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  #1  
Old 11-23-2012, 04:02 PM
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Keep your plumbing vents clear

I was cleaning out some old files and ran across this article which I cut out of the Rochester Times-Union in about 1976. Thought it might bring a laugh.

Blown off toilet: Sewer Cleaning warning sought

Newark—A Newark man who said he was blown off his toilet when village crews cleaned out sewers this summer said he would take action against the village unless sewer worker gave him fair warning next time.
Eugene Trowbridge of 804 Church St, said he was in his bathroom when sewer crews turned on high pressure sewer cleaning hoses in the sewer main outside his house. “It blew me right off, it definitely did,” Trowbridge said, his voice angry. “I heard an awful noise, like a tornado, the awfulest noise I ever heard, then boom, the thing erupted. It just blew its stack, it blew me right off. I almost fainted.”
He said the sudden explosion shocked him for a few minutes, until he realized what happened.
Trowbridge said he called in sewer cleaning crews, but “They just stood there and laughed. They thought it was a joke.”
“I called up the main office and they had the nerve to laugh at me. I said, ‘don’t laugh at me buddy boy,” and demanded the sewer creas tell him next time they clean the Church street area.

Nathan Olmstead, Newark Public Works superintendent said Trowbridge had called him.
The explosion was caused by poor plumbing in Towbridge’s house, Olmstead said, probably a clogged vent. He said toiliets wouldn’t explode if plumbing met state and village building coes and regulations. Poor plumbing or clogged vents could lead to health hazards or sewer gas leaks, Olmstead said.
“If in fact it did blow out a toilet, the village would only be doing someone a favor by going in and making them comply with regulations.”
Trowbride said, “I built this house 32 years ago. I know what plumbing I got in it. I know I got an air vent that ain’t quite right, that gets clogged, but I clear it out every couple of months.”
He said he had a voucher for making a claim against the village if crews didn’t warn him next time they cleaned sewers.

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  #2  
Old 11-23-2012, 05:15 PM
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Looks like Eugene still owns the house. I wonder if he ever fixed his vent?

840 Church Street, Newark, 14513 | Rochester
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
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1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
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1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
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  #3  
Old 11-23-2012, 10:28 PM
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I wonder it looked like this. Dave Chapelle Slowmotion sucks - YouTube
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  #4  
Old 11-24-2012, 11:07 AM
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I cleaned my plumbing vent really well once in Colorado....

Septic line was getting really slow, and with all the trees next to the house, I figured roots had gotten into the tile pipe. (This was actually the case)
So, my temporary fix was to roto the line and see what I found.
Unfortunately, whoever plumbed the house did not install a cleanout, and all the interior drain was 3" copper.
Being reluctant to cut the copper down in the crawlspace, I decided to lift the throne and send the snake in that way.....

Sent in way more than enough snake....
Should have been all the way to the tank....
Still clogged...
And then there was this strange thumping noise when I would run the roto motor...
After about three trips into the crawlspace trying to sort out WTF was happening... I looked up....
There was about 40' of snake coming out of the roof vent...
The thumping noise was the snake hitting the side of the house...

I sure hope somebody driving by saw it...
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Old 11-24-2012, 04:22 PM
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Almost all of the plumbing in our house is new now, including the main drain to the street. The only things original are the tub and sink fixtures in the bathroom. I even had to add two new vents during all the work to bring the house into code. We're good to go here, now...no trees in the front to clog the sewer lines either.
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Old 11-24-2012, 06:43 PM
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My brother had a problem with tree roots growing into his sewer pipes. He had no offending trees near the pipe. After having it cleaned out with a snake with a cutter attachment a few times, he let it block. Then when he was going to be away for a month, I gave him a few pounds of diuron, a soil sterilizer. He dropped it in the bowl & washed it down with a few quarts of water. When he came back, there was a row of dead desert ash trees just inside the neighbors place. Has not had a blockage since.
As there was no one home for a month, it could not have been my brother that killed the trees!!
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  #7  
Old 11-24-2012, 10:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by layback40 View Post
My brother had a problem with tree roots growing into his sewer pipes. He had no offending trees near the pipe. After having it cleaned out with a snake with a cutter attachment a few times, he let it block. Then when he was going to be away for a month, I gave him a few pounds of diuron, a soil sterilizer. He dropped it in the bowl & washed it down with a few quarts of water. When he came back, there was a row of dead desert ash trees just inside the neighbors place. Has not had a blockage since.
As there was no one home for a month, it could not have been my brother that killed the trees!!
Rock salt helped me identify the offenders in my own yard. You'd be surprised how far a Hibiscus' roots can grow.
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Old 11-24-2012, 11:41 PM
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my dad had a tree in the back that ended up growing through the sewer line. he had the old orange burg pipe that was due to be replaced anyways. i brought a backhoe home from work one weekend, dug the line up , replaced it, and ripped the tree out at the same time.
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Old 11-25-2012, 02:22 PM
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I was at my favorite body shop last week and while waiting I noted a young man in the throes of replacing the WC. I mused a little about that and by and by the secretary came in and started talking about how the stool "exploded" from time to time with a large bubble coming up through the water.....frightening if you happen to be sitting on it!

I told the owner it probably was a venting problem, either not plumbed correctly or blocked.

The secretary also said she had seen snakes come up out of the toilet many times when she lived in Florida.....Is that possible?

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