The dreaded sewer line issue..
We had had an issue with the line getting clogged by tree roots about 5 years ago, so I pretty much knew what the issue was when the toilets started flushing poorly and tub drained slowly. I had taken note of where the plumber had accessed to line to clear it out, so I knew pretty much where to dig, but it wasn't easy.
The soil here is nearly 100% clay, referred to as 'gumbo', and is notoriously hard to dig in unless you dig when the moisture content is *just* right. Too wet, and the clay sticks to your shovel like stink on poop. Too dry, and it's as hard as gravel.
It was to no avail, however, because I didn't have anything to ream out the roots that were blocking the line, and I didn't want to go and rent one. Getting down on my hands and knees these days is really hard, and getting up is a lot harder.
And I wanted to have a more permanent solution, because the roots would grow back in a few years and we'd be right back in the same boat. So I called a plumber, and had them replace the line from the edge of the concrete sidewalk to where it connects to the City.
The dreaded sewer line issue..
We had had an issue with the line getting clogged by tree roots about 5 years ago, so I pretty much knew what the issue was when the toilets started flushing poorly and tub drained slowly. I had taken note of where the plumber had accessed to line to clear it out, so I knew pretty much where to dig, but it wasn't easy.
The soil here is nearly 100% clay, referred to as 'gumbo', and is notoriously hard to dig in unless you dig when the moisture content is *just* right. Too wet, and the clay sticks to your shovel like stink on poop. Too dry, and it's as hard as gravel.
It was to no avail, however, because I didn't have anything to ream out the roots that were blocking the line, and I didn't want to go and rent one. Getting down on my hands and knees these days is really hard, and getting up is a lot harder.
And I wanted to have a more permanent solution, because the roots would grow back in a few years and we'd be right back in the same boat. So I called a plumber, and had them replace the line from the edge of the concrete sidewalk to where it connects to the City.