be set to an exact point for all of us to be OK. And why is this happening now after a year and an a half of living in these NEW condos. Let you know what happens with clay pipe after plumber gets to stick camera in. This is a storm from 2 different directions.

The two running toilets are just coincidences. They are out of adjustment or need the parts checked and replaced. Question! Do all the ground floor units in your building back up when you do or are you the only unit affected?
Regards, Tom

Clay pipe is broken, can only hope further down the line is'nt messed up. The concrete is laid so thick, and with all the tropical after affect... job isn't done. It's raining too much and more is to come. I can't even emagine if I had to deal with this all the time like coastal country.

Question! Do all the ground floor units in your building back up when you do or are you the only unit affected? Please answer, Tom