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Forum: What Do Do When the Sewars Backup

22 November 2006

ChuckEat 13:22

Maybe I have missed this topic in all the prep docs/pages I have read, but a question has been nagging me for some time now. Many metropolitan cities rely on pumps to keep the poop flowing “downhill”. Has anyone seen, or do you have any ideas about what people with basements, or people who live near the bottom of the “hill” should do if things get really bad WTSHTF? I know a few years back in metro Detroit (Michigan in the USA) there was a storm and the sewage pumps failed…. Hundreds of homes were flooded with raw sewage! What can we do to prepare for this? Most of my preps are in my basement and I am planning to have my water stored there too. Anyone have thoughts on this dilemma?

SCW AZ – at 13:37

There is a pipe that goes from your home to the city sewer system. It’s underground, but you can find it as it has to 2 (usually) “traps” that are use for rodding (cleaning). 2″ or 3″ in diameter they have threaded caps atop them. The one closest to the house is angled to go to the street, within a foot (usually) the one away from the house angles toward the home.

In normal times, if you had a back up, you (or the plumber) would use a rod to clean out the line. If TSHTF, and you BELEIVE the sewage plant is going to go kaput, you remove one (or both) of these caps and plug up the pipe. . .

Bad news is that you are then prevented from using your own toilets and water. . .

I think that when we lose either water service or electricity, THAT will be the time to plug up the pipe and go to plan B, which is port-a-potty like devices

ChuckEat 13:41

Ok, so I should plug the pipe at the last clean-out, my question is, with what? And where can I buy this “what” Home Depot?

MissBlissat 13:51

There are devices called back flow preventors. They allow waste to exit the building but stop sewage from coming back in. That is about where my knowledge ends but perhaps you can do some investigating and see what you can google. Good luck.

Annoyed Max- Not mad yet – at 13:57

Here is a possible cheap solution depending on your needs http://www.pipeplug.com/hand.htm In my case I have drain pipes flush with the basement floor that concern me since they have backed up before. This would take care of them. For sinks you can take a rubber plug with a hole through it, two big washers, a bolt, and a wing nut. When you assemble the thing and screw down the wing-nut it squashes the rubber plug to keep it in the hole. Or you put in a shut off valve under the sink but it would cost more and you have to know how to do that. If you have toilets backing up they make inflatable ball type devices that you could stick in there. Someone even suggested a tennis ball with sandbags on top of it for drains.

Annoyed Max- Not mad yet – at 13:59

BTW installing a back flow device is big bucks! Not to mention most codes only allow for a professional to do the job so no saving on DIY.

SCW AZ – at 14:08

MissBliss – at 13:51 There are devices called back flow preventors

A back flow preventor would be installed on the line I was talking about . . . Cut the line in two places and then install it (make sure arrow is pointing correct way)

You could also use a pipe plug outside the home or many inside the home (EVERY toilet, shower & sink drain) Outside is easier. . .

A tightly stuffed rag and a bit of that expandable foam is a quick fix in an emergency.

ChuckEat 14:16

SCW AZ @14:08 a tight stuffed rag and a bit of that expandable foam

“Great Stuff” yeah thats a great idea, I wonder what kind of pressure Great Stuff would hold up to? I could buy 5 cans of that for next to nothing and the storage life of it is along time, besides I use about 1 can a year anyway.

Annoyed Max

My dad is a “professional” so the labor costs are not an issue for me, but for everyone else??? I am thinking just plug the main drain so that I don’t have to mess around with 3 sinks, 2 toilets and 2 floor drains. Do you think that they make a rubber plug that I could first insert into the clean-out and then expand?

diana – at 14:23

Wasn’t there another thread with this problem addressed in more detail?

ANON-YYZ – at 14:32

Some local building codes prohibit back flow preventers. This may be because it is cheaper to clean up a back flow (into your house) than to have sewer pipes bursting in the ground and contaminating ground water due to pressure build up.

ChuckEat 15:05

diana @ 14:32

Yep I found it here

http://www.fluwikie2.com/pmwiki.php?n=Forum.SewersBackingUp

maybe an inflatable ball will work.

A former Lurker – at 15:41

Don’t forget the drain on your Washing Machine.

23 November 2006

anonymous – at 23:42

I would think a removable plug would be best at one of your outside cleanouts. It would be very nice to have something to take out if it gets going again. I am imagining an inflatable ball forced down in there that you could inflate with a pump and then puncture to remove. A soccer ball may be too big to jam in, probably, maybe a smaller sports ball fo some kind.

The “great Stuff” type of inflatable foams are tremendously useful. I have used it to seal 3 PSI air holes in a manifold. I imagine it would hold to plug a pipe for drainage. I am going to get some for preps in general, great way to plug big holes in walls, etc.

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