After rain sewage seeped into our basement. Backflow prevention device??

irene11217 – can you please share the contacts of your contractor?

aT

in General Discussion 6 years and 8 months ago

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whalien | 6 years and 9 months ago

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We recently purchased a 2-family in Bushwick. Earlier this week when we had those torrential downpours, the trap in the basement overflowed and quickly began filling the basement with lots of disgusting water. We received an estimate from a reputable company to install a backflow prevention device among other things for 11k. Not exactly the kind of fix we want to deal with after sinking all our finances into a down payment. The old u-trap only has simple caps resting on the outlets, which could use something more secure to prevent this from happening again. Thus the backflow prevention device suggestion from the plumbing company. Below is the estimate:

Furnish the necessary permit, labor, materials and equipment to install a back water prevention system along with
an approved fresh air ventilation system will be as follows.
1) Secure and pay for the required NYC permit.
2) Set in place the required property protection.
3) Cut open and excavate the house trap area and the front basement entrance way. Cut open the existing foundation for the new piping.
4) Complete the video inspection of the existing sewer trap in and trap out to determine its condition.
5) Furnish and install the following new drainage system materials.
1- Combination gate and check valve, ( automatic/manual )
1- House trap with screwed locking sewer plugs.
1- Fresh and inlet piping system vented to the area under the stoop.
1) Entrance way floor drain ( trapped).
6) Pressure test all new piping and complete the required controlled inspections.

Wondering if anyone has experience with this.

resident2 | 6 years and 9 months ago

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Did you get a home inspection before buying?
is there any evidence of sewage back ups in the recent past? Have you had a snake clean out all the way to the street main?

Unless your sewer line & the City main sewer line are out of alignment, why is the sewage backing up? It is normally because of a blockage somewhere else in the line, maybe the road sewer down the block somewhere. Are neighbors having the same problem?

Even in this so-called estimate it states that the plumber needs to: ” Complete the video inspection of the existing sewer trap in and trap out to determine its condition.” I would consult a couple more local plumbers first.

$11,000; even if you did want to/need to install a back up preventer valve, seems a bit high to me although I have not looked into the costs in quite a few years.

rwood | 6 years and 9 months ago

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We and our neighbors had a similar issue about 10 years ago. We asked the city to come and clean the sewers lines, which they did shortly after. No issues since then.

anotherposter | 6 years and 9 months ago

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Sounds like what we had happen years ago. Huge amount of rain and water (including anything flushed within the house) came out of the lowest point which was a drain in a coal chute in the cellar. It turned out the street tree had worked it’s roots into our waste line to the street and dirt/toilet paper blocked it up enough at the roots that all the storm runoff (roof gutter and backyard drains are plumbed into the waste line) was too much. We get the line snaked with blades about once a year to keep it clear and no problem since.

whalien | 6 years and 9 months ago

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Thanks all. We had the line snaked yesterday. Moving tons of things over to the home today…hoping for the best after last nights rain.

Arkady | 6 years and 9 months ago

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You describe a “cap”. Is it a lead plug? That’s what it should be.

EJR | 6 years and 9 months ago

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even if your sewer line is less than 100%, snaking 2-3 times a year at a cost of less than $200 per visit is money well spent to prevent issues like this in lieu of more expensive solutions such as a backflow preventer or replacing the sewer line entirely.

anotherposter | 6 years and 9 months ago

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We totally found it worth the cost to have a camera snaked down the line after our flood, which is how we found the root issue and learned some important info on our pipe. As for the trap cap, when we moved in ours had something odd (can’t remember exactly) like a piece of plastic taped on and luckily we had that changed to a lead cap before this flood issue or it would have been worse.

whalien | 6 years and 9 months ago

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Happy to report a good snaking solved the issue. No need for the $11k suggested fix…at least not today.

tristianismyrealtor | 6 years and 9 months ago

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anotherposter and whalien- who do you use to snake? thanks!

anotherposter | 6 years and 9 months ago

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I’ve used Econo Sewer but the last time or two they really screwed up appointment times so I may try Roto Rooter next. Other than the timing, I’ve had no problems with them.

somuchwork | 6 years and 9 months ago

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I had the basement recently flood a couple of times, no one could find the trap and the sewer line didn’t seem to be vented either. I got a new trap dug out and installed, new concrete poured and a backflow check value and two new sewer vents for less than $3,000.

whalien | 6 years and 8 months ago

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  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Can you recommend a service @irene11217?

whalien | 6 years and 8 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#5130 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#5132 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "21071"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(7) "whalien"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(7) "whalien"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(19) "whalien73@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2008-11-26 21:55:05"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(7) "whalien"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(21071)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Gang, definitely go with 718-Sewer and Drain. The owner, Mike, was amazing and so incredible helpful. All the hi-tech devices and was able to share the video of camera heading down to the main sewer line with me in seconds. Honest and super helpful. Definitely recommend their service!!!