Window well drain connected to main sewer line problem

[Brybo86]

I have a chicagoland home built in the 1950's.
Only one sewer, no storm or rain water sewer.
I have 4 window wells , originally was 6 windows well that connect to the main sewer line approx 3 ft outside my foundation wall.
Gas company just ran my gas line to my house and they then snaked the sewer with a camera to see if they hit the sewer line with gas pipe.
They were nice enough to let me take a video and pics.

My 4 window wells look the same with A drain in the bottom.

The 4 window wells on top and bottom of picture I believe are connected to a common pipe which connects to the sewer.
It enters the main sewer line in a T or X fitting just under the red line in picture.
I ran the hose in the widow well while the guy had the camera in there.
There is also a pipe to the right of the drain camera pic (where it says SM) that was possibly connected to the 2 window well that were covered over when an addition was put in in the 1970's. That pipe would run along the foundation wall under the garage floor. I had no way to test that pipe.

In a very heavy rain when the sewer backs up in the street it will fill my window well(and seep in) to the level that it is standing in the street
so what can I do to plug the hole at main sewer line where the window well water enters?

virtually no water enters the window well from above it is covered by roof.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

You shouldn’t get water in the sewer line during a heavy rain. Storm water and waste water should be in separate pipes. Have you had this issue before? If it backs up into your window well it’s going to back up into your toilets, sinks and tubs...

Just my $0.02

 

[PimTac]

This is a problem when there is no storm sewer. Another point to think about is where you are located in relation to the sewer line. Sometimes sewer lines have dead ends. You might be on one. I’m guessing the sewer system in your location is old.

How does your basement fare during the rains? Are your vent stacks clear?

One final point; connections on sewers and drains are supposed to be sanitary, that is a Sanitary T for example. A straight T should never be used.

 

[Brybo86]

Chicagoland does not have separate storms and waste sewer there is a single combined sewer.
Yes theoretically if the water ever was standing a few inches deep next to my house it could come up the toilet/tub/shower drains.
But it would have to be 2-3 ft deep in the street and covering every house in the neighborhoods yard all the way up to their house.

Ground is relatively flat here my garage door is probably 18 inches above street level. But the window bottom of window well is a few inches lower than the top of pavement.

We have lived here for 4 years and twice it has happened. Trickle from seeping around old 1950 steel frame single pane window that then finds its way to the floor drain which is pumped back into sewer(and back to window well until rain stops.)

Basement completely unfinish bare concrete foundation walls. No damage But obviously this needs to be fixed before I add any money to the basement.

 

[PimTac]

Do you have room to install a second drain that would go into a French drain or holding pit filled with gravel and covered?

 

[Brybo86]

This is a problem when there is no storm sewer. Another point to think about is where you are located in relation to the sewer line. Sometimes sewer lines have dead ends. You might be on one. I’m guessing the sewer system in your location is old.

How does your basement fare during the rains? Are your vent stacks clear?

One final point; connections on sewers and drains are supposed to be sanitary, that is a Sanitary T for example. A straight T should never be used.

I am on a dead end street 2nd house from the end. How does the end of the line increase this problem? Yes the sewer is original 1950's.

Inside house pipe is cast iron but outside foundation wall it changes to clay sections.
Guys who just scoped it said there was a small low spot that had some roots about 20ft off my foundation wall.

 

[Brybo86]

Do you have room to install a second drain that would go into a French drain or holding pit filled with gravel and covered?

Potentially yes, but the path from sewer to window well would still be there right? I feel like I need to plug that connection.

Sewer exits foundation wall between gas line on right and window well on the left.

 

[Fattylocks]

Plugging at the "T" could be a costly endeavor.
A temporary or easy solution might be to use a rubber expanding plug in the drain.
My house in a crummy Chicago suburb had those same steel framed windows. Changed them out to glass block.

 

[JC1]

let me understand this. When it rains and the sewer/drain line backs up, that water backs up all the way to the top of window well drain in that picture? Does any water trickle into the window openings? If so, I would try to seal that cement with some sort of coating or Blueskin and make sure the windows are caulked at a minimum.

Does Chicago have those backwater valves for your sewer lines? That's a huge issue in parts of Toronto, I would try to see what you can do to get that installed to protect your basement.

 

[PimTac]

I am on a dead end street 2nd house from the end. How does the end of the line increase this problem? Yes the sewer is original 1950's.

Inside house pipe is cast iron but outside foundation wall it changes to clay sections.
Guys who just scoped it said there was a small low spot that had some roots about 20ft off my foundation wall.

That low spot could be the problem. Getting the city to fix it is even bigger.

A municipal sewer system has main trunk lines and branch lines that tie into the main. Sometimes a branch line dead ends for whatever reason. Geography plays a part in how lines are mapped out. Things like ravines and hills for example.

Are other houses on your street having the same issue? That would be a sign that the sewer is not capable of handling the capacity. The city could come out and inspect and flush the sewer line. If other homeowners chime in then that could make it more possible they would do it.

 

[hemitom]

install a back flow preventer.
in your case by the looks of your drawing you would have to install it outside of the house, which means digging to the sewer line.

JC1 beat me to it !

 

[JC1]

Those clay pipes do they have cracks in them? These are one of the worst problems to have in an older house.

I saw something on this old house where they ran an inner pipe inside an existing pipe that had issues.

 

[Lubener]

That low spot could be the problem. Getting the city to fix it is even bigger.

A municipal sewer system has main trunk lines and branch lines that tie into the main. Sometimes a branch line dead ends for whatever reason. Geography plays a part in how lines are mapped out. Things like ravines and hills for example.

Are other houses on your street having the same issue? That would be a sign that the sewer is not capable of handling the capacity. The city could come out and inspect and flush the sewer line. If other homeowners chime in then that could make it more possible they would do it.

The city (any city) is not going to fix a sewer line on private property unless it is a "community line" used by all. Then there would be an easement involved.. Their responsibilty starts at the tree lawn or sidewalk. In my community, they smoke test to determine who has storm and sanitary lines connected together. They then give the home owner sufficient time to correct before being cited. It's an EPA matter.
The only way to effectively fix the problem is to separate the storm drains from the sanitary lines which they shouldn't be connected like that anymore.. Sanitary lines are generally smaller and cannot handle additional water from a joined storm line.Back flow valves are basically recommended for sanitary not storm sewer lines.

 

[JC1]

I'm guessing too that the City of Chicago probably lets storm water drain right into these lines and that magnifies the problem. In Toronto, they had many campaigns to get people to disconnect their downspouts from the drain. I think now they fine you if they catch you doing this. It's better to have longer downspouts that direct the water onto your lawn and not run off into driveways and then head into the sewers. These systems cannot handle the power of severe storms that we face these days.

 

[PimTac]

The city (any city) is not going to fix a sewer line on private property unless it is a "community line" used by all. Then there would be an easement involved.. Their responsibilty starts at the tree lawn or sidewalk. In my community, they smoke test to determine who has storm and sanitary lines connected together. They then give the home owner sufficient time to correct before being cited. It's an EPA matter.
The only way to effectively fix the problem is to separate the storm drains from the sanitary lines which they shouldn't be connected like that anymore.. Sanitary lines are generally smaller and cannot handle additional water from a joined storm line.Back flow valves are basically recommended for sanitary not storm sewer lines.

It sounds like this part of Chicago does not have storm sewers. I know about the difference between the homeowner responsibilities and the city. In the OP post it sounded like the municipal line was close to his house. We need some clarification.

 

[Brybo86]

The low spot in main line leaving my house is on my property.
Probably 10 ft from sidewalk and 20 ft from my house. I don't believe that is the problem because we can have both showers and sinks running full blast then have the sump kick in and everything still drains fine.

The standing water in window well during huge storm drains from the window well very quickly, like 10 seconds after the street level drops. If the roots in my line were the problem I would think it would take a long time.

I agree that a backflow preventer, basically a one way valve is a solution. But yes that means digging 6 ft down in my front yard.
A few neighbors have "flood control" systems. Basically a big pit that you can stand in that contains the backflow valve and ejector pit with sump as well.

I have also thought about putting a piece of plexiglass in front of one of the window and silicone caulking all the way around. There isn't much pressure when there is standing water but it does seep in. This wouldn't be permanent but curious if it would work.

Pics of my window well, my street and next block this may when we had a huge storm.

 

[JC1]

Wow that's a lot of water at the basement window. How many windows get like that? I would be concerned.

 

[Brybo86]

Wow that's a lot of water at the basement window. How many windows get like that? I would be concerned.

The 4 Window wells are all connected via a common pipe to the sewer so the level behind each window is exactly the same.
I'm trying to decide how far I need to go to fix it.

I put this stand pipe in one of the window well to see if in the next big rain that window well stays dry, if so this is a really cheap solution.

 

[PimTac]

Do you get any sewer gas smell?

 

[JC1]

The 4 Window wells are all connected via a common pipe to the sewer so the level behind each window is exactly the same.
I'm trying to decide how far I need to go to fix it.

I put this stand pipe in one of the window well to see if in the next big rain that window well stays dry, if so this is a really cheap solution.
View attachment 30201

I wonder if you should extend that pipe higher than that the window well and put a 45 degree elbow and see if the water goes out onto the lawn? Maybe try that on one window and leave the rest with one piece as pictured.