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A shared sewer backup that flooded two homes.
Sewage came up through the floor drains of two Port Moody townhomes, even after another plumber had cleared the line. We cabled further, flushed it with hot water, and confirmed with a camera that the shared line was clear to the main.
Cleared once, backed up again.
The basement floor drain in one home backed up on a Sunday evening. Another plumber cabled the line and tested it, but by the next evening it was backing up again and the home next door had the same problem.
We got into the line through the cleanout in one of the homes. There was grease visible in the drain, too much for the camera to see through, so the first job was to clean it.
Further than last time, then proof with a camera.
The previous plumber had gone out about 30 feet. We pushed the sewer cable out 45 feet to be sure we scoured past the blockage, and flushed the line with a large amount of hot water as we pulled the cable back. No more backups, and the water drained well.
Then we flushed with cold water and sent the camera in. The pipe was clear all the way to a 6-inch main, including the branch that serves the second home. We noticed a few joints with rough cuts that could catch debris, but no other defects.
Clean it properly, then check it.
When a line backs up right after it was cleared, the blockage wasn’t fully removed.
Get access
Open the cleanout and look at what’s in the line.Cable further
Push past where the last cable stopped.Flush
Hot water while scouring, then cold water to rinse.Camera
Confirm the line is clear to the main.The shared line is clear to the main.
The blockage was grease in the common sewer line serving three homes. The line is clear, both homes drain normally, and the strata has camera footage showing the condition of the pipe.
Line cabled 45 feet past the previous attempt
Hot-water flush with no further backups
Camera confirmed clear to the 6-inch main
Rough joints noted for future reference
Start with the problem. We will help plan the next step.
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