After 20 years, sewer drain needs auger monthly for last 6 months

[danbo948]

We bought this old house 20 years ago (for just my wife and me). BTW, the house is about my age (70). About a year after we moved in, the city (Houston) replaced the sewer lines under the street ... and replaced the connections to our property. We've had no plumbing issues until about 6 months ago when sewer water flooded bathrooms and kitchen floors and started filling both tubs. I found the cap to release the sewer drain, opened it and the water in the house receded, but the drain seemed to stay full. A local plumber used a power auger to clear the drain and recommended epsom salts for the outside drain (to kill tree roots) and Rid-X for the toilets to kill roots from that direction. FYI, we never place hair (or anything other than toilet paper and human waste) in the toilet and use toilet paper that is one-ply and is supposed to dissolve the easiest. Yet each month (when I smell it), I go out to find the sewer drain has overflowed with toilet paper and excrement. I have been leaving the cap loose for the last three months to avoid the backup. The plumber told me about the video camera and notifying the city (because they probably used the cheapest parts which now are getting flatter instead of round), but I can't afford that. Should I just resign myself to using a power auger every month? Is there another solution? All info is appreciated.

 

[Jeff Handy]

If the city sewer and the sewer lateral from the house are both less than 20 years old, roots should not be getting in there.
Did they just connect their new sewer to your old sewer lateral?
Or did they dig up your yard all the way to the house?

 

[Geofd]

You NEED to call a professional drain cleaning co , and just as the plumber mentioned have them check the drain with a camera and if there are roots the would have the proper equipment to clean the drain but the roots won't go away, more than likely you may need
Some type of maintenance plan, you could also have the pipe lined we have a company at work that does that for us
The inside of the pipe looks like pvc when done that's another option we have used this co to fix broken drain pipes underground for many years so far so good, they were lining the city pipes
So I think this process works

 

[plowking]

I went to City of Houston website.There is a number you can call 311 for city hall info. There is also a list of FAQ;s that may help you. Your cleanout in the yard and their cleanout may determine who is responseble and who has to pay for repair I would do that before you spent a ton of money. Do your neighbors have any problems with their sewer line?