I got worms in the toilet, and am ready to fight back (1 Viewer)

[wilked]

This won't be quite what you first assume. Moved into the house 2-3 months ago, there is one bathroom on second floor and a decently finished half bath in the basement (Boston area, house about a 100 years old). No issues upstairs... The basement bathroom is used very infrequently, and only by me - wife wants nothing to do with it. One day early on I saw something very close to this

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2o_usxQ0U4w/Td-ulFAXv8I/AAAAAAAAG0I/aKgHCoeFzO4/s1600/red_worm_in_toilet.jpg

Note, image from the internet, I didn't snap one, but it is close.

Researching, it is an earthworm. I flush, it goes away, a week later it (he?) is back, sometimes with a few friends.

Basement is unfinished, toilet drain comes out the back of the toilet, jogs around the wall maybe 10-15 feet (properly sloped), eventually heading south below the slab to the main sewer line.

My wife knows nothing about this and while she wants nothing to do with the bathroom toilet at this stage, this would somehow constitute a 'big deal' and plumbers would be called. At first I debated a 'live and let live' approach but we will have my entire family over for Thanksgiving which will necessitate the bathroom being used.

Today I struck the first blow - just boiled about 2-3 gallons of water on the stove, flushed the toilet, turned off the water supply to the toilet once it began to refill, and tried to boil the sons of ####es .

Debating a chemical attack next, some balance between not corroding my pipes and giving them a taste of mustard gas.

Any other thoughts / advice?

 

[VA703]

you have pinworms

take stool sample

 

[George Jefferson Airplane]

yeah those worms originated from your butt

 

[Osaurus]

Cousin Eddie?

 

[johnnycakes]

Frank Burns eats worms.

 

[wilked]

yeah those worms originated from your butt

let's pretend they did for a moment...

Why are the worms in the basement still here months later, and the second floor all clear? And assuming all is well in the stomachs of our family now, how do I get rid of the critters in the basement?

To be clear, it has been #1 in the basement only for over a month

 

[5-ish Finkle]

Any other thoughts / advice?

Stop eating raw Grade K beef.

 

[Das Boot]

I was going to say earthworms would drown in water like that, but color me shuked:

Q. Why do worms come onto driveways and sidewalks when it rains?

A. Dr. Dennis Linden, Cindy Hale, and other worm experts say that worms do NOT surface to avoid drowning. In fact, they come to the surface during rains (especially in the spring) so they can move overland. The temporarily wet conditions give worms a chance to move safely to new places. Since worms breathe through their skin, the skin must stay wet in order for the oxygen to pass through it. After rain or during high humidity are safe times for worms to move around without dehydrating. It is true that, without oxygen, worms will suffocate. But earthworms can survive for several weeks under water, providing there is sufficient oxygen in the water to support them.

Q. Do earthworms come to the surface after heavy rains to avoid drowning?

A. Not exactly. Earthworms can survive for several weeks under water providing there is sufficient oxygen in the water to support them. They surface as a response to high relative humidity after rain because they can move around safely without drying out.

 

[wilked]

I googled this for hours, didn't really get any good info. Seems when people get earthworms in the basement bathroom it is due to a cracked sewer line. The line coming out of the toilet goes 15-20 feet and at least two feet vertical before joining the sewer line, and I can say the line is intact to that point.

 

[DocHolliday]

I googled this for hours, didn't really get any good info. Seems when people get earthworms in the basement bathroom it is due to a cracked sewer line. The line coming out of the toilet goes 15-20 feet and at least two feet vertical before joining the sewer line, and I can say the line is intact to that point.

That was my initial thought. There is a crack in the sewer line. Dig it up. Replace the line. Problem solved.

 

[E Street Brat]

Have you been fishing for toilet trout or mud cats?

 

[tri-man 47]

I googled this for hours, didn't really get any good info. Seems when people get earthworms in the basement bathroom it is due to a cracked sewer line. The line coming out of the toilet goes 15-20 feet and at least two feet vertical before joining the sewer line, and I can say the line is intact to that point.

That was my initial thought. There is a crack in the sewer line. Dig it up. Replace the line. Problem solved.

This was my thought as well ...a sewer line crack. However, instead of replacing the line: If it's draining well, it might just be a minor crack - not enough to cause blockage, but enough for a few sneaky worms to, well, worm their way in. A handyman neighbor of mine helped me with a cracked line many years (decades) ago. I dug down and found the crack (aided by the fact that the crack was big enough for the surface soil to have collapsed a little). Of course, I considered replacing a length of the line for some serious $$$. Neighbor comes over, takes a look, then comes back with a piece of tin and a bag of ready-mix cement. He cuts and shapes the tin to fit around the crack, then mixes the cement and pours it on top. A few hours later I shovel the dirt back in, and no problems since. Your challenge would be finding the crack along the line. But if you can fine it, maybe an easy makeshift repair like this will suffice.

 

[eoMMan]

Move.

 

[3C's]

Call a plumber that has one of the snake video cameras. Maybe they can check for a crack. <-let the plumbers crack jokes begin.

 

[Bucky86]

What the hell?

 

[shadyridr]

Protect your bunghole. Wouldnt want one of those buggers crawling up while you are dropping a duece.

 

[El Floppo]

as an architect, I can tell you this much- you have worms.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Cracked sewer line. To save money explore lining existing pipe. 100 year old pipe, that makes it castiron or clay. Either way that pipe is well past its sell by date. It is an accident looking for a place to happen. Get this checked before the extreme cold and the holidays. I picture a major event in your future, around, oh, say New Years when you are hosting folks. Don't delay. Plumbers on New Years Day charge around a Million Dollars an hour, if you can find one at all.

 

[gmbacm]

cash cow imo. package em up and put one of these on the front porch. https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/2qwe9QQEVrE3hQY3e4O0CqKQQCPq-mcMsxGFz6uC6cncO1g1tYSybEstGwPsNp5VNRMpqh4FBKf5K7aQ2jGyeA5EpiKJ_uvaaUGOrPaGnJEEkyhLEjU=w332-h443-nc

 

[Rubi]

I'm no expert,but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Those are worms for sure. And they are in the bowl of the toilet that you use expressly. Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.....................................................................................

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

You bought a 100 year old house, the worms will be the least of your problems in a few months.

 

[mquinnjr]

Move.

Burn the house down.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Put a couple of Blue Gills in the tank. You have a nice low maintenance aquarium. Piss in the sink. Take the dirty work to the upstairs ####ter.

 

[glumpy]

I googled this for hours, didn't really get any good info. Seems when people get earthworms in the basement bathroom it is due to a cracked sewer line. The line coming out of the toilet goes 15-20 feet and at least two feet vertical before joining the sewer line, and I can say the line is intact to that point.

That was my initial thought. There is a crack in the sewer line. Dig it up. Replace the line. Problem solved.

This was my thought as well ...a sewer line crack. However, instead of replacing the line: If it's draining well, it might just be a minor crack - not enough to cause blockage, but enough for a few sneaky worms to, well, worm their way in. A handyman neighbor of mine helped me with a cracked line many years (decades) ago. I dug down and found the crack (aided by the fact that the crack was big enough for the surface soil to have collapsed a little). Of course, I considered replacing a length of the line for some serious $$$. Neighbor comes over, takes a look, then comes back with a piece of tin and a bag of ready-mix cement. He cuts and shapes the tin to fit around the crack, then mixes the cement and pours it on top. A few hours later I shovel the dirt back in, and no problems since. Your challenge would be finding the crack along the line. But if you can fine it, maybe an easy makeshift repair like this will suffice.

This is my thinking. You could hire someone with a camera to first snake down the drain and locate the crack. Then decide. It could even be down to the sewer line where it's on the city.

 

[xulf]

First came the worms out of the toilets, then came the brown recluses out of the walls.

 

[belljr]

Flush some fish. Catfish really like worms

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

This won't be quite what you first assume. Moved into the house 2-3 months ago, there is one bathroom on second floor and a decently finished half bath in the basement (Boston area, house about a 100 years old). No issues upstairs... The basement bathroom is used very infrequently, and only by me - wife wants nothing to do with it. One day early on I saw something very close to this

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2o_usxQ0U4w/Td-ulFAXv8I/AAAAAAAAG0I/aKgHCoeFzO4/s1600/red_worm_in_toilet.jpg

Note, image from the internet, I didn't snap one, but it is close.

Researching, it is an earthworm. I flush, it goes away, a week later it (he?) is back, sometimes with a few friends.

Bathroom is unfinished, toilet drain comes out the back of the toilet, jogs around the wall maybe 10-15 feet (properly sloped), eventually heading south below the slab to the main sewer line.

My wife knows nothing about this and while she wants nothing to do with the bathroom toilet at this stage, this would somehow constitute a 'big deal' and plumbers would be called. At first I debated a 'live and let live' approach but we will have my entire family over for Thanksgiving which will necessitate the bathroom being used.

Today I struck the first blow - just boiled about 2-3 gallons of water on the stove, flushed the toilet, turned off the water supply to the toilet once it began to refill, and tried to boil the sons of ####es .

Debating a chemical attack next, some balance between corroding my pipes and giving them a taste of mustard gas.

Any other thoughts / advice?

Try muriatic acid, but call a plumber first to make sure it won't damage your pipes. Strong stuff.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

"And, when the doctor said I didn't have worms any more, that was the happiest day of my life."

 

[Otis]

so nasty

 

[T Bell]

Worms, Roxanne! Worms!

 

[The Duff Man]

You've never heard of worms in the bowl when you move in?

It is like tequila, you are supposed to eat them...

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

it is an earthworm

How can earthworms be living long term in water?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Cracked sewer line. To save money explore lining existing pipe. 100 year old pipe, that makes it castiron or clay. Either way that pipe is well past its sell by date. It is an accident looking for a place to happen. Get this checked before the extreme cold and the holidays. I picture a major event in your future, around, oh, say New Years when you are hosting folks. Don't delay. Plumbers on New Years Day charge around a Million Dollars an hour, if you can find one at all.

Call a professional asap.

 

[wilked]

You guys really think a professional is needed?

Might have to get expurt opinion on plumberguys.com

 

[3C's]

You guys really think a professional is needed?

Might have to get expurt opinion on plumberguys.com

"heading south below the slab"

yes

 

[tri-man 47]

it is an earthworm

How can earthworms be living long term in water?

Well, they dated for quite a while first.

--

grumpy makes a good point of hiring someone to snake the line and identify where the crack is and how bad it is. Then you could decide on whether you need a serious professional fix to the 'infrastructure' or if you can dig down and craft a makeshift solution.

 

[mr roboto]

That worm would really crawl up a sewer line all the way from the yard?

 

[Aerial Assault]

That worm would really crawl up a sewer line all the way from the yard?

He's a hard worker. 9/10 on the wormdee scale

 

[3C's]

it is an earthworm

How can earthworms be living long term in water?

Well, they dated for quite a while first.

--

grumpy makes a good point of hiring someone to snake the line and identify where the crack is and how bad it is. Then you could decide on whether you need a serious professional fix to the 'infrastructure' or if you can dig down and craft a makeshift solution.

yes he did...after I suggested it an hour before.

 

[Mr. Pickles]

Debating a chemical attack next

Let's do this.

 

[Chemical X]

i am ready for my attack. wife? man, its been a while.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Have you tried flushing some early birds down the toilet?

 

[wilked]

Debating a chemical attack next

Let's do this.

You thinking something like 3:1 water/ bleach? Let it sit an hour?

 

[Das Boot]

If they're

Debating a chemical attack next

Let's do this.

You thinking something like 3:1 water/ bleach? Let it sit an hour?

If they're garden variety night crawlers, just reach in and grab them and let them go outside.

There's no need to nuke them.

 

[SWC]

bromigo if you are getting worms from a crack in the pipe you are probably getting roots and other stuff in there and you have the possibility of freeze thaw busting that sucker wide open come winter and second if you have stuff moving up from the line into the house you might not have a check valve or the one you have might not be working which you do not want because if the city system backs up and your check valve does not work you could get raw sewage in your house which is not nice and you do not want going for you long story short call the guys with the butt crack and have it checked out take that to the bank brohan

 

[wilked]

SWC> makes good sense, thanks for the reply.

 

[Tick]

100 = one hundred.

a 100 = a one hundred.

hth

 

[tri-man 47]

grumpy makes a good point of hiring someone to snake the line and identify where the crack is and how bad it is. Then you could decide on whether you need a serious professional fix to the 'infrastructure' or if you can dig down and craft a makeshift solution.

yes he did...after I suggested it an hour before.

You are a wise man, Mr CCC. Sorry I missed that in the fast moving wormfest here!

 

[top dog]

No way your pipe is cracked. This is just the first sign of terrible things to come. First an earthworm, next a friggin alligator pops his head out of there. You should just move.

 

[wilked]

i am ready for my attack. wife? man, its been a while.