Two main sewer lines?

[Plumbingwoes]

Hey guys!

Back story: I've been having some clogging issues over the years and I finally had enough of it and decided to reroute a part of my line to my main sewer line. Along the way digging I stumbled across a 3-4 inch PVC line that looks exactly like my main line. It's 30 feet parallel from the main and goes under a sunroom that was added later on. So I can't really trace it back beyond the sun room.

is it possible for a house to have two main lines running to the sewers? Do you think the original owner redid the mainline at one point? Should I attempt to use it? Thanks.

 

[hj]

IT is possible, but without checking, and testing, it there is no way we can give you an answer.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Terry]

I ran into a home built in the 50's that had two sewer lines out of the home. It was confusing until it was figured out.

 

[hj]

The one I worked on had 2 septic systems and when they connected to the city sewer they only did one of them.

 

[Plumbingwoes]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The one I worked on had 2 septic systems and when they connected to the city sewer they only did one of them.

I ran into a home built in the 50's that had two sewer lines out of the home. It was confusing until it was figured out.

The house was built between 76-78.

I turned all my faucets on and tried listening to the pipe with a stethoscope to see if it drained to it with no luck.

Not sure if the house had a septic tank but I doubt it because there is very little room in my backyard for one. The pipe appears to be connected to the city main sewer behind the house.

I am kinda tempted to make a hole in pipe and see if it drains because it's 30 feet closer. On the other hand I know my other sewer line works and the last thing I wanna do is having to re dig the line up again in the future because I got lazy.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Do you have a basement or gutters? Is there a sump pump with a basement? Possibly one of these drain into this other pipe to the sewer system, which is not allowed but you may never know what a previous own did.

 

[Jadnashua]

Do you have street drains? If so, that second pipe might be a collection from the gutters. Most places are trying to separate them so that a storm doesn't overwhelm the sanitary sewer, but that's a long, expensive process that is still evolving many places.

One way to figure this out is to get the line(s) camera scoped.

If you've had clogging along the years, one of them may not have proper slope, or has a belly somewhere.

 

[Reach4]

I turned all my faucets on and tried listening to the pipe with a stethoscope to see if it drained to it with no luck.

How about listening when you put water into a gutter.

How readily can the stethoscope let you hear flow in the other pipe when you run water at the lavatory?

 

[hj]

There is NOTHING that will hear smoothly flowing water, because it does not make any sound.

 

[hj]

There is NOTHING that will hear smoothly flowing water, because it does not make any sound.

 

[hj]

There is NOTHING that will hear smoothly flowing water, because it does not make any sound.

 

[hj]

There is NOTHING that will hear smoothly flowing water, because it does not make any sound.