I'm a little concerned at the moment. I live on a city sewer system, in a 4 year old slab home. The one gamble you take in a slab home, is of course the sewer line under your slab, and sure enough, bingo. For a year or two, our washer would cause bubbling in our downstairs toilet when it drained. Also, we have noticed water in our front yard this time as well. For example, during a cold week, of which there are few in in this southern state, we would notice ice building up on our front curb, in the absence of any precipitation. OTherwise, nothing noticable. And now, with the clogged drain, there is a clear amount of wetness in the front yard and on the curb. The downstairs toilet, which appears to be the most downstream drain in the house, won't drain. Plunging actually pulls water into the toilet. Any water drained in any drain puts water into the downstairs toilet. The relief pipe in my front yard, about one foot from the front of my house is clear. There was a small amount of sludge in the bottom of the pipe, which i cleared out by running a garden house down it. It drains without a pause. So I suppose this is a clog between my toilet and the relief pipe, a distance of about 30 feet, all under my house slab. I have called a plummer, we will see what he has to say. I am worried about a broken main sewer line under my slab responsibe for the history of small amounts of water in the front yard, and now, the clogged drain. I guess I will have him run the camera down. I plan to move in a year, so if he can clear out the blockage but the pipe is broken, maybe I will defer the big fix to the next owner. Anyone know if the next owner can put it on me? Could this be a vent problem instead?

Answer:

If the yard is wet (presumably from the sewer draining), then the drain is broken somewhere. (Didn't sound like the water was coming up out of the house trap vent outside.)

Contact your insurance co. to see if this may be a covered event. (Maybe get the camera testing done first so you can show it was a "sudden" occurrence rather than roots in the sewer.)

Yes, you would have to disclose this problem when selling.

If it does mean digging it up, ask the plumber to investigate what alternate routes the drain might take, such as out the back or side of the house and around the foundation. Might save going thru the living room, for example.

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