My building has an endearing problem of water backing up into the crawlspace in rainy periods (I think).
I made an appointment online with Roto Rooter.
What do folks think of them? Is there any way this appointment could be considered financially binding? They're supposed to call me and confirm I think.
Thanks.

---

I suffer from the same sensitivity that you do. A few nuggets of wisdom were shared with me and I'm "trying" to incorporate them into my life. First, remember that nobody can hurt your feelings unless you let them. You can always reject what is being forced on you emotionally.
Second, nothing changes unless you change it. If you don't want the behavior to be repeated then you need to take action. Otherwise the kid has learned that his behavior is the way to get things done, because everyone lets him get away with it.
In the meantime I sympathize because I've been there.
-beerman

Damn, I thought that said rectal rooter. I'm outa here.

They sponsor Ghost Hunters. Other than that, not a clue. See if you can get one of the two guys from there to come out. They can take care of any paranormal activity you might have as well.

Still looking for those cheap thrills eh?

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Had a guy throw up gang signs and shout his gang affiliation to me and my tenants in the alley tonight. It was very silly, like something from a Michael Jackson video. When our response was to stare at him and shrug he shook his spray paint can and sprayed something on the nearest building, then took off running. He was like a cliché from some prime time drama.
Do you have someone to make him go away?

---

I suffer from the same sensitivity that you do. A few nuggets of wisdom were shared with me and I'm "trying" to incorporate them into my life. First, remember that nobody can hurt your feelings unless you let them. You can always reject what is being forced on you emotionally.
Second, nothing changes unless you change it. If you don't want the behavior to be repeated then you need to take action. Otherwise the kid has learned that his behavior is the way to get things done, because everyone lets him get away with it.
In the meantime I sympathize because I've been there.
-beerman

ho' how do you get yourself into these predicaments? :^)

Anyway, you'd probably be better off looking for a drain service rather than Roto-Rooter. They are a highly franchised outfit, jack-of-all-trades, master of none, with a complete line of gizmos and gadgets guaranteed to send more of your money down the same drain they're claiming to fix. Look for a small, local outfit - you've probably seen them in the neighborhood or as you've been riding around town.

Avoid Roto-Rooter. Your "sign-up" is not binding in any way. That's why they call to confirm.

This should make the gang member go away.

---

What do you do when he comes back with 10 of his buddies, Guitarman?

I think after the buddies see the size of the hole that makes in the first one, the rest will be gone really fast. I don't think the best and the bravest make into gangs. They're good when they have 100 of them and one 90lb weakling to deal with. When the odds get tipped more toward the victim than that, they're usually on their way to the next weak target.

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bfd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ho' how do you get yourself into these
> predicaments? :^)
>
> Anyway, you'd probably be better off looking for a
> drain service rather than Roto-Rooter. They are a
> highly franchised outfit, jack-of-all-trades,
> master of none, with a complete line of gizmos and
> gadgets guaranteed to send more of your money down
> the same drain they're claiming to fix. Look for a
> small, local outfit - you've probably seen them in
> the neighborhood or as you've been riding around
> town.
>
> Avoid Roto-Rooter. Your "sign-up" is not binding
> in any way. That's why they call to confirm.
>
> bfd ...

Thanks bfd.
I have a second option-- call the seller and get his son, who works for roto-rooter, to come out "on the side". The seller was generous enough to offer his son's services "any time you need".
I think he's routed out this sewer many times and maybe I'll get a real answer from him about the scope and frequency of the problem.

Or a third option-- I had a camera guy make a video of the entire sewer out to the main line before I bought the place-- I think he's got a side business in routing.

---

I suffer from the same sensitivity that you do. A few nuggets of wisdom were shared with me and I'm "trying" to incorporate them into my life. First, remember that nobody can hurt your feelings unless you let them. You can always reject what is being forced on you emotionally.
Second, nothing changes unless you change it. If you don't want the behavior to be repeated then you need to take action. Otherwise the kid has learned that his behavior is the way to get things done, because everyone lets him get away with it.
In the meantime I sympathize because I've been there.
-beerman

Shouldn't be the sewer backing up
unless
(and your place is about the right age)
your downspouts drain into the sewer.
(and your sewer and storm drains are linked)

do your neighbors have the same problem ?

If your roof downspouts are creating the puddle (and they're not connected to the storm drains) you need longer extensions to get the water away from the house.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2006 12:42AM by billb.

billb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shouldn't be the sewer backing up
> unless
> (and your place is about the right age)
> your downspouts drain into the sewer.
> (and your sewer and storm drains are linked)

The downspouts drain into the catchbasin I think.
Water in the catchbasin rises and then flows into the crawlspace. It looks like about a foot of water in the crawll space to me now. It was dark and muddy tonight when I noticed so I couldn't look into the catchbasin to see what's going on in there.
>
> do your neighbors have the same problem ?
>
I came close to buying the building next door about a year ago. I asked around the neighborhood and found out they had a truck out pumping water out of their basement from time to time.


> If your roof downspouts are creating the puddle
> (and they're not connected to the storm drains)
> you need longer extensions to get the water away
> from the house.

That's an interesting thought. I'd much rather have the water collected or routed into the ground than into the sewer system.

What do you mean by "storm drain"?

I have a suspicion that the whole mess is backed up from the storm drain (meaning very large underground passage) about 40 feet in front of the building. But during the pre-sale crawlspace water caper the word was that tenants had dropped clothing down into the catchbasin which clogged it.
I've ad it pretty well protected this whole time.

---

I suffer from the same sensitivity that you do. A few nuggets of wisdom were shared with me and I'm "trying" to incorporate them into my life. First, remember that nobody can hurt your feelings unless you let them. You can always reject what is being forced on you emotionally.
Second, nothing changes unless you change it. If you don't want the behavior to be repeated then you need to take action. Otherwise the kid has learned that his behavior is the way to get things done, because everyone lets him get away with it.
In the meantime I sympathize because I've been there.
-beerman

About that age it was common to have one sewer for household wastes
which flows (and/or gets pumped usually) to sewer plant.
Storm drain for street and roof run-off - flows to local river/body of water.
Some were linked and backed each other up. Overflow.
(not allowed to construct that way any more in most high density areas, but many have not been redone)

What I'm getting at is you could have two seperate systems, but the roof water pipe is clogged (from backed up sewer crap, or sediment).

Don't know how they handle it with a crawl space, but with a full cellar you'd have two clean out access points on the street side of the house.

If your downspouts just come down the pipes and spill on the ground, the 'spill' needs to be moved further away with extensions.
They're a pain to mow around, unless you put french wells in.

If you're in the part of Chicago that's built on swamp, french drains probably won't work.

storm drain = same thing where street water goes.

In flat poor draining neighborhoods it was common to tie everyone's roof drains in with the street drains to get as much water out of the neighborhood as quickly as possible.
In some neighborhoods the street and roof squarefootage is half the water. Lessens flooding.

What bfd said. Call a drain service. Avoid Roto-Rooter. Also -- call them on a day when it isn't raining, they'll show up more quickly.

Roto unclogged a paper towel clog in my cast iron once. I called them because it was sunday and the renter I had in the house had to pay for it.

They came out, dug a hole in front on the way to the septic tank (about 5 feet from house) and dropped a huge iron crowbar on it and fractured the pipe for access.

OK.... no problem. Cement/seal it, afterwards, and it's not an issue.

Well, he found the offiending towel AND A BAGGY (hmmm...) and when he was done, he placed a 1/2 dome of PVC over the pipe and began to bury it.

I said "don't you plan to seal that thing to the iron with a cement of some kind?!?"

He said "Nah.... the weight of the dirt will hold it in place."

If it weren't for the fact that I didn't like the people who had just bought the house, I'd have insisted. But the thought of their dealing with 200 feet of roots inside the interior plumbing was amusing, and I let it go. I only had a month to go, and this was cold weather, so nothing was going to grow while I was there!


(heheheheheheh!)

but otherwise??? They are useless.