Need a smart plumber in NYC for possibly complicated job
March 21, 2022 11:11 AM Subscribe
In our brownstone ground floor, which is four feet below ground level, we have a bad smell.
This smell seems to be coming from the area where the "trap" is. This area is a couple of feet below the surface of the ground floor. The pipes are covered by cement, but there are cracks/holes now in the cement. When our regular plumber came (Demar Plumbers), he found
---------------Trigger Warning Dead Animals----------
two dead rats (YUCK!) down there. That answered some of the questions, but, even without, um, those things I just said, there is often a sewer-y smell down there. If this were just a basement, we'd probably ignore it. But off that hallway are our Bedrooms. Enough said.
Okay, the plumber also said that the trap (I don't even really know what a trap is, I'll look it up) is covered by the aforementioned cement so he can't access it to flush it through and see if anything is clogging anything up in that waste line (but he did have me run water and he said nothing seemed to be clogged). He said that I should have somebody come in and get rid of the old cement enough to expose the waste line, then call the plumber to come back and look at the pipes, and then have the contractor come a second time to put new cement around there, but, this time, leaving the "two ports" on the trap (?) open (but plugged with special plugs) so that they can be looked at when necessary. The new cement should make sure that, all around that area, no "unwanted visitors" can come in.
So today our contractor guy, who's done lots of work for us of all kinds and I believe knows what he's doing, looked at this. He said that the cement is very thick, like foundation cement, and he's kind of scared to use his jackhammer to break it up to expose the pipe, because he doesn't want to BREAK the pipe(s? plural? I don't know). But he will do it and be careful.
But I'm hesitating. Could the plumber just not know what he's talking about when he says, "oh just break up the concrete to expose the waste line"? When he was here he called his supervisor and discussed it and sent him pictures and that's what the supervisor agreed should be done. I'm trying to get this plumber on the phone but that is not an easy feat. Also, I'm not sure what to tell him. That my contractor is frightened??
SO ---- (exhales) --- I'm kind of thinking about getting a second opinion about this. I'm looking for a Sophisticated Plumber (also a little-known Duke Ellington song?) to look at this situation but I don't know who to call.
Do you????
This smell seems to be coming from the area where the "trap" is. This area is a couple of feet below the surface of the ground floor. The pipes are covered by cement, but there are cracks/holes now in the cement. When our regular plumber came (Demar Plumbers), he found
---------------Trigger Warning Dead Animals----------
two dead rats (YUCK!) down there. That answered some of the questions, but, even without, um, those things I just said, there is often a sewer-y smell down there. If this were just a basement, we'd probably ignore it. But off that hallway are our Bedrooms. Enough said.
Okay, the plumber also said that the trap (I don't even really know what a trap is, I'll look it up) is covered by the aforementioned cement so he can't access it to flush it through and see if anything is clogging anything up in that waste line (but he did have me run water and he said nothing seemed to be clogged). He said that I should have somebody come in and get rid of the old cement enough to expose the waste line, then call the plumber to come back and look at the pipes, and then have the contractor come a second time to put new cement around there, but, this time, leaving the "two ports" on the trap (?) open (but plugged with special plugs) so that they can be looked at when necessary. The new cement should make sure that, all around that area, no "unwanted visitors" can come in.
So today our contractor guy, who's done lots of work for us of all kinds and I believe knows what he's doing, looked at this. He said that the cement is very thick, like foundation cement, and he's kind of scared to use his jackhammer to break it up to expose the pipe, because he doesn't want to BREAK the pipe(s? plural? I don't know). But he will do it and be careful.
But I'm hesitating. Could the plumber just not know what he's talking about when he says, "oh just break up the concrete to expose the waste line"? When he was here he called his supervisor and discussed it and sent him pictures and that's what the supervisor agreed should be done. I'm trying to get this plumber on the phone but that is not an easy feat. Also, I'm not sure what to tell him. That my contractor is frightened??
SO ---- (exhales) --- I'm kind of thinking about getting a second opinion about this. I'm looking for a Sophisticated Plumber (also a little-known Duke Ellington song?) to look at this situation but I don't know who to call.
Do you????
If your contractor guy is competent and seems like he can do it, he can probably do it (break the cement without breaking the Cast-Iron Pipe it is surrounding). It's not super difficult, (probably - I say this without looking at it but having spent many a work-day in the various basements of the greater NYC metropolitan area) should not be difficult, but does require a little finesse: I'm gonna put money down on "The cap came off one of the clean-outs (the tops of the U-shaped house-trap) and the smell seeped into the cement, and then the house." I've seem clean-out closed up with cement plugs, so encasing the whole thing in cement would not be so exceptional. But yeah, having the clean-outs free to access is smart.
Any competent NYC -licensed plumber can do this job - you shouldn't need a specialist.
posted by From Bklyn at 1:09 PM on March 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Any competent NYC -licensed plumber can do this job - you shouldn't need a specialist.
posted by From Bklyn at 1:09 PM on March 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
So for a second opinion I would all a sewer-focused plumber - "sewer and excavation", that sort of thing. They are not generally the most 'sophisticated' plumber, but they specialize in this sort of thing. Try and avoid chains or places that only offer basic cleanout - you want someone who has been around a while and knows what's normal for your area, and is wiling to do more than just cleanout. Call them and tell them that you had some issues with your house trap and want someone to come out and recommend what should be done next.
posted by true at 11:55 AM on March 21, 2022 [3 favorites]