Sometimes the Gut Makes the Decision

My kitchen sink has been draining really slow and sometimes it takes quite a while to get the water out. The last time this happened it was because the septic needed pumping, but I didn't find that out until I had spent $300.00 on a plumber. So this time, I called the septic pumping company first.

I have had to reschedule the appointment with the septic pumpers twice due to rain. They cannot get to my tanks unless they can drive up the field because the tanks are on the opposite side of the house from the driveway, and the house is 250 feet from the road.

This afternoon they were finally able to get here. They pumped the big tank, and then came over to pump the small kitchen tank. When they finished pumping they told me to go check the kitchen sink. No improvement. I was really upset because I knew a plumber would be really expensive.

They also showed me where my small tank lid is broken, and it definitely needs to be replaced.
I worked out a deal to have the lid replaced with the younger of the two men because that is one of the services he provides with his business.

The men then offered to see if he could figure out why my sink would not drain. They worked pretty hard digging and trying to find the problem. After about six holes they found several issues. The biggest one is that the over 30 year old pipe going from the house to the tank is an old concrete one that is crumbling. They tried to snake the pipe and found it full of mud and roots which means it probably has several breaks. The other issue is that I have no clean out on that pipe which would be a big help because in the past every time a plumber has to go up on my roof they charge me at least an extra $100.00.

The younger man told me that he could replace the pipe and put in the clean out when he replaced the lid.

Now I don't know anything about these men except from what I observed while they were working. They seemed to know what they were doing in looking for the problem. They told me their background. The price they quoted me did not really seem over inflated compared to what I have had to pay in the past. So I had to go with my gut.

I was impressed that the man called me back after about an hour to discuss a problem he might have with my big crepe myrtle while repairing the pipe. He said that he had discussed the tree with some others and that the best thing would be to just remove the tree since it is so large, and it sits right over the concrete pipe. To remove the tree he will need to rent a backhoe and it would add to the quote he gave me. I told him that my youngest and I had been discussing the same thing and that we agreed. I hate to lose that tree, it is one of my favorites, but when we put it in we had not idea that it would get the size it has become.

They are going to start the work tomorrow with the hope of completing it on Monday if the weather permits.

I am truly hoping these guys know their jobs. My gut says it will be okay, and sometimes a gut feeling is about the only recommendation you can get.