Clear the clogged areaway drain at an invited Camden rowhouse basement entry (2026-07-18)

Below-grade areaways at Camden rowhouse basement doors fill with leaves and trash, and their little floor drains clog solid. When the combined sewers surcharge in a storm, a blocked areaway becomes a bathtub against the basement door. Clearing the drain and grate keeps the next storm out of the basement. Standard: Rowhouse areaway drainage maintenance practice; EPA CSO community guidance; SDG 11. Proof: Before/after photos plus a drain water-test photo Method (Rowhouse areaway drainage maintenance practice; EPA CSO community guidance; SDG 11.): 1. Confirm the host invitation and remove all leaves, trash, and sediment from the areaway floor by hand with gloves. 2. Lift the drain grate and clear the drain throat until you can see or hear free flow. 3. Pour a bucket of clean water and confirm it drains away. 4. Reseat the grate and sweep the areaway clean. 5. Photograph the before, the water test, and the after with GPS and date. Done when: Before/after photos plus a drain water-test photo

Where

Invited rowhouse areaways, Bergen Square, Camden, NJ 08103

Pay

$80 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

Before/after photos plus a drain water-test photo

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

entry

Open until

2026-10-17

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 30–75 minutes. Method of record: Rowhouse areaway floor-drain clearing and minor repair — entry-level, no excavation, no below-grade wall work

Bring

• wire brush / hand drain snake (<10 ft reach)
• shop vac or bucket + gloves
• trash bags for debris
• camera + tape measure

Steps

1. 1. ASSESS: photograph the areaway floor, drain grate and walls as found; note standing water depth, debris type, and whether the drain outlet appears connected to a functioning line (vs. an unknown or dry-well routing).
2. 2. Clear leaves, trash and sediment from the areaway floor and drain grate by hand; bag debris for disposal.
3. 3. Lift the drain grate only if it lifts freely by hand and clear the visible trap of debris with a hand auger/drain snake to the depth it reaches naturally; reseat the grate.
4. 4. Pour a test bucket of water into the drain and confirm it clears within a few minutes; photograph the finished areaway and note any standing water or slow drainage for the follow-on regrade/waterproof job.

If it does not match the plan

• Standing water that does not clear after grate clearing, or a drain line that appears blocked/collapsed underground -> STOP, do not dig or force the line; name it for the intermediate waterproof/regrade job instead.
• A cracked or actively leaking areaway wall -> photograph and route to a licensed contractor rather than attempting a DIY patch.

What counts as done

• Areaway floor and grate clear of debris in before/after photos
• Water test confirms the drain clears standing water within a few minutes (or the slow-drain finding is documented for the next rung)
• No forced/pried entry into the drain line beyond a hand snake's natural reach

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.