Clothes Woes – Keep sewage out of your laundry!

Our primary purpose is to inspect, report, and consult on the internal condition of sanitary infrastructure – During our inspections however, we often run into other common plumbing problems that you should look out for when purchasing a home.  Take a close look at this picture of the plumbing at this home in Spirit Lake, Idaho and read our comments below. 

The 2″ stack of piping that we’ve pointed out on the right is for a laundry discharge. You’ll notice how high it is. Because of the elevation of the main 4″ sewer leaving the foundation wall. Someone has improperly added the laundry hook ups. It’s way too high. You’d basically be using the washing machine as a pump. The pump in a washing machine is not designed to lift that high.  This puts undue stress on the washing machine shortening its lifespan.  The appropriate solution would be to add a plastic laundry tub to drain the washing machine; that would drain to a sump pump, then the sump pump would eject the grey water to the 4″ sewer. Another problem is that if the sewer ever backs up, the first place it will go is into your washing machine (and that’s just gross).  When we do find a problem as such during an inspection, we strongly encourage buyers to seek additional recommendations from a licensed professional plumber.

If you have any questions regarding the sanitary infrastructure of your home or a home you’re considering purchasing, don’t hesitate to give us a call.  Phone calls are always free!

Spy before you BUY, Locate before you DIG!

Give yourself peace of mind! Call us at: 208-818-8241.

Lateral Concepts, LLC is a locally owned and operated business in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. We provide unbiased sewer and septic lateral video inspections and locates in and around North Idaho, Spokane, and Eastern Washington. For more information, or to schedule an inspection, contact us at: 208.818.8241

 

An Idaho dream nearly lost

You’re empty nesters, children grown and gone, semi-retired, embarking on a lifelong dream to move from Colorado to North Idaho.  You purchase a gorgeous property overlooking Lake Pend Oreille in one of the most spectacular places in the country.  Your dream is now reality.  Ahh the simple life you exclaim while holding your wife tight.  This has been years in the making.  Excited about the endless opportunity for recreation and relaxation, the overwhelming joy and heartfelt exuberance is contagious to the people you engage.

Unfortunately, a trip to the bathroom yields yet again, less than desirable results.  This has happened more than once.  The initial snaking of the drain wasn’t a remedy, but temporary relief at best.  As the sewage backs up suddenly the thought of losing your dream puts a damper on your bliss.  After all the research you’ve done, you know well and sure that a failed leach field can be incredibly expensive to repair or replace.  Over dinner; and through your faith, you say a farcical prayer that the septic system problem is of minimal expense, and that you can continue your dream of living the simple life of retirees in this awesome new place you call home.

Time to call in an expert.  A Google search for septic video inspection reveals a possible answer to your prayer.  Lateral Concepts, LLC.  Reading further, you discover the numerous reviews and recommendations.  One from your Realtor that you’ve come to respect and befriend.  A quick phone call and you’re on your way to an honest discovery of the real problem.  Turns out the previous owner had built a magnificent fountain gracing the back yard.  A large spike driven to hold the footing has pierced the septic line.  As it catches solids and debris, back-ups are inevitable.  Digital location and depth of the problem area assures you that it’s a repair you can easily handle yourself.  And an inexpensive one at that!  Here’s to the glorious days you’ve dreamed about…  retired in Idaho!

“Can’t tell you how much stress you reduced in our lives. Leslie and I were living in real fear of maybe losing our dream as we knew we could not afford to fix a leach field. Just so great to know what it is. I gave your card to a friend today and he is a builder and said he would definitely use you in the future!”

All the best,
Hart – Hope, ID

Lateral Concepts, LLC is a locally owned and operated business in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. We provide unbiased sewer and septic lateral video inspections and locates in and around North Idaho, Spokane, and Eastern Washington. For more information, or to schedule an inspection, contact us at: 208.818.8241

Lateral Concepts, LLC is a locally owned and operated business in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. We provide unbiased sewer and septic lateral video inspections and locates in and around North Idaho, Spokane, and Eastern Washington. For more information, you may contact us at: 208.818.8241

Is my real estate agent to blame?

“I wish I would have know this before I bought the house…  I had a home inspection.  Do you think I have any recourse with the home inspector or my real estate agent?”

In the few years I spent as a service technician giving bids on sewer and septic repairs or replacements for a large local plumbing and excavation company here in North Idaho; the quote above was unfortunately one of the hardest, yet most common (often tear-filled) responses I had to hear from my customers in and around the Coeur d’Alene, Hayden, Sandpoint, and Spokane areas.   I always thought to myself, I sure wouldn’t want to be the realtor or inspector on the receiving end of that phone call.

Often times repair estimates exceeded several thousand dollars.  That doesn’t include the thousands it may cost for clean up and restoration if a sewer back-up occurred.  To most, sewer and septic lines are out of sight and out of mind when purchasing a property.  They automatically assume the home inspector will  determine any and all problems prior to their purchase.  Home inspectors however will simply run water in the sinks, tubs, showers, and flush toilets.  None of which will give any indication of whether the sewer or septic lateral is structurally sound or not.  It may take many many gallons of water and/or actual “usage” to indicate a problem or cause a back-up.

Both homeowners and commercial property owners were always shocked to one; discover that their sewer or septic line had been damaged due to age, poor workmanship, inferior materials, collapsed pipe, cracks, breaks, offset joints, bellies, or root infestations.  And secondly, to hear “the bad news”…  how much is was going to cost to fix it.

The only way to properly determine the structural integrity and functional operation of a sewer or septic line is to send a camera down.  By utilizing state-of-the-art technology (a 200′ long fiber optic camera with color LCD monitor), we can determine the condition of the line before it’s too late.  Before you sign at the closing table.  We not only protect buyers by providing an unbiased assessment of the condition of the sewer lateral, but we protect real estate professionals and inspectors by limiting their liability.  Your home inspector or real estate agents probably aren’t to blame.  Prior to purchasing a property however, it’s important to perform your own due diligence in having all the necessary and appropriate inspections.  Both customary and ancillary.  Likewise, a real estate professional (truly looking out for their buyers best interest), will encourage their buyers to perform these inspections.

 

Lateral Concepts, LLC is a locally owned and operated business in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. We provide unbiased sewer and septic lateral video inspections and locates in and around North Idaho, Spokane, and Eastern Washington. For more information, you may contact us at: 208.818.8241

 

Got the blues?

When you open the lid to your toilet tank, is the water nice and clear like the one in the picture above?  OR is it bright blue from one of those drop-in, tank-type, or whateveryawannacall’em automatic bowl cleaners? If the answer is bright blue, consider this: I highly discourage the use of them, and here are several reasons why:  Over time, many of the chemicals in those tablets such as bleach and chlorine will damage the flapper, the fill valve, and all of those other little plastic and rubber components that are essential to providing trouble-free flushes.  The deterioration of such components may also lead to flooding and extensive water damage.  Many manufacturers warranties will also be void by the use of these tablet-style cleaners.  Additionally, if the water closet  (toilet) were to overflow due to a clog or a sewer back-up, the blue dye will stain and destroy everything in it’s path;  tile, granite, hardwood, carpet, or grout.  Likewise, your dog may be smart enough not to drink water that smells like chemicals… but why take the chance?

Lateral Concepts, LLC is a locally owned and operated business in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. We provide unbiased sewer and septic lateral video inspections, locates, and consulting in and around North Idaho, Spokane, and Eastern Washington. For more information, you may contact us at: 208.818.8241

“Bored”? Read this!

Example:  Picture shows a crossbored clay sewer lateral

Often utility companies utilize HDD method or Horizontal Direction Drilling for installing underground utilities like fiber optics, gas lines, power, cable, phone, etc. Usually down a public right of way. (Like between the street and sidewalk). The method is less intrusive than conventional excavation. However any private utilities that are not located prior to drilling (like the vitrified clay sewer lateral pictured) could easily be damaged or destroyed.

Inevitably a crossbore through a sewer lateral would lead to a blockage or sewer back-up. The typical response of most homeowners when they have a sewer back-up of course, is to call a plumber or rooter company. The problem though, is if the plumber runs a large snake with blades down the sewer line trying to clear a blockage; there’s a danger of cutting into the gas line or other utility. Ultimately the two biggest problems are the homeowner that wasn’t aware of their damaged sewer and the utility company that suffers expensive damage to their utilities. Worse case scenario disaster would be a natural gas explosion. Either way, the utility company would be responsible to the homeowner to cover the cost of repair. The easy way to avoid all of this would be to simply locate the private sewer lateral prior to performing any kind of excavation, boring, drilling, etc.

I found a similar crossbored connection at a private single family residence on Fairway Drive in the Fairway Forest neighborhood of Coeur d’Alene.  The local utility company responsible for the damage was quick and responsive in correcting the problem and reimbursed the homeowner for repairs and damage caused by the back-up and damage to their sewer lateral.  Keep this information in mind if you live in; or plan to purchase property near the Coeur d’Alene Public Golf Course.

Example:  Explosion from natural gas crossbore

Lateral Concepts, LLC is a locally owned and operated business in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. We provide unbiased sewer lateral video inspections and locates in and around North Idaho and Eastern Washington. For more information, you may contact us at: 208.818.8241

Viral Video – Unknown Lifeform in NC Sewer!

Even after spending several years video inspecting hundreds of sewer lines in North Idaho and Eastern Washington, rest assured… I’ve yet to come across anything like this in the Coeur d’Alene or Spokane areas. Watch this video of a so called “unknown life form” that was found in a North Carolina sewer.

Could there be something like this in your sewer line? As you can see with nearly 9 million hits, the video quickly went viral. Turns out there’s nothing extra terrestrial about it. The blob of gyrating nastiness is actually a clew or grovelling (group) of Tubifex Worms. If you care to learn more about them, you can learn more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubifex_tubifex

Lateral Concepts, LLC is a locally owned and operated business in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. We provide unbiased sewer lateral video inspections and locates in and around North Idaho and Eastern Washington. For more information, you may contact us at: 208.818.8241

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