Sewage back up (Santa Clara: apartment, lease, landscaping) - San Francisco - Oakland - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

Michele32 · 10-10-2014, 07:12 AM

The sewage in my apartment has backed up 5 times over the course of 2 years. Each time, the sewage has been gushing out of the toilet and has gone into the bath tub as well. Each time this has happened, the plumber has come out to drain the system. The landlord claims that the cause of it is cat litter even though there is no proof yet.

I have never put cat litter down the drain but for arguments sake and someone in my apartment did, can some cat litter cause the line to back up 5 times even after the pipes have been snaked? I haven't had a roommate for a year so the last time someone might have put some down there would have been a year ago or longer. Since I have been living by myself, the sewage has backed up twice. Thanks.

Hemlock140 · 10-10-2014, 07:26 AM

This might get a better response in the "House" section, but yes, kitty litter can clog pipes. Most of it is made of fired clay which does not float but absorbs moisture and becomes heavier, then settles so that any "solids" are blocked by it and then build up to completely stop the flow. When the plumber snakes it they can often tell the cause of a clog from what's stuck on the cutter head as they remove it. In my experience in the Bay Area, all of the clogs we ever had were caused by tree roots getting into the sewer lines. In an apartment building there could be someone else in the building putting the kitty litter ahead of your pipes, then it passes yours and arrives at an elbow and clogs.

Michele32 · 10-10-2014, 07:50 AM

Thanks for the reply. So wouldn't the problem be resolved the first time the plumber comes to un clog the drain? Wouldn't it clear the whole system? How would it be a reoccurring problem? Thank you!

NewbiePoster · 10-10-2014, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michele32

Thanks for the reply. So wouldn't the problem be resolved the first time the plumber comes to un clog the drain? Wouldn't it clear the whole system? How would it be a reoccurring problem? Thank you!

I'd say it's an indication of tree roots inside the sewer pipes. Is it just your apartment, or do you know if any of your neighbors have had the same problem? Is your apartment on the ground floor near exterior landscaping?

Hemlock140 · 10-10-2014, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michele32

Thanks for the reply. So wouldn't the problem be resolved the first time the plumber comes to un clog the drain? Wouldn't it clear the whole system? How would it be a reoccurring problem? Thank you!

The litter particles will sit in the bottom of the pipe and only move along when there is a large enough flow of water, such as emptying a bathtub. Even flushing a toilet will only put through 1-2 gallons. It could take a long time to get it all out of the system. A snake doesn't clear everything, only the choke point where it caught something larger. Many of those small particles will just be moved bu the cutter head and then drop back down into the bottom of the pipes. It could also be that someone is still flushing more cat litter.

Michele32 · 10-10-2014, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewbiePoster

I'd say it's an indication of tree roots inside the sewer pipes. Is it just your apartment, or do you know if any of your neighbors have had the same problem? Is your apartment on the ground floor near exterior landscaping?

It has only been my place and it is on the ground level, next to landscaping. Even if there is a small amount of cat litter for arguments sake, how would that back it up so bad that the toilet gushes out for minutes at a time with sewage?

Michele32 · 10-10-2014, 01:25 PM

[quote=Hemlock140;36828382]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michele32

Thanks for the reply. So wouldn't the problem be resolved the first time the plumber comes to un clog the drain? Wouldn't it clear the whole system? How would it be a reoccurring problem? Thank you![/quote
The litter particles will sit in the bottom of the pipe and only move along when there is a large enough flow of water, such as emptying a bathtub. Even flushing a toilet will only put through 1-2 gallons. It could take a long time to get it all out of the system. A snake doesn't clear everything, only the choke point where it caught something larger. Many of those small particles will just be moved bu the cutter head and then drop back down into the bottom of the pipes. It could also be that someone is still flushing more cat litter.

At the time of snaking though, wouldn't the plumber be able to determine what the cause was? If there was cat litter at the end of the snake, they would be able to say that right? When the plumber has come, they have just said that it is a blockage of toilet paper. They have not said anything about litter.

NoMoreSnowForMe · 10-11-2014, 07:03 PM

Why would your landlord say it's kitty litter? Hmmmm, just out of the blue? Not something I would have automatically thought of as something that would cause a blockage.

As far as can kitty litter cause a pipe to back up more than once? I'd say yes. What probably has happened, is it's like cholesterol, lining the pipes. Then once in a while it gets sloshed into a new position which blocks the pipe, or what would normally flush down the pipe, like toilet paper, will now get stuck, because the opening is smaller.

I was an apt manager for 8 years, just retired last year in Santa Clara. When there's a clog in the sewer pipe, then the waste can't go anywhere. And each time you flush the toilet or run the water elsewhere in the apartment, that water will have nowhere to go. That's why it comes back up out of the available openings - the toilet and the bathtub.

If you caused this backup, you could be charged with all of the plumbing charges the landlord has been incurring. So, I think you should just feel lucky he's not charging you for all these plumber visits. Assuming you or someone in your apt put kitty litter down the toilet.

Your other option would be to move at the end of your lease, if you don't want to continually deal with it.

It never ceased to amaze me what people will put down a toilet. And then act all amazed that it actually clogged up the pipes.

Oh and BTW, there's no such thing as "flushable wipes." They will clog up your pipes. I would warn all new tenants not to flush the "flushable wipes" you can buy, and they'd do it anyway, and the pipes would back up. Why a company would promote flushing something down the toilet that can clog up the pipes - I don't understand.

Head scratcher.