I live in the basement suite of a four story walk up apartment building. My kitchen sink is forever bubbling up with water or soap suds from other apartments. With this there is black/brown residue that is brought up with it. Two days ago, my sink backed up again, but this time it overflowed and flooded my entire kitchen, spilling over and drenching my living room carpet. My main question is: what is in that water as my apartment now stinks? A few people have told me that is it sewage water etc. Is that possible?

Clulessgirl - YES IT IS SEWAGE WATER> ( THis is what you need to do -!! Get ahold of your land lord IMEDELLY AND HAVE HIM COME OVER AND SHOW HIM WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND HOW! IT is his responsibly to take care of this , including cleaning your apt. and do replace the carpet because you will NEVER GET THE SMELL OUT OF IT ( WELL HAVE HIM DO IT IS WHAT I MEAN . What is going on is that you have a blockage in the main sewer line ,and he needs to get a plumber out A.S.A.P. (LIKE YESTERDAY

I hope this helps with your problem, If he does not want to do it get back here on your post and let us know. IF I HAVE HELPED YOU <JUST RATE MY ANSWER BELOW > GOOD LUCK & GOD BLESS :::: F.B.E.

Hi all:

Clueless... yes it is gray water for sure. Is it raw sewage waste? Well, maybe... maybe not.

It all depends on how the building drains were piped in the building. For example, if all kitchen sinks are on the front of the building.. but all bathrooms are out at the back of the building, then you may be getting GRAY water backing up your sink from the other sinks above you... but not necessarily sewage from toilets... understand? Of course, it could be raw sewage from toilets, too... and well... that makes this an emergency, big time!

Anyway, FBE said it... get your landlord down there and have him take care of this mess before someone floods your place again. He will need to snake the drain line... might be stack, might be the main drain line. Have the landlord get all cleaned/disinfected/replaced.

Let us know how it goes for you... Mark

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I'd ask landlord to put in check valve to prevent this from happening again.

I spoke with the land lady and she said that there is nothing that can be done about it. That she had called a plumber before and that the building is too old to do anything about it. I have called a plumber myself and am going to get it fixed. Is there some sort of disinfectant that can sterilize the carpets?

The problem with any water damage is that youu have to remove the water within 24 hours and that might require a wet VAC or renting a carpet machine. Spray disinfectant will arrest he mold if used in time. Drywall happens to be food for mold. It loves the stuff. That's where it's extremely important.

The plumber can use a video camera to determine what the problem actually is and where it is.

Well I certainly disagree with the landlady. The plumbing can be snaked out or cleared in some manner. Repeated flooding would be unacceptable to me. If you chose to call a plumber yourself have that check valve put in. It will prevent water from coming out of the pipes into your sink.

Thanks everyone. The check valve is what I asked him to put in. Hopefully this will fix the recurring problem. Now to get the carpets cleaned... on to mission number 2!

This happens at my Condo and they have to snake the drain line to get it flowing again. I asked a plumber about a check valve in my unit and he said it would find it's way out somewhere else if he put one in, or flood my upstairs neighbor and get me anyway. One of my neighbors did put a check valve in and has not had any problems yet, so I may call his plumber.

Oh yea, and it definitely stinks when it happens and the roto-rooter makes a mess when they pull it out of the drain line.

Amricca;
I guess this is one situation where I would have to say "better my neighbor than me".

amricca:
It depends a lot on what drain line is snaked. I recently snaked a kitchen and a laundry drain. No nasty smells. Just difficult to get off spots.

Clueless:
Take pictures. They may prove useful in the future.

So, my plumber was in this evening. Turns out there was a check-valve on the pipe... however, some incompetent moron put it on backwards, hence the continual overflow. So, hopefully this fixes it. Armed with my carpet cleaner and anti-bacterial, I look forward to sweet smelling carpets, and clean sinks. Thanks to everyone for all their advice. (ps. I did take pics as backup protection for myself).
Happy Plumbing!

Clulessgril - I hope you read this one , because I think you need to know it . ( First of all the land lord IS Responsible for all the cost of the repairs, at least it is in Tenn. here a land lord has 48 hrs after being notefied of something to have it repaired { OR THE RENTER CAN HAVE IT DONE AND SAVE ALL RECEIPTS FOR LABOR & MATERIAL< THEN THE RENTER CAN DEDUCT THE TOTAL COST OFF THEIR RENT OR GIVE THE BILL TO THE LANDLORDTO PAY IT <AND THAT Don't MEAN 6 MONTHS FROM NOW } So save recepts for everything and go for it. She was using that as a excuse to get out of fixing the problem . The ( E#.P.A. ) would sure love to get ahold of this , For health reasons.! Good LUCK & GOD BLESS ::: F.B.E.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clulessgirl

Turns out there was a check-valve on the pipe....however, some incompetent moron put it on backwards,

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Could you (or you plumber) explain that.

If the check valve were in backwards you drain would not have worked. A check valves allows water to flow only one way. If it allow water to flow in, it would have not allow water to flow out.

Harold - That is a very good question! I tried to give you a greenie but couldn't. I wondered about the same thing Have a good day & GOD BLESS ::: F.B.E.