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Need a plumber/plumber advice


Nitrousbird

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My rental house in Reynoldsburg has been having a sewage backup problem into the utility room (thank god it has a concrete floor that can be hosed off!).

 

I have had Roto-Rooter out twice on last-minute calls, they have to auger it from inside (no outside cleanout), and always end up with some tree roots.

 

I've tried root-killer. I've tried some other special stuff for sewer pipes. Tried Muratic Acid. Everything has been a temp fix; might last a week to a couple of months...then you get the standard backup again.

 

I know one of the tenants is a HEAVY toilet paper user, which I'm sure isn't helping the cause, but found out tonight he will be moving out at the end of May (I have 3 guys seperately paying rent, though it will be going to a conventional situation starting in June, when I no longer have to store stuff over there).

 

1968 house, several VERY large trees.

 

I don't know what to do that isn't going to cause me to dig huge holes in the yard, and spend a TON of time and money fixing it.

 

I've never use a power auger before, but because I have to do it through either the downstairs toilet drain (removed, bathroom is currently gutted for remodling), or the utility room drain, and I don't think it will be as easy as usual.

 

Anyone here do this kind of work? I probably need a camera down there to see what is really going it. I really just need a reasonably priced SOLUTION to this problem, as I am very tired of dealing with it. VERY.

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Das uses waterworks for big problems

 

after you have the drain cleaned if its tree roots again you can buy a product called "root out" from lowes or home depot the main ingredient is copper sulfate it makes the roots retract away from the pipe you just run some down the drain every couple of months and you shouldn't have anymore trouble

 

hope this helps

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I rented a power snake today (100') from Home Depot; $54 out the door.

 

Once I got the technique down for getting it to snake through the start of the drain, it went through it like butte. Ran the 100' twice, with a difference bit each time.

 

All is flowing good now; ran the hose full blast down the main drain + filled the washing machine and had it pump out all the water at the same time, with zero signs of backing up.

 

No tree roots; probably the one tenant (who is moving out) using too much damn toilet paper.

 

But this was a LOT cheaper than hiring someone, and pretty much the same amount of time used, so I'm happy about that. One nasty-ass job, though.

 

God, it's got me to the point of when we get moved into our new house and our condo sold, that I might just need to kick out the renters, get the place fixed up, and sell it. Will probably lose a couple grand in the process, but I am thinking it will be worth it in the end.

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If you are constantly getting roots you can have the pipe replaced with cast or steel, or you can cut the trees down.

 

That all costs a bunch of money (the trees are uber-huge). I am not dumping a bunch of money into this joint.

 

For the cost of doing that, I can clean the pipes so they will flow perfectly for an inspection (they flow great now), kick out the renters, go without rent for a couple of months, do the paint/flooring/remodel downstairs bathroom, and sell the joint. This time I didn't find any roots to be the cause of the clog......

 

Once our condo sells and we are settled in nicely into our new house, I will probably look towards doing just that.

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