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plumbing issues - Landlord Forum thread 192489

plumbing issues by scott on December 1, 2009 @22:39

                              
Good tenants, Tri-leval, 4-bedroom, have clogs because of excessive grease in kitchen sink, normal body hair in shower and bathroom sink, and lint from clothes washer. Cost is about $200 every 6-months. Have advised tenants to curtail grease in sink. Should I raise rent to compensate thier life style? Try and teach them a new way of life? Or absorb the expense? ANY advise would help! Thanks in advance. My net on this proportie is only about $150 a month plus repairs (4-bedroom, $1399 rent/month)
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Re: plumbing issues by Micah on December 1, 2009 @23:07 [ Reply ]
Just buy some draino or ditch the tenants when the lease comes up...
Re: plumbing issues by OK-LL on December 1, 2009 @23:14 [ Reply ]
Is this a single 3-story unit? In that case, I use the clause from the LPA lease that basically says, "I'm giving you the property with plumbing working and in order and it's your job to keep it that way -- tenant is responsible for blockages and stoppages." Ta-da! You're off the hook! If you are on M2M, give the change with 30 day notice NOW. Otherwise, you have to wait for the end of the lease to change the language.

If 3 story multi-unit, then you should put a clause in your rental agreement that plumbing expenses due to stoppages or blockages will be shared equally by all units on the same drain line.

Re: plumbing issues by Anonymous on December 1, 2009 @23:40 [ Reply ]
Let's use some common sense here. You have long term, good paying tenants who pay you $5,600 per year. Your annual plumbing problem cost you one dollar per day. Do you expect to have zero expenses? Because this is about as close to zero as it gets.
Re: plumbing issues by Ultimate M-Bone on December 2, 2009 @00:03 [ Reply ]
The LPA has a plumbling Stoppage & Drain Maintanance Notice. Send them that form.
Re: plumbing issues by Anonymous on December 2, 2009 @08:50 [ Reply ]
Prohibit any grease from being put into kitchen drains. Clear the drains now by pouring degreaser and lots of boiling water down these drains to clear them. Let the tenants know that they will be charged for any further grease clogs. And purchase strainer traps for the other sinks and tubs / showers. This catches most of the hair before it goes down the drain. (An inverted one can even be used with pop ups in the bathroom sink.) I purchased these for the properties that were having this same problem about 2 yrs ago. Have only had one clog since.
Re: plumbing issues by Susan on December 3, 2009 @11:28 [ Reply ]
Hey Scott,
Some hints for you that i hope will help. Give the tenants a "grease can". I get a metal coffee can with a lid. Pour any cooking grease into it, and keep it in the fridge until full, then just put it in the trash on garbage day. My family has been doing this since i was a kid, and I have never had a grease clog. Also, instead of Draino or other costly (and dangerous) chemical drain cleaners, I've been using baking soda & white vinegar. Get the BIG box of baking soda (like a small cereal box), and gallon size of white vinegar. I stuff as much baking soda I can down the drain using a funnel. Next heat up about 2 cups of vinegar in the microwave, and pour it in. Sometimes it has taken an hour or so, and also more than one treatment, but I have had good luck with this. it is especially good for places that have old plumbing. Just add more vinegar when it stops fizzing, because that means the baking soda has neutralized the acid in the vinegar. I've even heard the clod give way with a big "swoosh", but it doesn't happen every time. Then just flush with hot water. Hope this helps.
Re: plumbing issues by xxx on December 3, 2009 @11:48 [ Reply ]
This sounds a bit odd, as they do not appear to be doing anything unusual, like putting paper towels in the toilet. If i were a tenant i'd be a bit annoyed about this problem cropping up regularly.

here are some ideas:

1) put hair traps in the sink and shower

2) have a good plumber take a look and see if there is a problem with the drainage, such as the angle being wrong (too shallow and the waste does not flow quickly, for example), or the drain size is wrong (pipe too narrow). You can also have roots in the drain exiting the house, or little burrs sticking up in PVC pipe connections which were not sanded off correctly during installation.

3) install a grease trap in the kitchen

4) schedule regular maintenance, for example once every three months go there and use a degreaser

here is a discussion on the topic:

"Most people start looking for regular clogs in their plumbing system when something goes bad. They often find that the problem is a grease clog. Although you might think that grease should just go down the pipes, sometimes this does not happen. Grease is problematic as it does not dissolve in water. If you end up with large quantities of grease and oil in your plumbing the pipes will get blocked. You need to remove any grease clog from plumbing systems and this is task that is better done sooner than later. The entire sewer system can get blocked and the house ends up with a flooded basement or worse.

Nowadays we can see a lot of homes employing the use of grease traps in their plumbing systems. Such a fixture will separate solids from grease in your kitchen wastewater. Keep in mind that you need to have a licensed plumber to install this gadget and that just because you have it does not mean your problems are over. A grease trap helps in minimizing clogs but they still occur if the trap is not cleaned as often as needed. Grease traps also need attention and maintenance. If you do not clean these as well, you will see them clogging.

The most common grease clogs will appear at the kitchen sink. Clogs found in this location are usually a mix of grease and food while those in the bathroom are hair and soap. To avoid kitchen clogs you need to sometimes poor boiling hot water in the drain. This routine will help out by liquefying the grease and make it go down the plumbing pipes. Fats can also be broken down by utilizing baking soda and vinegar to the mix.

If a grease clog appears there are some things you can do in order to remove them. First try the above mentioned boiling hot water method and if that does not provide results try a degreaser. You can find them at specialized shops and even in some supermarkets. Most clogs will be in traps so remove such fixtures and clean them. The grease clog can be located below the trap and this brings out the need of a mechanical snake. Put it in the pipes and see if this removes the blockage. If it does not you will need to call a plumber as more advanced solutions might need to be applied. "


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