Sewage Backup Guidelines

Uh Oh! Water and suds are coming out from around your washer!

Or maybe your kitchen sink is not draining!

These are the 2 main symptoms that there is a blockage somewhere in the sewer line. It may clear in a few minutes, but you need to act anyway.

Anytime you see this, first and foremost – DO NOT Panic!

Secondly – DO NOT CALL Roto Rooter!

So what should you do?

1. Mitigate as much as possible – throw down some towels, bail out your sink with a bucket.
2. Troubleshoot to determine if it is coming from your washer or from the drain pipe that your washer drains into.
   • If it is not coming from that drain pipe, then it could be your washer.
   • If it is only your sink backing up, run your garbage disposal a few times, or pump the plunger if you don’t have a garbage disposal. This is where you can put some liquid plumber into your sink and that may help it to clear.
   • If it is only your sink, it is probably not a shared line.
3. If the steps above indicate it may be a block in a shared line, minimize use of the drain system.
   • You can use the toilet, and your sink, even your shower, just don’t let it drain and don’t flush! Please stop use of your dishwasher and clothes washer since you cannot stop these from draining.
   • Contact your neighbors. You want those who are up line from your unit. If you don’t know just start asking your neighbors if they are experiencing any issues. Be neighborly and ask them to cooperate and back off on their usage as well. If you are on the end, you need to contact the next 4 units towards the center and let them know there may be an issue.
4. At this point you should have things pretty well under control and you should see the water starting to drain out through the system, albeit slowly. Remember the system will allow some flow, it just may not be much. So leaving it stand over night without being used, could allow it all to drain completely away. This doesn’t mean it is fixed, only that it is not an emergency.
5. Call  Howard Plumbing or as backup Slo Flow plumbing. (Contact info below.) Howard is our primary and knows our systems very well. Slo Flow is our backup and is willing to work with our community.
6. You will be responsible for after hours service calls. Once the backup is under control and use of the system is being minimized there is no reason for emergency service. Ask the plumbers to come as quickly as possible, during their normal operational hours. If they cannot make it in the next 24 – 48 hours, you may request the BOD cover the after hours fees. Otherwise after hours fees will be assessed to the homeowner. After hours fees may be $350 or more.
7. The plumbers will clear the line and determine if the blockage was shared or only within your unit. If your neighbors are experiencing the same thing it is probably shared. If the plumber determines it was not shared then you will need to pay the expense. Both these plumbers are reasonably priced and affordable which is why we use them. The cost to clear the line could be anywhere from $400 (during normal working hours) – $950 (for after hours).
8. Mop up the remaining water and you should be good.

Contact American Dream or the BOD if you need assistance getting things under control and after you have contacted the plumber so that we are alerted of the situation. We will also put out an email to your neighbors to back off on the use of the system until it is cleared.

After the system is cleared the BOD will determine if any remediation is necessary if it was / is a shared sewer line that is blocked. Please understand if you believe remediation needs performed and you proceed with remediation or restoration (repairs and paid cleaning) without BOD authorization, the BOD is no longer responsible for any of your costs and reimbursement will probably be denied.

You must have BOD authorization before going beyond the simple clearing of the sewer line.

We have been pretty responsive and can get our experts out to your place within a day or so. It is important that you do your part and clean up the mess as soon as possible.

Also keep in mind that any costs submitted to the BOD for reimbursement, will only be approved if the steps above have been taken. Anything less will be considered neglect.

Please be neighborly in our little but old village and follow these simple steps!

Thank you!

The Board of Directors

Howard Plumbing LLC – (410) 353-6215

Slo Flo Plumbing – 443-734-8609