Florida Woman's New Home Plumbing Issues: Can't Flush Toilet Paper

Persistent Plumbing Problems in New Construction

• 🏠 Patty Wood, a senior citizen living alone in Apollo Beach, has experienced repeated plumbing issues in her new D.R. Horton home since moving in last year.
• 🚽 The problems began just three days after moving in, with toilets experiencing severe clogs that left her with "indoor outhouses."
• 👃 The persistent clogs have created unpleasant odors, forcing Patty to use air fresheners to mask the smell.

Builder and Plumber Investigations

• 🛠️ Patty has contacted the builder, D.R. Horton, and their plumbing vendor, Northwest Plumbing, multiple times.
• 📹 Northwest Plumbing performed a video camera inspection and cleared a clog, initially blaming the issue on toilet paper usage.
• 📧 Plumbers suggested using only specific brands of toilet paper or considering the number of household members to ensure sufficient water flow.

Expert Plumber's Diagnosis

• 👨‍🔧 Patty sought a second opinion from Thomas Flynn, a master plumber with 47 years of experience, who previously worked with celebrities.
• 📉 Flynn suspects the core problem is insufficient pitch in the underground waste pipe, preventing proper waste and water flow.
• 🧪 An experiment involving flushing latex gloves demonstrated a significant delay in waste exiting the system, supporting Flynn's theory.

Proposed Solutions and Builder Response

• 💰 Flynn estimates that correcting the pipe pitch could cost tens of thousands of dollars, requiring significant floor demolition and pipe readjustment.
• 🚫 D.R. Horton stated they and Northwest Plumbing found no issues after extensive investigation and provided Ms. Wood with guidance on preventing future clogs, including storing toilet paper in a trash bag.
• ⚖️ Patty has filed a complaint with the Florida Attorney General's office against the builder and plumbing contractor.