When grandkids come sewer backs up- How do I avoid it?

amother

Wed, Apr 27 2011, 2:17 pm

House is 30 years old, in pretty good shape. When grandchildren come to visit, everything in basement backs up (toilets, bathtubs, showers). Only happens when they come. Sewer cleaner says too much paper was flushed. Someone said not to use tissues in the toilet. Only to use cut toilet paper. What else will prevent problems?

What a miserable Motzei Pesach. Yuck!

life'sgreat

Wed, Apr 27 2011, 2:22 pm

Most likely, they have much better plumbing in their home, which allows for more waste with each flush. Our toilets have horrible plumbing and guest are not always aware that they need to flush often in order for it not to back up. You need to drill it into the kids/grandkids.

amother

Wed, Apr 27 2011, 2:59 pm

life'sgreat wrote:

Most likely, they have much better plumbing in their home, which allows for more waste with each flush.

I doubt it. They live in a suburban pre-fab, I live in a brick house, probably better built. They only use cut toilet paper in their house. Maybe thats it.

amother

Wed, Apr 27 2011, 4:12 pm

OOTBubby wrote:

My father a"h was a plumbing contractor and he always said that flushing tissues was a problem. He was adamant only to use toilet paper.

WHY IN HEAVENS NAME DONT FRUM PEOPLE MAKE A TOILET PAPER IN PRE-CUT SHEETS?

Mommy3.5

Wed, Apr 27 2011, 5:43 pm

amother wrote:

OOTBubby wrote:

My father a"h was a plumbing contractor and he always said that flushing tissues was a problem. He was adamant only to use toilet paper.

WHY IN HEAVENS NAME DONT FRUM PEOPLE MAKE A TOILET PAPER IN PRE-CUT SHEETS?

they do. but if you use a sharp knife to cut down the middle of the toilet paper roll its cheaper...

sky

Wed, Apr 27 2011, 6:13 pm

amother wrote:

OOTBubby wrote:

My father a"h was a plumbing contractor and he always said that flushing tissues was a problem. He was adamant only to use toilet paper.

WHY IN HEAVENS NAME DONT FRUM PEOPLE MAKE A TOILET PAPER IN PRE-CUT SHEETS?

I live in Lakewood and you can get pre-cut toilet paper in many stores. My basement has a water pump for the toilet and you can only use toilet paper down there (many houses in Lakewood also have septic tanks that can't handle tissues, so it could be that is why it is more popular here).
Growing up that was an eruv shabbos job for one of the kids, tearing toilet paper.

amother

Wed, Apr 27 2011, 7:27 pm

Mommy3.5 wrote:

amother wrote:

OOTBubby wrote:

My father a"h was a plumbing contractor and he always said that flushing tissues was a problem. He was adamant only to use toilet paper.

WHY IN HEAVENS NAME DONT FRUM PEOPLE MAKE A TOILET PAPER IN PRE-CUT SHEETS?

they do. but if you use a sharp knife to cut down the middle of the toilet paper roll its cheaper...

How does having a roll of toilet paper split in two (IN THE LENGTH) help anyone? Scratching Head

The sheets still dont separate unless you tear them, a few sheets at a time, at the perforated lines (in the width).

Wait a minute, I got ya, u mean u cut the roll in the width????? I see..............BRILLIANT LOL

Grandmama

Wed, Apr 27 2011, 8:05 pm

WOW! What an idea, we spend so much time cutting toilet paper rolls before Shabbos and Yom Tov. Never thought to cut it with a knife, will have to try it.
Another great imamother idea! Thanks!

Aside from tissues there are those baby wipes or any wipes that claim to be flushable, but they are really not. They may be okay for strong systems, but if there are steady problems, no wipes, no tissues.
Some kids use lots of paper, way too much, they need to be taught to flush more often.
Also weak sewers with steady problems can be cleaned out before they back up, in other words, before the grandchildren come, and then if anything happens while they are there there is usually a 30 day guarantee, just in case. Its important to check it out and catch it the minute there is a problem.
Otherwise, its a huge mess (not to mention the expense) and its awful.

pobody's nerfect

Wed, Apr 27 2011, 8:17 pm

just a PSA about telling kids to use less TP.... my DH is still scarred from the days after his dad yelled at him for TP over-use.... apparently, he had quite a few episodes of 'streak marks' til he realized there was a balance...

Mommy3.5

Thu, Apr 28 2011, 9:54 am

amother wrote:

Mommy3.5 wrote:

amother wrote:

OOTBubby wrote:

My father a"h was a plumbing contractor and he always said that flushing tissues was a problem. He was adamant only to use toilet paper.

WHY IN HEAVENS NAME DONT FRUM PEOPLE MAKE A TOILET PAPER IN PRE-CUT SHEETS?

they do. but if you use a sharp knife to cut down the middle of the toilet paper roll its cheaper...

How does having a roll of toilet paper split in two (IN THE LENGTH) help anyone? Scratching Head

you cut don the middle so that you get full sheets, each tissue comes out to approx, 3 squares of tp.

aidelmaidel

Thu, Apr 28 2011, 11:03 am

Sewer backups are common in Crown heights were most of the houses are about 100 years old.

My suggestions are:
- ripped toilet paper (or buy the premade precut sheets)
- post a note in your bathrooms about flushing often
- hire a sewer company to come clean your sewer annually before Yom Tov as a precautionary measure.

saw50st8

Thu, Apr 28 2011, 11:12 am

amother wrote:

life'sgreat wrote:

Most likely, they have much better plumbing in their home, which allows for more waste with each flush.

I doubt it. They live in a suburban pre-fab, I live in a brick house, probably better built. They only use cut toilet paper in their house. Maybe thats it.

Does your house have a sewage trap? If so, the tissues don't degrade and then get caught in the sewage trap. We had that recently, fun times!

Our plumber said not to use tissues at all in the toilet and recommends removing the trap permanently. If you have one, its probably encased in concrete so its not a cheap job. Nowadays, to code, they aren't installed anymore.

life'sgreat

Thu, Apr 28 2011, 3:06 pm

Grandmama wrote:

You can cut it with a sharp scissors.

The flushables shouldn't be used in ANY toilet, regardless of how good the system is.