Water backing up in the bays

[joedirt]

The other day I noticed water backing up in all four bays (2 SS Bays & 2 IBA). I went back a few hours later and the water had receded. The next afternoon the same thing happened. I had all the bays and the holding tank sucked out. 24 hrs later I had the same problem but now the water isn’t receding. Any ideas on what is causing the back and where is the water coming from? (I only washed about 12 cars since the clean out as it has been a light sprinkle here. Any help to solve this will be appreciated.

 

[joedirt]

water backing up in the bays

The other day I noticed water backing up in all four bays (2 SS Bays & 2 IBA). I went back a few hours later and the water had receded. The next afternoon the same thing happened. I had all the bays and the holding tank sucked out. 24 hrs later I had the same problem but now the water isn’t receding. My questions are, what is causing the back and where is the water coming from? (I only washed about 12 cars since the clean out as it has been a light sprinkle here. Any help to solve this will be appreciated.

 

[Bill Manke]

Probably your main sewer lines is plud further up the line and you are getting your neighbors sewer. Do you have a clean out at the end of your tanks or the last place out before it goes to the main sewer. If so open it up and see if it is stopped up there. Then if it is get ahold of the sewer company. It is probably there problem.

 

[MEP001]

The drain line is obviously clogged. Make sure there are elbows in each pit turned down so debris can't float down the line (after you have it snaked). There are also drain cleaning nozzles that work (I recently had to make one in an emergency); there's also the expanding drain blasters.

 

[wendy's wash]

Can tell you about my pits backing up after they were pumped dry. Pit company came and pumped all four bays and removed all water in bays. They pumped both masters dry. 10 days later I had water pouring out of the holes in the master covers. Called them back out and they told me that some other pit pumping company came by and dumped car wash mud in masters after I and they left. In my mind I was only thinking that they were the only ones that knew the pits were empty. Here is the kicker, they charged me again. They said it was not their problem and they had to dump this mud also. Mounted a locking bar across pit covers and installed cameras. They step on my lot again I will know. They did say to lock down covers and install camera system and this will stop. This was the first time in 7 years.

 

[Waxman]

After 5 years in business I had my drains between pits rootered out. I have T's on my pit inlets.

Mine were PACKED FULL of debris; mud, leaves, sticks.

The guy was a friend so I was there helping. It took a couple hours to do my little (2+1) wash. He said it would've frozen this Winter, being so clogged.

I put it on my maintenance schedule for annual service.

 

[Waxman]

Someone dumping mud into your tank? Did you tell them you weren't born yesterday???

 

[Whale of a Wash]

The twelve cars thru the auto can give you 1200 gallons, so I would look in the drains to your holding tank. Overtime the dirt can build up and make them slow, and eventually plug them. Plastic cups,and other garbage can also back them up. There is usually a logical solution if you start at the beginning. A Zero degree nozzle on a 50 foot hose should help break things loose, if not call a plumber with a good auger, as the slow moving dirty water thru pipes can get fairly solid over the years.

 

[mac]

I had a similar issue that drove me nuts. We would have all the tanks cleaned and then a few days later it would back up. In my case it was caused by an empty liter plastic bottle of Pepsi. There is a cleanout right by the street before the line went into the city line. Someone stuck the bottle don there and sometimes it would float up and let the water flow, and sometimes it got stuck and made everything back up. That piece of plastic cost me over a grand.

 

[Gabriel]

Expanding line blasters work surprisingly well. The stop up is probably down in the main line and it is slowly leaking down after heavy water usage in the bays. It may have trash partially blocking the water flow and if you are lucky it will just blast out with the line balloon.

 

[RykoPro]

All the pits should go to the sanitary sewer at the street. When you let everything fill up with dirt eventually the line to the street gets clogged and will need cleaned out.

 

[Tpoppa]

I manually clean my pits with a basin spoon and a handi clam 2-3 times a year.

It only takes 15mintes/bay and gives me piece of mind that I will not be paying for any sewer repairs in the future.