drainage questions

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newbee2010

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Hi,

We have a cleanout pit in the frontyard and it slightly overflowed with sewege.
I used the bladder bag connected to water hose for 5min and it seems to help.

The pit is vertically 4 feet deep and seems to slant towards street for about half a foot.
From the top, I can always see the sewage standing for about 3.5 feet.
When someone flushes the toilet, it rises slowly a few inches and then drops back.
Is this normal? Should I put the bladder bag for a longer duration?

Thanks very much
 

Terry

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Normally you have a 4" line running to the street.
A garden hose isn't going to help if you have roots in the line.
Does this have a line to a public sewer, or do you have your own drain field?
 

newbee2010

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The pit is about 5 ft away from the street.
There might be roots or misaligned pipes because it is an old home.
It goes to the public sewer.
What else can we do before having to do a major pipe replacement?

Thanks very much
 

Cacher_Chick

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First call the city utility to check to see if perhaps THEIR line is backing up.
If not, then your line needs to be rodded out with a proper machine, which would be a good job for a plumber or drain specialist.
 

newbee2010

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I had called the city but by the time I reached home, he had left.
My wife said he started some machine and tried to push something and it had blades like a kitchen mixer.
He could push deeper because something blocked the tool. Then he suggested to try the water bag and left.
Right now there is no problem.
I am just curious why there is standing water in the pit which goes up and down.

Thanks very much
 

hj

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IF he had the right equipment, AND KNEW HOW TO USE IT, then he should have unplugged the line. IF there is really a problem with the line so that it cannot be cleared a "blow bag" is NOT going to make it better or cure it. There is water in the pipe because the pipe is obstructed.
 

MACPLUMB

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To put into plain english !

You " should" "not " see any water setting in the clean out pipe !

Only such water running by as water running inside the house at that time ! ! !

You need to call a professional to clear your blockage all you are doing is blowing a

little hole in the blockage that stops back up anytime solid waste comes down !
 

bettlermark

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Why not just use a traditional French drain?

Multi-Flow is a modified and improved French drain. Multi-Flow, employing Narrow Trench Installation Technology (NTIT™), has several important advantages over an old-fashioned French drain
 

Ian Gills

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I wished I lived in a city that would send someone round to clean their section of the drain WITHOUT needing to see a receipt that I had my 4 inch+ section rodded first with a machine that met their minimum specifications.

Are you sure you don't live somewhere more civilized like Canada?
 

hj

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This city WILL check their manholes, but prefer that a plumber be the one to request it, since they know what they are doing and should not make a spurious request.
 

Thatguy

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