Plumbing Nightmares and How to Avoid Them

Happy Halloween from Bob Oates Plumbing, Sewer & Rooter!

Halloween season is here — the perfect time for a few scary stories. But instead of ghosts or ghouls, I’m sharing something truly terrifying: real-life plumbing nightmares from my time on the job.

Each one of these situations could have been avoided with a bit of foresight and regular plumbing maintenance. Take a seat (and maybe grab a flashlight), because these are stories you won’t forget.

The $53,000 Flood

Some years ago, I got a late-night call from a homeowner whose entire house was flooding. At first, I thought it might be an exaggeration — most “flooding” calls aren’t literal floods — but this time was different.

When I arrived around 1:30 a.m., water was pouring through every room. The homeowner, who had just bought the property, had tried to replace a kitchen faucet. Unfortunately, the home was outfitted with substandard push-on angle stops. When he attempted to turn off the water, the emergency shut-off valve blew right off the pipe.

He then tried to locate the main shut-off but couldn’t get it to close completely. Even worse, the old spike-style meter outside wouldn’t budge. By the time I arrived, five minutes was all it took to stop the flow — but the damage had already been done.

After inspections, the total repair cost came to $53,000 — a devastating loss for a brand-new homeowner.

How to Avoid This Nightmare

Before purchasing or renovating a home, schedule a professional plumbing inspection. Replacing faulty angle stops or a defective water main shut-off is minor compared to tens of thousands in water damage.

When One Garbage Disposal Ruins an Entire Building

Another job I’ll never forget started with a call about a backed-up sink in an apartment complex. When I arrived, I found a disaster: black, greasy water overflowing from a kitchen sink, soaking the counters, drawers, and carpet.

It turned out that a tenant on an upper floor had dumped an entire pot of leftover rice down her disposal and ran the water. The disposal jammed, and the line backed up into the unit below — which was empty at the time. By the time maintenance shut the water off, parts of the ceiling of the downstairs unit had collapsed.

I cleared the blockage in about an hour, but cleanup and restoration took nearly two weeks.

How to Avoid This Nightmare

Know your garbage disposal dos and don’ts. Only small amounts of soft food should go down your disposal — and always run water when using it.

Pro tip: grind up half a lemon to keep odors away and leave your sink smelling fresh.

When a Basement Turns Into a Sewer

One night, a property manager called to report a “leak” in an apartment building basement. When I arrived, the lobby reeked, lights were flickering, and the elevator was out — not a good sign.

The manager handed me a key but refused to come downstairs. (Never a good omen.)

When I reached the basement, I found it flooded with raw sewage, likely for over 24 hours. There were rats, no lighting, and not a single working outlet. I ran over 200 feet of extension cord just to power my equipment, then located the cleanout and cleared the stoppage in minutes.

The backup was fixed, but the damage and health hazard were extensive.

How to Avoid This Nightmare

Routine drain cleaning and sewer inspections prevent these kinds of disasters. Building managers should keep an eye on drain flow and never ignore early warning signs like gurgling sounds or slow drainage.

Lessons from the Field

After decades in the business, I’ve seen every kind of plumbing nightmare — and I can tell you, most could have been prevented.

Simple sewer and drain maintenance and occasional inspections save homeowners thousands in potential damage and stress. Wherever you live within the Greater Seattle Area or its surrounding communities, my team at Bob Oates Plumbing, Sewer & Rooter is here 24/7 to help.

Contact us today to schedule an inspection or cleaning — we’ll put the stop to a relatively small issue becoming a real-life horror show!