I just got a text tonight from a tenant that the sewer line is backing up into the basement.

This is a new house for me and this tenant has been in the house for 15 days.

As part of my preparing a house, I run water down the sewer line (garden hose wide open) to make sure the line can handle the flow. The drain did fine during my test.

The lease states that the tenant is responsible for clogged drain and sewer lines, but, the lease does not state at what time the clog becomes a tenant problem. How many days is reasonable to assume the sewer line is OK?

The house is 60 years old and I suspect it has the clay sewer pipes. There are no trees in the yard.

If the clay sewer pipes are the problem, I will pay for the repair. After 16 days, if the sewage backup is caused "something" in the line, is that a tenant problem?

At 60 years old, you need to have them checked out with a camera. It is quite possible the line is failing.

I cover the first 30 to 60 days, because you never know what was there that might have been missed. After that, if roots, it is on me. Hygiene products, on them.

So, call someone to open the drain. Pay the bill to clean out. Be there with camera to see what they find. If hygiene, make sure to get photos and lecture resident. If they admit to flushing things they shouldn’t, they need to reimburse you the cost.

Have a camera sent down the drain as well. If it is collapsing, plan on a good time to have a new drain put in. I got 3 more years out of a failing one, but eventually, the drain needs to be replaced. 60 years could go either way.

In addition to what Barb wrote:

Main line replacement is on you, the owner.

If you have clay pipes, they could fail because of roots or other things after so many years.

I am a California Licensed Plumbing Contractor that was an "expert" in a civil case against a "tenant" and their "landlord"!

The landlord had proof that they had the "main" sewer snaked out prior to a new tenant moving in. The tenant stated they did nothing wrong and the system backed up from "normal use".

Who do you think was right? To some degree they both were telling the truth. But the landlord forgot to mention that the sewer system backed up before the new tenants moved in and they had the main line cleared out.

But what they did not do is flush all of the "Branch lines". When the main backed up it pushed sewerage into the sink, tub and shower drains -- some getting clogged with crud that was in the main line for months.

In this case the landlord had to pay a plumber to flush all of the branch lines out, not just the main.

As a plumber, when a main line get blocked, junk in the drain line floats to the top -- sinks, tubs and showers...you can see water coming up in the fixtures when the main is blocked so when the main is cleared, stuff stays stuck to the insides of fixture drains.

On old pipes most will have some problems. Agree with the others you need a cam inspection to be able to judge what condition it is in. And to be fair to tenants.

By that I mean if the old pipes have a partial collapse that would not be fair on the tenants. If it is lets say equal to a pipe half the size it should be.

Your responsibility to provide the normal pipe size otherwise not tenants fault if a backup.

We advise the tenant that if what is pulled out of the line is something of theirs-- it's on them. If roots or collapsed line-- it's on us. We advise the plumber he is to call us and document (cell pic) anything that comes out. When myself or manager show up we ask the tenant to come out and see. Some refuse because they know what they did. Shop towels, diapers, but wipes, kids toys, metal hanger for deodorant in bowl, decorative sea shells from back of toilet tank, little kids mirrors--- the list goes on. Robert J CA must have a book full of items he's found.

Good stuff from the above posters. Just to add to the discussion for anyone new who is lurking:

be sure to educate tenants on what can and cannot go into the toilet. The list of what can is very short: pee, poop, toilet paper. What cannot: everything else.

Provide a garbage can at move in, I simply use an old flower container from the last plants I bought. Scrub it out, and line it with plastic grocery bags. Most tenants will replace with something prettier, but a bathroom trash can is essential.

Also train tenants to close toilet lid before flushing. Prevents spray from flushing getting all around the toilet area, and prevents accidently knocking things into toilet, which many people just then flush.

BUSY WI pretty sad state when we have to tell people how to be sanitary!!!!!!!

A couple of other things along this line.

We had trouble with one of our apartment buildings that were about 45-50 years old, built on a slab. They have galvanized piping in the concrete for the sewer hookups. With the new low flush toilets, not as much water is boosting "stuff" through, and the galvanized pipes tend to grab the toilet paper and then it clogs.

MMIT,

More...

When trees are dormant above ground they are growing like crazy UNDER ground. Spring is often when we see root clogs that have become thicker over winter. A week can make a difference. Nature ALWAYS wins!

If a home has been sitting empty for a long period of time such as a foreclosure, we automatically have the lines cleared. Garden hose water can bet thru clogs that will become jammed with TP and poo. Plus, a 4” sewer line holds A LOT of water.

It’s a shame the lines are hidden from sight and tough to inspect without a sewer camera. Additional vertical cleanoits can help locate problem areas.

My lease is clear: do not flush (a long list of things!). If the plumber pulls out and such items the res will pay the bill.

Unfortunately the plumber cannot always pull out the offending material so we bite the bullet and pay the bill.

PS

Never assume and

take the time to orient the new res with proper education. I built that into my lease.

It explains the importance of not flushing that stuff listed to avoid an unwanted ugly, stinky, brown overflow on their bathroom floor.

I recently signed with a lady in her 40’s. She stopped me when the lease said not to flush tampons. She said she had never heard that and had ALWAYS flushed hers, PLUS her 3 teen daughters!!

I wonder how many lines they have clogged at other rentals!

BRAD