I just moved into a new house a couple of weeks ago, and the seller had mentioned some past water damage in the garage, which made me a bit concerned. A plumber did a camera inspection of the sewer line and said everything was fine. However, after our first rain since moving in, I've got sewage backing up all over my garage and even into my basement laundry room! I'm feeling pretty misled by the seller and disappointed in the plumber for not catching this. I'm not sure how to tackle this issue from here. Any advice on what steps I should take? The house is located on a hill, but my garage and basement are significantly lower than the street level.
2 Answers
First off, make sure you document everything and get that mess cleaned up. After that, it's wise to call in a plumber who can investigate what's really going on. There might be an issue with the sewer line that the city needs to fix, or you could just need to get a backflow valve installed or replaced due to your elevation. It might be a quick repair, but knowing what you're facing will help you decide if you want to consider any legal steps based on the previous owner's disclosure.
How much rain did you get? If it was just a normal amount, then you might be dealing with a significant issue. Is the water coming in from floor drains? If it's sewage and not groundwater, you should find out if your neighbors have had similar problems after this rain—they might have insight into whether this is a larger issue or something specific to your home. If it turns out the seller lied on the disclosure, speaking to a lawyer could be a smart move.