Advice - Plumbing Problem - Idiot tenants

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Advice - Plumbing Problem - Idiot tenants

Brie SchmidtBusiness Member
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Real Estate Broker · Chicago, IL · Member since 2013 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes

So my idiot tenants used paper towels as toilet paper for some time and clogged their 3rd floor bathroom.  The first floor and second floor tenants have not been having problems.  We had the handyman out about a month ago and he pulled out 2-3 rolls of paper towels.  Then last week the tenants complained that the toilet was not flushing and it was backing up into the bathtub.  

I had the main rodded down all three floors and the problem was solved.  Yesterday it started happening again, you flush the toilet and the bowl fills up with water.  If you plunge it then it backs up into the bathtub.  The sewer company came out again yesterday and rodded it 75 feet and it was all clear, but then it started happening again. 

I have been out there 5 times and have had two different sets of professionals come out.  Any advice or ideas on what the problem is? 

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Frank S.
Specialist · Chicago, IL · Member since 2015 · 870 posts · 345 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Brie Schmidt:

@Frank S. - You are using words I don't understand, which is probably a good thing in this situation.  I am about to jump off a bridge, and while it is nice out this weekend the water is still very cold.

I had a third professional out last night.  They rodded it again (third time this week from the same company, took off the toilet and did it) but their camera is too big to go down the 2 inch pipe.  

So I talked with a guy who talked to a guy who has a fiberoptic camera.  He seemed very knowledgeable on the phone and is coming out Monday, but in the meantime it has been over a week without being able to "trust the flush" 

 Brie, 

I am sorry you are going through this. Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse you. Below is more info and translation of the lingo. 

I hope you are getting reputable contractors; handymen could be a huge waste of time troubleshooting. 

Is this a typical Chicago bath arrangement?  If so, it should look very similar to the image below.  The stack ( main vertical pipe)  should be immediately behind the toilet and from there a branch picks up the sink and tub. 

Toilets have a 4 inch waste in Chicago, it could be 3", but certainly not 2". Why are they videotaping a 2", it makes no sense.  The California bend is the fitting that connects the toilet. 

Toilets have an internal trap, it may be full of paper towels. 

They should use an auger to clean your toilet's internal trap, or replace the toilet. 

They should use this machine, the K-400 is called, on your main sewer,  not the smaller ones.

They should use this on your 2" lines.  Don't use the hand ones. 

Here is a drum trap.  Note that is not a p-trap.   Sometimes they are buried or you can see a little round cover on the tile floor. They are hard to clean. 

I design hospital mech systems and know plumbing well.  If questions, pm me. 

Good luck 

Frank

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  • Brie SchmidtBusiness Member
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    Real Estate Broker · Chicago, IL · Member since 2013 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    9y

    @Frank S. - Paragraph 10 and 19 of the chicago leases covers tenant negligence, saying I can take it out of the SD

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  • Kevin Manz
    HVAC Tech · Fort Wayne, IN · Member since 2015 · 423 posts · 223 votes
    9y

    If your plumbing is cast iron, which most likely it is, I could almost guarantee they are 3/4 plugged with rock hard gunk. Any chance I get to replace them in my buildings, I do. 

    Sounds like you need to have Frank go check it out. Another thing on those drum traps he pictured, is they corrode completely out, resulting in leaks. 

    Good luck with your problem, any decent plumber should have no problem figuring it out.  Also in the tenants defense, they didn't begin with a fair playing field with 100 year old cast iron pipes. Still not smart on there part though.

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