On Wednesday, our basement began to flood. The cap on the ground was knocked off and there is about 6 inches of water down there. The pilot light is off becaise of that. We called a plumber who thought that there was a clog. He contacted people from the city and they discovered that the sewer on our side of town is backed up and it's causing problems for other people. On Thursday the city workers said we should call a plumber to pump out the water and light the pilot light. Our plumber never showed up and said he can't do anything until the sewer is fixed although the people from the city said to drain the water. I really want to call another plumber but my father is reluctant to do so. We can't go any longer without hot water and I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone here have any suggestions? Who is right in this situation?
Is there anything we can do about this?
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Do you have raw sewage in the basement, or is it drainage water. If drainage water you could buy a sump pump and pump it out your self. If sewage I think you will need a septic tank pump truck. Either case I would be getting some other opinions including someone from the public works department who should be able to tell you if the line has been cleared or not.
If the appliance that needs the pilot light is not under water and the water is not rising then there is no reason it can not be on.
Good luck
If the appliance that needs the pilot light is not under water and the water is not rising then there is no reason it can not be on.
Good luck
That happened in our area one time. We didnt have any issues but our neighbors did.
They called the local fire department and they pumped out the homes that needed it. Just a suggestion.
Had some neibors with a few bolier and water heater damage issues which luckily their homeowners ins covered it. Village unblocked the main village sewer line. All was good after that.
Hope you get everything pumped out and up and running soon.
They called the local fire department and they pumped out the homes that needed it. Just a suggestion.
Had some neibors with a few bolier and water heater damage issues which luckily their homeowners ins covered it. Village unblocked the main village sewer line. All was good after that.
Hope you get everything pumped out and up and running soon.
I would be pissed off also. Call someone else. You cannot stay there in this condition.
Get everyone together and file a request for damages on their behalf, by upholding their end of the deal, by not properly maintaing the sewers.
Then get the whole town to show up en-mass at the next city council meeting. Just make sure to let the media know first, so that the council members cannot back out of this.
Get everyone together and file a request for damages on their behalf, by upholding their end of the deal, by not properly maintaing the sewers.
Then get the whole town to show up en-mass at the next city council meeting. Just make sure to let the media know first, so that the council members cannot back out of this.
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I'd be calling my insurance company to see if the clean up is covered.
Just pumping it out is not enough, you how have raw sewerage skum on the floor and walls.
A back flow preventer valve can be add to prevent it from happening again.
Just pumping it out is not enough, you how have raw sewerage skum on the floor and walls.
A back flow preventer valve can be add to prevent it from happening again.
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Consider calling a septic pumper service and take this part of the job on yourself- get it pumped out, start the sewage cleanup work by hiring a cleaning service or do it yourself.
You didn't say if the basement is a finished space or not...
Once the water is gone, your plumber can address the water heater- you might need some parts replaced. Consider raising it off the floor some if your worried that this could happen again.
Also, talk to your plumber about the cost of installing a backwater valve on your building sewer to prevent this in the future.
Last comment- have you contacted your home owners insurance? I would seriously consider doing so.
You didn't say if the basement is a finished space or not...
Once the water is gone, your plumber can address the water heater- you might need some parts replaced. Consider raising it off the floor some if your worried that this could happen again.
Also, talk to your plumber about the cost of installing a backwater valve on your building sewer to prevent this in the future.
Last comment- have you contacted your home owners insurance? I would seriously consider doing so.
Thank you for the replies everyone! I did call Roto Rooter and told them my problem. They said they have a lot of people to talk to someone I'm waiting for them to call me back. They did say, however, that since it's the city sewer that's backed up, they can't really do anything. He said that if we wanted the water pumped out, we'd need a truck that can hold sewage. Our basement isn't finished. We really can't go this long without hot water. Plus, our washer and dryer are down there and I don't want them to get ruined.
None of them cover it, if caused by the metro sewage. If septic, it is a hit or miss.
Oh, I didn't know that. I just called any 24/7 plumber that was in my area. I'll watch out for them.
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Call your home owners insurance. The city should pay for all damages go get a room and keep a record of all expenses including eats. Contact an atorney.
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Don't call your local fire or police department for something like this. I was a firefighter for 25 years and I would not have my guys in a basement with raw sewage trying to pump it out. Not sure where you live but whoever owns the sewers, usually a major city nearby or county, they are responsible for any blockages at the street level. Around here the county is in charge and the one time we had a blockage on our street, they were out in less than an hour with a big sewer jet truck and in about a half hour it was fixed.
Mike Hawkins:smile:
Mike Hawkins:smile:
I agree on calling your insurance company, not so much to get them to pay for it at this point, but for their advice. They have a big stake in wanting to limit damages to your home, and they have experience in knowing who should do what. The insurance companies also talk to each other and your company will be aware of the situation in your neighborhood.
Look up "roto rooter complaints". You will find more than you ever could think existed.
firehawkmph the city FD does Basement pumps after floods. That is because the power may still be on, along with possible gas leaks from the Water Heater pilot going out.
It is not always raw sewage. It is diluted from massive amounts of rainfall, such as what happened in Missouri.
If you do not think going into a space that may contained sewage, you are in for a surprise.
It is not always raw sewage. It is diluted from massive amounts of rainfall, such as what happened in Missouri.
If you do not think going into a space that may contained sewage, you are in for a surprise.
Seriously , the city said to call a plumber? Sure glad I don't pay taxes to those morons. They should give you more direction than that. You need to be calling a company that cleans up after floods and disasters first to do the clean up. Somehow I would hope the town I lived in would offer down guidance here. My sisters town offered a list of people who clean up after they had a city sewer back up issue. I would be screaming at the city as call a plumber is not the answer. Call the plumber afterword to install a backflow preventer .
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