PROBLEM: I
MAIN SEWER AND BRANCH LINE STOPPAGES
INDICATION:
Reaction or back up out of basement fixtures during heavy rains or a.m. and p.m. peak
usage of facilities.
CAUSE:
Grease and rag or paper accumulation in Iow sections or
back pitched
condition in house drain and branch lines.
CORRECTION:
Determine area of problem and full bore clean lines and restore normal drainage.
PROBLEM: II
SUDS BACK UP
INDICATION:
Reaction in first, second and third floor apartment fixtures. Reaction not always evident
on first floor apartment.
CAUSE:
Build up of grease or foreign material in areas of lower offsets.
CORRECTION:
Full bore clean from stack in basement if available or clean from fixtures into branch
line to common line.
NOTE:
In old buildings, due to oxidation of lines, only light equipment can be used to perform
this service.
PROBLEM: III
LOWER VENTS STOPPAGE
INDICATION:
Bubbling in lower apartment bathroom fixtures and moisture accumulation on toilet seats.
CORRECTION:
Locating base of vent and removing obstruction and restoring circulation to vent.
NOTE:
The wall will have to be opened in apartment above complaint to locate and expose vent and
to provide cleanout to perform necessary service.
PROBLEM: IV
UPPER VENT STOPPAGES
INDICATION:
Gurgling in upper apartment fixtures. And siphoning of traps allowing gaseous odors to
emit into area in location of fixtures.
CAUSE:
Rust accumulation or objects lodged in vents in or adjacent to roof area. This stops
proper circulation and causes siphoning of fixtures, traps.
CORRECTION:
Removal of obstruction from main waste vent and vent.
NOTE:
To service these problems and avoid the possibility of stoppage moving down to lower vent
area, we have over the years developed a special procedure to perform this service. This
is time consuming but on most service calls this avoids the servicing of lower vent if the
problem is only in upper vent.
