[helphelpalone]

Hi - I need help!

I noticed after a large storm that my garage was flooded (1/4") and stinky. I have had other flood water issues on the same floor because of rain water leaking into the basement - that issue is being resolved. (my house is a raised bungalow - front of house is grade level - and after 20' back is below grade - in a hill..)

I waited and let the issue resolve it's self, or so I thought, thinking it had something to do with the other problem...

Shortly after this I noticed that when I used large amounts of water, washing, showering, flushing... the same problem occurred but to a much lesser extent.

I located the cleanout in the garage & had to remove a thin plywood subfloor that covered the garage floor & hence the cleanout.

The clean out is located about 2' below the garage floor and the 18" x 12" pit was full of nasty stuff - toilet paper, tampax, sewage, baby wipes, a small plastic bag. The bag must have been flushed by a previous tenant of mine. A very messy job but I removed everything and properly disposed of it. YUCK!!

But what I found was that the sewer clean out cap had been forced off??? Pressure from a backup?

I'm assuming the cap had come off sometime ago - based on the estimated age of the 'archaeological finds'.... But no indication of water backing up in the garage before this - everything was always dry and clean.

I immediately stopped putting anything through the system.

I tried Root X in the pit. I rented a 50' electric sewer auger (long enough to get to the street) & brought up a few baby wipes & tampons etc. The water still came up to about 6" above the clean out.

I tried replacing the cap (after pumping out the water) and found that it wouldn't really go in properly (despite many attempts).

I filled the laundry room sink with hot water & bleach - the water still gurgled up slowly and after an hour or so the pit is full to about 6" above the clean out & appears as though it will remain there despite no use of water.

There is no 'sewer gas smell' (there was previously but not since) & the water is black/grey - but I'm assuming that is because it's in contact with the dirt surrounding the pipe.

I have next to no resources to resolve this problem & it's going to take me at least a week to clean out the garage well enough to let some one in to do the work. (I'm single, very busy working trying to make ends meet and I need to feel comfortable letting someone in)

If anyone could tell me what they think could have happened & what the really issue might be, how I should proceed from here & how much it might cost me to resolve it...

I WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATIVE!

helphelpalone

[Flying Blue Eagle]

WHAT YOU DESCRIBED IS REALLY BAD AT STOPPING UP A SEWER , I Don't KNOW HOW OLD YOUR HOUSE IS ,BUT IT MAY HAVE OLD CLAY TYPE TILE OR WHAT IS CALLED ORANGEBERG,SEWERE LINES FROM THE HOUSE TO THE STREET . ROOTS GROW IN THESE TYPE PIPES PRETTY BAD< WILL FINLLY COMPLETEY CLOSE PIPE UP. Really the only way to get this type sewer line cleaned ouy is by ROTO ROOTER. and that will have to be done about 3or4 times a year .The best way to solve the problem is to install new sewer line, but use pvc plastic pipe. Good luck

[speedball1]

Most sewer line clogs occur at the street raiser out next to the curb. Are you quite sure you had enough cable to reach it? It sure doesn't sound like it if you still have a problem. Rent a sewer machine and go down the cleanout one more time. You'll know when you have cleared the clog when the water runs out of the pipe. Good luck, Tom