Hi, I'm in a complex of condo townhouses, sharing a sewer line with my neighbor (our lines Y together, no septic tank). Two weeks ago, her shower backed up with sewage, ruined her beautiful wood floors. Nothing backed up on my side at the time.
My neighbor called a plumber and he wouldn't snake the line because he was worried about possible oak tree roots and he didn't have a camera. So my neighbor called Roto Rooter and they were supposed to bring a camera. Of course they didn't. But he snaked the line, only pulled out an old tampon and baby wipe. The clog was at about 70 feet I think. It was kind of an ordeal because we were convinced there had to be a root problem and I had called the county to bring a camera. They didn't either. But they pulled the manhole cover and we all watched the water flowing freely after the Roto Rooter guy snaked the line. So we thought we were in the clear.
Flash forward to today and my neighbor had her shower backup again and my bathtub as well. So the same Roto Rooter guy came back and resnaked the line. He hit something much closer this time, but didn't pull anything up. So it is unclogged for now. But now we're wondering about the possibiltiy of tree roots again. So Roto Rooter is supposed to be sending someone with a camera today.
I'm just looking for any advice. It's frustrating because I'm really good about watching what goes down the drain. But both me and my neighbor did a couple loads of laundry last night, and I guess that put things over the edge. I just wonder how we can be sure that the Roto Rooter guy gets everything and we can feel safe using water again? It seems like he might just be poking a hole in the clog to get the snake through, but not really getting rid of everything that's there? Can that happen?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
PS. Sorry about the long post.
My neighbor called a plumber and he wouldn't snake the line because he was worried about possible oak tree roots and he didn't have a camera. So my neighbor called Roto Rooter and they were supposed to bring a camera. Of course they didn't. But he snaked the line, only pulled out an old tampon and baby wipe. The clog was at about 70 feet I think. It was kind of an ordeal because we were convinced there had to be a root problem and I had called the county to bring a camera. They didn't either. But they pulled the manhole cover and we all watched the water flowing freely after the Roto Rooter guy snaked the line. So we thought we were in the clear.
Flash forward to today and my neighbor had her shower backup again and my bathtub as well. So the same Roto Rooter guy came back and resnaked the line. He hit something much closer this time, but didn't pull anything up. So it is unclogged for now. But now we're wondering about the possibiltiy of tree roots again. So Roto Rooter is supposed to be sending someone with a camera today.
I'm just looking for any advice. It's frustrating because I'm really good about watching what goes down the drain. But both me and my neighbor did a couple loads of laundry last night, and I guess that put things over the edge. I just wonder how we can be sure that the Roto Rooter guy gets everything and we can feel safe using water again? It seems like he might just be poking a hole in the clog to get the snake through, but not really getting rid of everything that's there? Can that happen?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
PS. Sorry about the long post.