[allthings5]

I noticed that when I do laundry in the basement, (machine drains to
basement sink), the sink backs up and drains veeeery slowly. There's
no lint in the sink pipe. So I looked around, and found that both of
my basement floor drains (the large holes in the floor) are full of
SOIL and some LEAVES (mostly soil), nearly to the floor level. The
soil seems densely packed (I spooned some out), which means I can't
DIY the problem by a hand snake.

I wonder: is it something doable by drain specialists with a motorized
snake? Or too serious and requires heavy machinery (knock on wood)?
What might have caused the drains to fill with all this debris?

Thanks for all your tips!

[allthings5]

Just a quick add: we do not have the outside overfloow (it was removed
by previous home owner at least 20 yrs ago), if that matters.

[[email protected]]

On Sun, 26 Dec 2010 15:26:02 -0800 (PST), allthings5 wrote:

I noticed that when I do laundry in the basement, (machine drains to
basement sink), the sink backs up and drains veeeery slowly. There's
no lint in the sink pipe. So I looked around, and found that both of
my basement floor drains (the large holes in the floor) are full of
SOIL and some LEAVES (mostly soil), nearly to the floor level. The
soil seems densely packed (I spooned some out), which means I can't
DIY the problem by a hand snake.

I wonder: is it something doable by drain specialists with a motorized
snake? Or too serious and requires heavy machinery (knock on wood)?
What might have caused the drains to fill with all this debris?

Thanks for all your tips!

Broken pipe?

[Bob[_37_]]

On 12/26/2010 15:26, allthings5 wrote:
I noticed that when I do laundry in the basement, (machine drains to
basement sink), the sink backs up and drains veeeery slowly. There's
no lint in the sink pipe. So I looked around, and found that both of
my basement floor drains (the large holes in the floor) are full of
SOIL and some LEAVES (mostly soil), nearly to the floor level. The
soil seems densely packed (I spooned some out), which means I can't
DIY the problem by a hand snake.

I wonder: is it something doable by drain specialists with a motorized
snake? Or too serious and requires heavy machinery (knock on wood)?
What might have caused the drains to fill with all this debris?

Do you have an outside stairwell with a floor drain?
--

[aemeijers[_2_]]

On Dec 26, 8:17*pm, Bob wrote:
On 12/26/2010 15:26, allthings5 wrote:

I noticed that when I do laundry in the basement, (machine drains to
basement sink), the sink backs up and drains veeeery slowly. There's
no lint in the sink pipe. So I looked around, and found that both of
my basement floor drains (the large holes in the floor) are full of
SOIL and some LEAVES (mostly soil), nearly to the floor level. The
soil seems densely packed (I spooned some out), which means I can't
DIY the problem by a hand snake.

I wonder: is it something doable by drain specialists with a motorized
snake? Or too serious and requires heavy machinery (knock on wood)?
What might have caused the drains to fill with all this debris?

Do you have an outside stairwell with a floor drain?
--

Sounds about like my place. Idiot previous owner, when he added the
addition with the 2-car garage, blocked off the old basement 1-car
garage, and filled in the cut in the front yard. Trouble is, I'm
pretty sure that is where the floor drains and footer drains 'drained
to daylight'. Either that or to a drywell under where the addition now
sits. Basement drains were full of dirt when I moved in (which I
burned out a garage sale shop vac removing), but the pipes were rusted
shut so bad that a pro auger company gave up after an hour. One of
these days I'll mud them over with sak-crete, and use an angle grinder
to cut off the old washer standpipe, which apparently drained to the
same place, and mud it shut too. Leastways, it came up through the
nearest floor drain when I tested it after I moved in.

In OP's case, they probably tied to the footer drains, which probably
have failed. If no basement stairwell, maybe their idiot previous
owner directed the downspouts into the footer drains. (Mine simply
shoved pipes straight down at the corners of the house, and he was
puzzled why basement was damp all the time.)

--
aem sends...

[allthings5]

In OP's case, they probably tied to the footer drains, which probably
have failed. If no basement stairwell, maybe their idiot previous
owner directed the downspouts into the footer drains. (Mine simply
shoved pipes straight down at the corners of the house, and he was
puzzled why basement was damp all the time.)

--
aem sends...

Thanks aemeijers,
I thought it might be the downspouts, but then I remembered that I
disconnected them (city regulation for the past five years or so), and
they just water the lawn away from the foundations.

[allthings5]

Do you have an outside stairwell with a floor drain?
--

No outside stairwell, and no outside drain. Also my basement window
wells are well covered.
Thanks Bob!

[Vic Smith]

On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:28:40 -0800 (PST), allthings5
wrote:

In OP's case, they probably tied to the footer drains, which probably
have failed. If no basement stairwell, maybe their idiot previous
owner directed the downspouts into the footer drains. (Mine simply
shoved pipes straight down at the corners of the house, and he was
puzzled why basement was damp all the time.)

--
aem sends...

Thanks aemeijers,
I thought it might be the downspouts, but then I remembered that I
disconnected them (city regulation for the past five years or so), and
they just water the lawn away from the foundations.

Don't know how you would get leaves and soil in a basement floor
drain.
Can leaves blow in when an outside door is open?

Anyway, the floor drains I'm familiar with tie into the sanitary
sewer.
There's a p-trap to keep gas from coming out.
I had a clogged one in my old house the plumber couldn't snake.
Was plugged up when I bought the house.
He had to jackhammer the floor around it out to get the trap out, then
he got it clear, refitted, and poured new concrete.
Cost me almost nothing because he my neighbor's son and wanted me to
work for him - so I'm not recommending that.
I think somebody had dumped concrete or plaster in that drain which is
why it couldn't be snaked.
I wanted it working.
In your case it might not be worth a lot of expense clearing it unless
you have a reason.

If you don't have a collapsed tile, you might try to snake it until
you get it clear, pouring water in while you do it.
It could be that common basement dirt/dust has built up in there over
the years because it hasn't had any water run through it.
That could be cleared with some snake work.
Just guessing, since you didn't provide any real history or how the
drains are designed.

--Vic