Help!

[Carmelpi]

I need help, or at least advice. I run an RO/DI system because I have saltwater tanks. This system is set up so I only use it when it's time to make water. Recently, while making water, the drain in the bathroom downstairs (where the unit is) started backing up and flooding the bathroom while making water. We assumed the sewer line was clogged. My sister in law is also having sewer line issues so they were going to rooter out their line and then come do ours, which is why I didn't call a plumber (well, I did but I was told to cancel).

Now on to the weird part. We have avoided making water for the tanks because of the flooding issue. We assumed it was the waste water line that we have going into a drain in there that was producing all of the water backup. Yesterday we desperately needed to make water so re-routed the wastewater line into the backyard. So no water going into the drains in the house.

This morning I get up and the bathroom has again flooded. I also look outside and I realize the spigot in the back is spurting water. I tried to turn it off but I only made it worse. We just replaced that spigot last year for leaking, so it is fairly new. I also have noticed that the water coming up from the bathroom drain is never sewage (flushing toilets doesn't seem to cause any issue, but a long shower will) but clean water.

I don't know what is going on, if it is indeed roots in my system like I assumed? I know at this point I need a plumber. I just want to have a general idea of what to say and where to point the plumber when they come. I don't really know much about plumbing and I don't have a dedicated plumber that I know and trust. I'm assuming they're like mechanics - most are okay but there's always the one who tries to cheat you if you have boobs.

 

[frodo]

how is your RO/DI system set up? where is your main feed/supply of water coming from?

is your system hooked to a drain? direct connection or an indirect connection ?

sounds to me like your sewer is backing up..BUT, the freaky hose bib thing makes me wonder what your filters are hooked to.

please explain your filter system

 

[Carmelpi]

It's pretty straightforward. We have an adapter on the sink faucet that allows up to turn on the water, turn a lever on the faucet, and route the water through a line into the RO/DI. The main line (red) goes into the unit, the unit does it's thing, and the blue line goes into brute trash cans (surprisingly good for this kind of thing) and the black waste line was run into the bathroom sink drain. When we decided to re-route the waste line, we pulled it out of the sink drain and ran it out of the window into the backyard.

This is essentially the unit we have.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-4-stage-value-plus-ro-di-system-75gpd-1.html

Like I said, it's not plumbed directly into the line. We use an adapter so we can turn it on and off by turning on the water in the sink and flipping a lever on the faucet itself. I also don't understand why the spigot in the backyard just started spurting water like that. It's like the pressure is too much and it has to go somewhere. :/

 

[frodo]

i dont think your system has anything to do with it..sounds like a backed up sewer and a bad prv.

a 2'er.

go to the hardware store and get one of these




we need to see what the pressure is,,,your PRV might be going bad,,,or,,,do you have an expansion tank on your water heater?

 

[Carmelpi]

I WISH I had an expansion on my water heater... Just sayin'

What's a PRV?

 

[Carmelpi]

OOO googled it! Okay, that kind of makes sense, at least as far as the back faucet goes. I will head to the hardware store and pick up a pressure gauge. Either way, my water is off now. I turned off the mainline when I realized there was water spurting out of that spigot.

 

[Carmelpi]

Also, does this mean that if it's the PRV, that I will have to replace that spigot again? Will the high water pressure break it?

 

[frodo]

is the water spurting out the spiget all the time? ???did the hose bib freeze and burst.

can you take a picture of spraying hose bib....lemm'ie see this gremlin

 

[Carmelpi]

That's the water main off. Keep in mind it may still be dribbling from me JUST turning off the water, since I snapped it after I took the one where I turned the water back on.



That's on.

 

[frodo]

turn off the water.. bad bib washer....see the youtube video, explans how to fix the washer

since you JUST replaced the hose bib..the washer may be just loose or trash is on it.

instead of wasting $ on new faucet,,try and fix first




.[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl35tVXFUcw"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl35tVXFUcw[/ame]


or, different type, same principle

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8j1ckzf9go"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8j1ckzf9go[/ame]

 

[Carmelpi]

My hardware store (menards) sucks and didn't have one. HOWEVER. I know where one of the local plumbing supply stores is and they had one that I had to assemble (no biggie). My PSI was 50, so I think that's fine. I think two really bad winters in a row killed two faucets in a row, to be honest. I live right outside of Chicago on the Indiana-side so we get the nasty weather of Chicago with a little kick. The faucet feels really hinky when I try to turn it on or off. I just bought a new one since the type of faucet doesn't have that access to the washer like in the videos you linked. The faucet itself is only something like $6 and I already know how to change that. On the plus side, the pressure gauge is stopping the water from flowing so yay? Small kludgy victory?

My mom mentioned that our drain issue may be from a storm drain being blocked instead of a sewer line since we aren't having sewage coming up. Either way, my sister in laws boyfriend and I are going to go rent a router to get it cleaned out.

 

[frodo]

cool,,,you guys have your storm drain tied into your sewer? interesting...that is a huge no no around here.

such a huge no no. that being caught will cost you a fine.


hope everything works out..

your first post,,,reminded me of my sister, her ac was on the fritz in her car, she stopped off at a mechanic shop. and was told $700.00

would buy her a new compressor with installation. she came over to my house..i popped the hood.

tightened a loose belt. 5 minutes. I demanded BEER!!!!

 

[Carmelpi]

I'm not sure about the storm drain. My mom lives in BFE so doesn't worry about these things, not having sewer or municipal water lol.

I learned VERY early that, as a woman, I need to have some idea of what I'm talking about because, while most people are honest, there are just enough a-holes out there to ruin it for the rest. I took my old car in for a new muffler and the guy tried to sell me a new catalytic converter because the old one was "dented" and would "fall out". I just looked at him, said "put on the new muffler and tailpipe and nothing else". He tried to argue and pointed out the "dent" (which, btw, wasn't even the catalytic converter) at which point I said, "I'm not an idiot. That's not the catalytic converter. It's not going to fall out. Just give me my keys back so I can go somewhere else."

The next mechanic I saw was less appreciative of my now-suspicious nature. I finally landed a good mechanic who goes over everything with me and doesn't treat me like I don't know the difference between a tie-rod and a timing belt.

So anyway, it is just the faucet going bad (grr) and the drains will be fixed this weekend. It probably IS the sewer line and not the storm drain, we're just having it back up when we're putting lots of clean water down, not yucky sewage. Anyway, thanks for all of your help, and now I'm the owner of a shiny new pressure gauge (which will probably come in quite handy lol)

 

[Carmelpi]

Okay, one last question and then I'm FIN.

It was, in fact, my sewer line. It was ridiculously packed with roots. I'm amazed I didn't have MORE flooding, since at one point the line was so full of them my in-law routing my lines actually thought he was hitting sand from the line collapsing. He thinks the old lady I bought my house from had her sons doing her maintenance work and when we said to "route out the sewer line" during the inspection they snaked it enough to get water flowing because we've never had really good drainage from the downstairs (they "fixed" a missing piece of condensation line from the furnace by duct taping a piece of plastic to work as a ramp from one end of the line to the other - suffice to say THAT didn't work). I'm not going to yell at her because, well, old lady. Anyway, we're going to make another pass at it next weekend because he got the majority of the roots but thinks there are stragglers and he wants to be thorough.

Anyway, a friend of mine told me that from now on I need to dump copper sulfate down my drains once a month to control the roots. That seems a mite excessive to me - I was told by someone else I only need to do it once a year. I figure since you are actual plumbers you would know more than my DIY friends who dabble.

 

[JakeSawin]

Do it right.. Have a plumber come out and locate where the roots are and dig it up. Remove the section of pipe that has roots. Install new abs pipe and connect it with shielded ferncos. Before you Put the dirt back put the copper sulfate in the hole. This will be a much better and more permanent fix.

 

[frodo]

Carmelpi....RickOshay needs a gauge. http://www.houserepairtalk.com/showthread.php?t=18981


you 2 get together, make a deal,,,you both can live with...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTMTflcuug"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTMTflcuug[/ame]

thought of this song...LOL I know, i aint right !!!!