All Forum Posts by: Mark Kudlach jr.

Hey BP, Saviour Septic LLC is now offering free that's right you read right free septic or city sewer line video inspections for all members in Connecticut,Western RI and Southern Mass! Get your name on the list while the offer lasts. You can contact Mark by looking up my profile at anytime we are offering the services from December 15 to December 23 and then again from January 2 to January 9. These inspections are very crucial and much needed. I am offering the services to get acquainted with my Connecticut members and also to start networking around the state:) happy holidays from Saviour Septic! Thanks, Mark Kudlach jr.

DIY is at general real estate bottom right.

Hey BP,

Come check out my septic page on the DIY forum, the info could save you a bunch of service call fees. Also ask anything you want about sewer/drains or septic and I'll get back to you with the right info.

Thanks,

Mark

@Bryanna Mendoza Wow what a mess! What everyone has said so far seems to be great advice I'd just like to add a couple of thoughts for ya. Like @JD Martin had mentioned from what you're describing you have what they call a sewage ejection pump installed due to elevation differences from the lower bathroom area. This should be equipped with a high level alarm as well to let you know there's a problem with the pump/float before a back up ever occurs. All of the drain lines from the top floor should feed into the main line through gravity and bottom floor section enters into a pump chamber, reaches a certain level then activates the pump and then releases into the main line as well. This said "Always" be careful for what is placed into the sewer system especially the downstairs section leading into the pump chamber. No paper towels,feminine products, etc. Basically waste and single ply toilet paper only... the end, lol. I know that's a bummer for everyone but seriously it helps. Anything other than single ply toilet paper and you have the risk of the toilet paper actually swelling in size just enough to cause an issue in any drainage system whether you're on city sewer or a septic system. Single ply tends to break up a lot easier. With all of the water conservation laws on newer style toilets 1.6 to 1.3 gallons per flush doesn't help either, I always tell my clients to flush twice to make sure the waste actually makes it to where its going (just hold the handle down longer and you'll get two flushes). Also I do notice that both estimates include a back-flow prevention device installed upon construction of the new sewer line. This has pros and cons. The pro obviously is in the event the main 6" sewer line ever backs up again you should be covered at your place if the device works properly. Its designed to let water and sewage flow one way ( to the city) and to close off if water happens to want to move the other way, almost like a little flapper of sorts hanging from the top of the pipe. Con is that these flappers actually collect debris/grease on them over time and end up causing more issues if not maintained properly. In the chance that you do replace the line ask the companies about this specifically and see what kind of codes/maintenance is required. I suggest an access cover over the devise for easy maintenance if needed. I would never install this on one of my jobs but it may be a local code. I also observed what they call a "rubber fernco" in the picture you've provided. This in it self is a disaster waiting to happen. If you notice where the black ABS pipe coming out of the pump chamber meets the white PVC pipe there's a 2" rubber boot with two stainless steel clamps on it. Every time that pump cycles it creates movement on that piping system and tends to loosen the grip of these clamps over time. I can't tell you how many times I've seen this over the years. Imagine it comes loose and someone is taking a nice long shower. These particular chambers have about a 25 gallon storage capacity and may cycle several times disconnected...not a pretty site. Make sure you get a plumber to fix this for you sometime soon. A safe option would be 2"  ABS male adapter to a IPS check valve into a 2" PVC male adapter on the other end. Also you could go with a compression check valve but glue fittings is always the way to go on a pump system.Never fernco type attachments. Other than that you have two choices really. Replace the 4" main to the 6". Or call in your area and ask if anyone has a high pressure water jetter with specialty nozzles that will lance off the roots at their source. When I perform this technique the homeowner generally gets 4-5 free flowing years. It's totally different from using a mechanical snake. Think about wrapping your finger around long hair and pulling hard.(ouch!) That's exactly what your doing when you use a mechanical snake on root infiltrated lines. Although the blades on the snake are sharp, when you plunge into a massive ball of roots the blades are rendered useless and the pulling effect starts. In most cases the lines are frail and made up of clay when roots get in(joints usually). And a clay pipe is very brittle and can actually be damaged from snaking. I do not suggest snaking roots again with clay pipes to anyone out there. The water jetting procedure should cost around 750-1250 if done properly. Also make sure they video inspect after completion to ensure every root is gone. Is it a permanent fix? Of course not but just think if done properly you could potentially get 20+ years out of it for the same 4k while renting and making a profit. Food for thought. At least now you have options. These are the options I give to my clients and thought you may want to know as well. Good luck and hope this was helpful.

Thanks,

Mark

I will generally stay East of the CT river but will definitely take it into consideration for a fellow BP member. 

Give me a call at 8606085806 and we can talk.

Thanks 

Mark

@Scott Weaner Hey scott yeah just go with your plumbers idea get that headache out of there and move on! I'm sure you have better things to worry about like finding your next RE deal lol. Side note...Most of those enzymes are for organic material inside of pipe walls not debris or scale in a cast iron line. Hope that helps.

Hello BP,

Also I will answer any and all Septic/Drain cleaning related questions I'm licensed in the state of CT where we have very strict regulations and would love to give back to the BP community anyway that I can. Ask away

Hey @Scott Weaner I do this all the time for a living you can check out my profile. What I suggest is taking out the trap completely. In most cases they are redundant traps due to the fact that every fixture in the home is already trapped individually(or should be), if you think about it,its now double trapping the entire system which in most states is illegal.. You may want to check with the town or city where the residence is at but in most cases they are just a nuisance. If the town requires the trap for any reason to be in place, think about upgrading to a PVC plastic trap or SDR 35 piping(bell and gasketed pipe) this will ensure the sidewalls of the piping will be smooth and not made up of cast iron piping which tends to be very rough and scaly. Your second alternative is preventative maintenance and the easiest way to do this would be to remove existing covers you have now, replace them with expansion plugs for easy access or lubricate correct covers and install again. Purchase a hand auger from a local hardware store, snake out every year and then vacuum out the trap completely with a wet vac after running clean water through it for a period of time prior to vacuuming. Other than removing it completely this is the only alternative, also check to see if the fresh air inlet is clear from any obstructions (piping right before the inlet to the trap) which extends to the outside atmosphere somewhere close, normally a side wall and can be identified on the side of the house or under a porch if close.Usually has a mushroom cap cover or a cover with tiny inlet holes all around the face like a shower drain would perhaps. Hope this helps in the future!

Thanks,

Mark

Hello BP,

Figured I would provide some free advice that could save you an emergency rate call averaging from $125.00 to $450.00 sometimes more depending on which part of the country you live in. As a licensed septic installer and licensed plumber I find a very common problem in the service industry to be septic tank backups. Here are some tips to prevent future backups and possible service charges.

In a code complying situation generally for all septic tanks installed in the Late 90'S early 2000's installed properly you'll have what they call an outlet filter on the out going pipe into your leaching fields. If you're on city sewage you don't have to worry about this. Best way to know is, are you paying for a sewer bill or a water bill? If not, most likely you have a onsite sewage disposal system. Which should be pumped on average between every 3-5 years depending on how many people live in the home on a regular basis (3-5 people normally). And its also safe to say that the tank should be pumped even more frequently if it's older than 10-15 yrs in age,Bio-mat or a black slimy substance tends to clog most leaching fields over time. Back to the outlet filter, this will be located under the outgoing cover to the septic tank hence the name "outlet filter". Simply uncover the tank, which should by code be within 12" of existing finished grade. If you can't locate your tank go to the local health dept they should have the dimensions on file, ask them for the "As-built" plan your contractor who installed the system should have filed with the town upon completion of the work.If your tank is any deeper than 12" into grade you may want to add what they call a "riser" with cover over each cement cover of the septic tank, or at least where the pipe enters the tank and exits the tank. Lift the cover....sometimes easier said than done.....(you may need a 3 lb hammer to tap around the cover a couple of times to break the seal) Be careful not to hit it hard enough to actually break the cover completely. Proceed to lift the cover after breaking the seal. Now is the fun part! Put some rubber gloves on for this portion(smelly). If installed correctly you should see a 4" diameter PVC tee submerged into the effluent(milky substance). Reach down into the tee lift the filter out and proceed to clean over the tank with a hose until plastic edges are free of debris. This device is installed on most updated systems to prevent large objects from getting into the leaching fields.Once free of all debris insert back into original tee and line up arrow indicator on top of filter. This is one of the most common problems associated with septic tank backups. If you cannot stomach this process I don't blame you, when I do it I smell money nothing else lol, but at least now you'll be armed with this information the next time your pumping guy comes out to service the tank. Remember as well, that if you don't see the pumping guy digging up all three covers when pumping they did not pump the tank correctly.Updated tanks have internal baffle walls which are present from the manufacturer enabling the solids to be separated from the liquids , meaning if they only pump from the center cover which is most common.

1.They don't get all of the water out of the tank.

2.They cannot visually inspect the outlet condition.

3.They cannot clean the outlet filter. 

4.They cannot inspect the inlet condition where the pipe comes in from the house.

Hope this post helps you to educate you on septic maintenance and possibly saves you money in the future. If you have any question on septic or plumbing let me know I'll answer any question if you need me.

Thanks,

Mark

Just a reminder for all BP members,

We provide the following services and are fully licensed and insured. 10% discount when you mention this ad!

SEPTIC and SEWER: Emergency Drain Cleaning- Septic System Installation and Repairs - Engineered Septic Systems - High Pressure Jetting - Revitalized old failing leaching fields Septic Locating - Septic Tank Riser Installation - Video Inspection Unit - Distribution Box Cleaning / Locating - Dry wells - Cesspools - Lagoons - Baffle Inspection / Installation - Sewer Gas Elimination - Root removal system in old piping- Frozen Lines Thawed - Commercial Trailer Jetting Action - Soil Air Systems Installed - City Sewer Tie-ins PLUMBING: (AGRU) Systems - Under Ground Sewer Lines - Water Lines - Re Piping Old Systems / Sewer / Water Hot Water Lines - Well Conversions - Septic Tanks - Leaching Fields - Grease Traps - Interior - Exterior - Automatic Grease traps interior- Toilets - Sinks - Faucets - Catch Basins - Roof Drains - Dry Wells - New Construction - Maintenance Contracts - Service Contracts.

Thanks,

Mark