Pit with open sewer access - flooding - video included

[bkselly]

The video link is toward the end since it is a bit hard to describe the layout

I recently moved to a 90 year old townhouse in NYC. My garage occasionally floods (and sometimes when this happens the adjacent bathroom which is slightly more elevated floods as well). The flooding starts in a pit in the garage which overflows into the rest of the garage. I also get big roaches (you can see a caught one on the video) that crawl out of that pit. I have been told that the pipe that goes into the pit is not actually connected so I assume there is an open hole right beneath the pipe leading to the sewer system (which I guess is where the roaches are coming out from). There are also a couple of access caps which I have been told I could open to help drain the pit when it floods

There is a porch/terrace above the garage with a drain in the middle. It looks like there was original smaller diameter piping that connected the porch drain to the front gutter in the garage. The previous owners replaced that pipe with a wider diameter pipe that no longer ran underground and terminates in that opening over the pit

The problems I am trying to solve are 1. stop the flooding of the garage, 2. stop big roaches getting into the garage from the pit, 3. stop the adjacent bathroom from flooding

I have received conflicting advice from plumbers (ranging from valves that prevent backflow, to drilling into the concrete to directly install the gutter pipe underground). I wanted to see what you believe is the best option

Thank you

Video: https://streamable.com/q28b64

 

[Reach4]

Does your flooding tend to happen when it has been raining? If yes, your neighbors probably have a problem too, unless you are the one at the bottom of the hill.

If no, I would think drain line cleaning is called for.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[bkselly]

I think the times it has flooded were caused by blockages (supposedly the first time by roots, and definitely the second time by someone throwing in baby wipes). That said, what would be the recommended fix to hook up the drainage appropriately to prevent the big roaches? Is there any sense for getting a backflow preventing device to at least prevent the bathroom from flooding?

 

[Sylvan]

Whoever did the drain lines obviously had no idea about the NYC plumbing code.

Fernco couplings are illegal, every change of direction greater than 45deg. needs to have a cleanout and band iron is a way to get a violation on your plumbing and rightfully so.


Allowing storm water to flow outside the structure is also a violation considering this was built using the old plumbing code that allows for a combination system.

There is something called the right of way with storm water going either on the street or on someone else's property.

Good luck

 

[Jeff H Young]

Baby wipes can cause problems but they also add to existing problems a very well plumbed system might pass wipes but if its got problems to begin with the baby wipes could be the straw that broke camels back. Ill leave roach control for you to figure out.
not quite following you so your pit is completely open to the sewer ? something is backing up whether its your individual building drain or a common sewer in a alley or street , right of way ?

 

[bkselly]

@Jeff H Young The pipe that goes into the pit isn't actually connected so I assume my sewer access is open. When it rains, I see a little bit of water gurgling around in the pit, but I guess it eventually just goes down an opening directly beneath the pipe that I can't see. The backing up has happened as far as I could tell when something was affecting my individual building drain (be it roots, or be it the baby wipes). So I am trying to figure out if it would make sense to install some sort of back flow preventer valve to save the bathroom from flooding (if garage floods) as well as if it makes sense to break through the concrete and have the piping connected directly to the original pipe underground (to help with the roach problem)

 

[Jeff H Young]

Id say camera the line which probebly requires snaking and or jetting then based on report proceed on proper repair . back water valve might help prevent other sewers from coming into yours . so you think your baby wipes are plugging the public sewer and other peoples sewage coming on your property, i dont know if you are sharing pipes there or how sewer is plumbed to your neighbors assuming its a single family home or you would have said

 

[Sylvan]

FYI

By the way water bugs are considered amazing pets in Manhattan especially by the Peck slip area.

These critters are NOT at all related to roaches.

Water bugs can bite, roaches can't.