Questions & answers about how to fix a blocked or clogged drain:

Here are answers to frequent questions about how to diagnose and fix a slow plumbing drain or a drain line that is clogged or that backs-up.

This article series explains how to troubleshoot & repair slow or blocked plumbing drains, diagnose & fix sewer line or septic system backups & how to distinguish between a probable septic system failure versus a probable blocked building drain or sewer line.

Clogged Drain Diagnosis & Repair Questions & Answers

Questions & answers about diagnosis & repair of clogged or slow plum bing drains, posted originally at CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - be sure to check out the diagnosis and clogged drain un-stopping or repair advice given there.

Photo: contributed by reader Pro Power Rooter - in a comment given below.

[Click to enlarge any image]

On 2019-03-14 by alex pearson

New bathroom installed toilet, waste pipes to sink and shower have been connected back to the same connections on 4 inch pipe. last week toilet was blocked which caused waste water to come through ceiling below.

Blockage was removed and bathroom was used for a week with no issues. Yesterday shower backed up and wouldn't drain away, it didnt over flow however water again came through ceiling below!!! The house uses a septic tank.

We lifted a manhole to find that waste water is more or less overflowing. Is this ultimately the issue

On 2018-10-18 by (mod) -

Sue,

The most common causes are a slow, partly blocked drain or a failing septic field backing up into the tank.

Or your washer drain line is not vented

On 2018-10-16 by Sue

Meant to say hose from washer to septic drain

On 2018-10-16 by Sue

We recently had septic pumped out & we added the hose to septic pipe drain If you run water in sink or shower too long we hear gurgling sounds coming through tub & sinks What is causing this

On 2018-04-14 by (mod) -

CW is this a trick question? If there is a septic problem that is a blockage between the most-distant house and the septic tank, then the most-distant house backs up first.

If the entire septic system is in failure and backing up then the closest house might see the situation first, Worse, still, as the more-distant homes continue to run wastewater, and if the wastewater isn't being accepted at the septic tank, then the lowest house in the system is going to get everybody else's waste.

On 2018-04-14 by Cw

There are several houses on a septic tank. Which one is more likely to back up first in the event that it is a septic problem. The closest or furthest

On 2018-04-07 by (mod) -

Src

Sorry I don't know what "beda's" are.

But if your downstairs toilet bubbles in wet rainy weather I suspect that the septic drainfield system is flooding, causing slowed drainage of effluent out of the septic tank.

If your system were clogged you'd experience the problem regardless of wet or dry weather.

An inspection of the septic tank (sewage level over baffles) or in the distribution box (flooded D-box) as well as of the drainfield itself (wet areas) would be diagnostic.

You can look in the INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to PLUMBING SYSTEMS (live link above on this page) to see articles about drainfield failure and D-box and septic tank levels.

On 2018-04-07 by src8kids

We have a septic which had not been cleaned out since we moved in. We just had it cleaned out because we started to get beda's(?) in the downstairs toilet when the upstairs one was flushed. Every time we get rain now, the downstairs toilet bubbles and gives us a beda(?) if we are sitting on it.

Contacted our septic guy and he suggested it is in the plumbing. Plumbing guy says it is a septic problem. If we are not getting rain, we don't have a problem.

I think it might be a clog between the toilet and the septic. At first, when we started having the problem my son added extra vent pipes going out the roof, so it has plenty of venting.

On 2018-03-08 by (mod) - While pumping the septic tank is critical for septic system maintenance, it will never fix a clogged drain nor backing-up septic system

Dull

While pumping the septic tank is critical for septic system maintenance, it will never fix a clogged drain nor backing-up septic system. At most you get a few days relief.

Ask for help from a plumber who can inspect the septic tank and D-box for evidence of backup or system failure. If that's not found, then she can scope your drains to find the blockage or damage and if not-damaged, just blocked, clean the blockage.

On 2018-03-08 by 3lidulldogs

We have house with 3 bathrooms one being in the basement as is the laundry room.

One of the upstairs bathroom toilets has been flushing slowly and the kitchen sink has also been draining slowly. Now after running the dishwasher, the kitchen sink and dishwasher have filled with brown water and the downstairs bathroom flooded with sewage but no water in the laundry room which is where it will usually back up. The downstairs bathroom has not backed up for years.

We had the septic tank emptied in January 2014. I know, probably 6 to 1 half a dozen to the other and I'll just have to "pick" one- but being I don't have much $ right now I'd just like to hear which one someone else would start off by "picking" .

On 2018-02-06 by (mod) -

Probably, yes

On 2018-02-04 by AJ

we just had the septic tank pumped a week ago, found puddle were the dug the system up. also when taking a shower in upstairs bathroom, soapy water started to backup in downstairs toilet. we were told leach lines are bad and they are coming to replace them. is that why the shower backed up to the toilet downstairs.

On 2016-06-09 by (mod) re: trying to use a snake to clear a toilet drain

Randy I've had bad luck using toilet snakes; if the blockage is close sometimes you can free it up using the plunger when the toilet is draining slowly and the bowl is full.

Plunge for a half minute or longer as longer sometimes works.

If the slow drain is only at the toilet I suspect it's a either a close blockage or a problem that the bowl was not full enough at start of the flush cycle.

If we're looking at a close blockage that we can't snake out through the toilet and can't free by plunging I'm afraid the next step is to pull the toilet from the floor entirely, then use a power snake or hand snake directly into the drain line.

On 2016-06-09 by Randy

When flushing toilet water rises then does not drain all the way I used a snake doesn't seem to help what's next

On 2016-03-05 by (mod) re: warning about flushing wet wipes down the toilet

David Stanley said:
More and more clogs are being caused by flushing Wet Wipes instead of Toilet Paper and they don't break down. Better solution is to get a Hand Bidet Sprayer and wash with water. Cleaner, greener, healthier and saves money....both before and after clogs!

Details are at DISPOSABLE WET WIPE CLOGS -

On 2015-12-27 by (mod) re: shower water seeps out on floor by the toilet

Wade, that's odd indeed since a backup at the toilet base makes one suspect a blocked drain line;

The glub glub noise is characteristic of either a partly-blocked drain or a problem with the vent piping.

It's common for a shower drain to tee into (actually wye into) the larger drain near a toilet;

I'd try

1. running a snake thorough the shower drain

2. seeing if there is a relationhship between the amount of water run and the occurrence of the backup; for example if the backup is pretty far along the drain line, you can flush the toilet fine

- it's filling the drain line and seeps past the blockage slowly with you never noticing the effect; but after showering for a time the drain fills up enough to back up at the toilet.

On 2015-12-27 by Wade

Hello, I have an odd plumbing faux pass. My home is a single story, built 5 years ago & connected to the county sewer/water system. When the shower runs in my bathroom, what appears to be the showers draining water begins seeping out of the floor, at the base of the toilet.

That toilet flushes fine without any problem. Another odd symptom is that while this shower anomaly is unfolding, the toilet in the other bathroom makes a glub glub noise.

We just tried liquid plumber in the affected showers drain & it did not change a thing. Thank you in advance for your expertise....Wade

On 2015-11-14 by Anonymous

If drain cleaner poured overnight doesn't help the drain may have collapsed. A power snake operator can usually sense that condition or a camera sent thru the line can diagnose the point of trouble.

On 2015-11-14 by Steve

The common drain where the washing machine rinse water flows is backing up. Snaking it doesn't seem to help. What else could I try?

On 2015-08-11 by Margaret

Have been on septic systems (new and old) for many years without problems. Had new drain field put in and within a week one line has water above ground. Figured it was just from all the rain we had this spring and early summer.

Turned valve to old system to give new system time to dry out and it did. Switched back to new system and after a week water above ground again with no rain.

Just the two of us elderly people. Drains are draining well no slowness. Did remember one line in the drain field broke at the top (black moon shape line) where the one pipe from the distribution connects. Would this cause the water on the ground?

I followed the wet ground up to the line (that is cracked)digging at 12 inch intervals and the further I got to the cracked line the fuller down I had to go to see water. Have not dug this time still recuperating from last time. Can you shed any light on this for me.

My old system had a perk test but Health Inspector didn't feel another one was needed for this new drain field. We have four lines and only the one gives us a problem. Will be looking for your reply. Thank you, Margaret

On 2015-07-21 by Trina

a company came to inspect my septic system and they told me that they wanted to "overwhelm" the septic system to test the drainage. they filled the jet tub, all sinks,turned on all fawcets and then let the plugs out so that the water would drain.

after this test, i was told that there was a blockage somewhere in the leach field because it took 10 minutes for the water to drain out of the holding tank, and into the leach field. is this correct?

I assumed that if one "overwhelms" the system, that it would not drain instantly. they have quoted me a price of 10 to 15 thousand dollars to fix the so called problem. my question is: should the water drain instantly after all that water is forced into the septic system?

On 2015-06-28 by (mod) -

Theresa

If your home is connected to a private septic system I'd be looking into the septic tank for evidence of backflooding due to rainwater leaking into the tank or due to a failed septic drainfield.

If your home is connected to public sewer the sewer may be backing up

On 2015-06-27 by Theresa

I just bought a house. Everything worked fine then it rained and I used the washer the toilet would not drain and shower and tub filled with dirty water. Help!

On 2015-05-29 by Denise

I recently had a new drain field installed in my yard after the previous one was failing (I thought) as my toilet was not flushing after a heavy rains and had been going on for a year+. My area has had one heavy rain since the new installation and my septic tank filled up from the heavy rain and kept my toilet from flushing properly.

The company who installed the drain field came and pumped the septic tank clean and saw no cracks, leaks, etc.

The second day with no rain the tank was full again but the toilet was flushing fine. The contractor told me that the tank filled the second day (with no rain) due to the ground saturation and water table in my area. Would this cause this to keep happening every time it rains?

Now the contractor is telling me that I need a lift station and mound system put in. I am a 52 year old recent widow and this just doesn't seem logical to me after installing a new drain field in February of this year. Any suggestions?

On 2015-04-15 y Anonymous

Hello I'm looking for some information on commercial drainage. This particular project is a 20 storey building with a clogged roof drain. What is the code for location of cleanouts along the drain? is it every 5 floors or so.

On 2015-03-30 by LE

Hello We have a three story house and when there is shower use in the upstairs bathrooms the tub in the ground floor bathroom backs up (3" or so of water)this is a temporary back up that will drain itself out with in 1/2 hour or so.

I have snaked the main drain line from inside and outside as well...when I snaked the line from a clean out inside the building (upstream of the problem tub)I was able to get the backed up tub to drain at that time,making me think that I had solved the problem. Unfourtunatly the next morning ( when showers were being used upstairs) the lowest level tub backed up again!any thoughts? Thanks

On 2015-02-07 by (mod) -

Bob,

I suspect two problems, a minor one and a larger, potentially costly one.

First there may be no check valve installed at the sewage ejector pump. That omission, or a check valve that's no longer working, will let wastewater from the vertical rising pipe flow back into the ejector pump reservoir at the end of each pumping cycle, causing the pump to cycle more often than normal or even continuously if the riser pipe contains a large volume. Have the check valve repaired or install one if it's missing.

Second, it sounds as if your septic tank is back-flooding. Typically this happens from either a failed soakbed or drainfield, or from leaks into the septic tank or piping from surface runoff or groundwater nearby.

You will want to read the diagnostic and repair discussion for septic tank flooding or back-flooding found at

SEPTIC TANK BACK FLOODING - https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Tank_Flooding.php

On 2015-02-06 by Bob

We have a basement bathroom and a pump downstairs that pumps the waste up to the spetic tank, it pumps it up and water runs back down into the pump and starts all over again. We have this problem when the ground is very wet (winter months). We have had the tank pumped.

On 2015-02-05 by (mod) -

Sorry Gabriella, while we welcome content suggestions, questions, critique, contributions, we don't allow posting of advertisements such as that in your comment.

On 2014-12-07 by (mod) -

Anon

There is a gap between "not allowed" and the truth such as "don't want to because it's extra work"

Plumbers indeed have procedures for pressure testing a drain system to check for leaks but it's more trouble once building construction is complete and pipes are less accessible.

I do agree with plumbers who argue that we should check the most likely things first.

A common cause of gurgling drains is a partial blockage in the drain system. If your drains always gurgled since new, a bad or missing vent is more likely. If the gurgling is more recent a clog is more likely. Clogs occur most often in the drain line or at a failing septic system. Clogs occur less often in vent piping but are not impossible there. Eg. An insect nest or a dead rodent can clog a vent.

On 2014-12-05 by Anonymous

We have a septic system and have had multiple plumbers and septic companies out to diagnose our problem. One of the first steps in this article is to check the drain vent system.

I have been unable to find a plumber that is willing to do this. They all cite that it's extremely rare or because of insurance reasons they are not allowed on the roof. Any suggestions on how to conduct this inspection or another type of company (other than plumbers) that might perform this inspection. We live outside Cincinnati, OH

The issues we are having are:

Gurgling in upstairs bathroom and Kitchen sink when other drains are being utilized

Septic tank filling quickly-1500gallon tank-we've pumped it 4 times this year

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

On 2014-11-29 by (mod) -

Thanks Chris. Our system doesn't allow folks to post links to or ads for themselves or others, but we do credit, link-to and cite technical contributors to InspectApedia's content. you're welcome to contact us by email with any such suggestions. Use the email found at the CONTACT US link at page top or bottom.

On 2014-11-29 by (mod) -

Re-posting without disallowed advertising link

Cris Martin said:

Great post! This was extremely helpful and informative. Thank you for sharing.

On 2014-11-21 by (mod) -

Re-posting without disallowed advertising link

Tom said:

Detailed and very informative helpful tips,thanks!

On 2014-09-04 by Anonymous

I noticed a urine smell in the upstairs bathroom a few weeks ago. Now, my basement smells of urine and there is no smell in the bathroom which is on the second floor. Basement is unfinished and I am not sure if I have sewer gas or a blockage. Any help is appreciated.

On 2014-06-04 by Anonymous

Wev have a recurring blockage in our sewer line when we open the traps and fire high pressure water it clears the blockage and all sewerage and waste flows freely however a week or two later we face the same scenario of what appears to be a blockage in the sewer line we have checked toilet paper etc but nothing keeps the line open permanently could it be a water pressure problem the house is a

Question: how to clear a blocked bathtub drain

I am wondering how to clear a blocked bathtub drain. The bathtub has not been used for some time and it is blocked with solid buildup from minerals/calcium. I tried a few drain cleaners, scraping at it and boiling water to no avail and ended up bailing the water out. Any suggestions? - M. 1/15/2013

Reply:

What is the drain piping material? I'm guessing galvanized iron or that + cast iron?

Are you connected to a public sewer or private septic?

Is this the only slow drain?

Is this bathroom over an occupied finished space or over an unfinished basement or crawl space?

How did you determine that the blockage is from mineral deposits?

The answers will assist in making some suggestions.

Reader Follow-up:

I believe it is cast iron piping.

It is connected to a public sewer system.

No, it's not the only slow drain - the bathroom sink is slow as well.

The bathtub is over an unfinished basement- M.

Reply:

As the drain blockage you describe is just in a single bathroom and not throughout the building, I don't start by assuming it's a system drain problem; more likely a local drain issue;

typically we find a combination of cast iron and galvanized iron; sometimes you can clear mineral deposits, even hair and other crud using an aggressive chemical drain cleaner; some plumbers also try using muriatic acid;

Watch out: The risks of using dangerous chemicals to try to open a blocked drain include at least these, in addition to those warnings on the product label:

• spilling the chemical or getting it on skin or in an eye
• if the drain clog doesn't clear the plumber is at risk when working on drains containing acids or harsh chemicals so be sure to warn such persons
• if the drain is in very very bad shape, corroded nearly through, acids can finish off the drain, leading to an ugly leak;

The best procedure is to follow a series of escalating steps, starting with plunging, snaking if we think it's an actual clog from hair or a single point of debris, trying some drain cleaners (caustics & OTC cleaners dissolve hair, maybe paper, while acids such as muriatic used by a plumber can dissolve mineral deposits), with caution, and ultimately replacing the drain;

I have not had much success with trying to snake drains that are actually blocked by rust or mineral deposits; the crust of iron or minerals is just too hard to be cleared by pushing a wire through the drain, and even a rotary drain cleaner may have trouble attacking such deposits, though you could discuss that option with your plumber.

More often, if that's the problem, and if the chemical does not clear the blockage, at this step it's time to expose the drain lines and think about replacing them.

Detailed advice on proper diagnosis and cure for a clogged drain begins at our 12-steps in the article above,

CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - home page

and continues at

BLOCKED DRAIN REPAIR METHODS

Finally, if you are right that mineral deposits from the water supply (unlikely with municipal water supply) are clogging drains, your building may need a water softener;

On 2013-03-14 by (mod) -

Frank:

Interesting question, and with regrets, I don't know what you have found; If the toilet was running for years and the water supply is hard in mineral content, perhaps a partial blockage accumulated mineral deposits.

Anon:
You are describing what sounds like a basement laundry that drained into a drywell or perhaps some other local destination that becomes waterlogged. It sounds as if your kitchen sink drains to the same destination.

Search InspectApedia for

DRYWELLS

to read more about what may be installed.

On 2013-03-13 by Frank

My aunts toilet was clogged, she just told us about it. When we tried to plunge it, no luck so we took the toilet off and found a nearly rock hard substance clogging it.

We had to literally use a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to chip away at it.

She says she does not flush anything abnormal, but she is 91 and who knows what she has been doing.

Any ideas what the substance might be? it is a little off white and so far about 6 inches thick.

On 2013-03-05 y Anonymous

I have lived in my home for 21 years. It has a septic system and I have had no backup problems or other issues other than three years ago, my basement started flooding whenever we have a lot of rain.

There is a large white pipe that my basement sink and laundry drains into and also the kitchen sink from upstairs drains down into it

. This plastic pipe runs along the outside wall under the basement floor and has a screw cap that is about 4 to 5 inches wide. When the basement is flooded,

I can't let the water out that way, because the pipe is full of water. If I wait 12 to 24 hrs, then I can go down and unscrew the cap and the water will rush out.

I can usually tell when it is time, because I can hear a gurgle noise in my kitchen sink...the same kind of noise that the sink makes when I am doing laundry. I do live in an area where the water table has risen over the years. Any advise?

On 2013-01-13 by deator

When I drain my tub it gurgles and wants to back up into my toilet. They are in the same line with my tub connected to yhe main drain first. Could my gas stack be froze?

On 2012-12-15 by Anonymous

We have very slow shower drain in a custom shower where the drain is located in the center of the shower floor. This is in the master bathroom that shares a common plumbing wall with the hall guest bath.

The shower in the guest b/r drains fine. Our sink drains ok as does the toilet. The guest sink drains well as does the guest toilet except that the water level in the guest toilet is always low.

These second floor washrooms are also above the powder room toilet & sink which drain quickly. The powder room toilet is a little loose at the floor bolts. This leads me to believe the waste line itself is fine but why would only the master shower not drain.

We have tried OTC treatments (liquid plumber) chlorine bleach & plunging without success. Neither my wife and I have long hair, it's only us two in the house and we use liquid shower wash. Any thoughts as to the problem and possible solution. Thanks

On 2012-09-12 by Tina

Hmm,, our bathtub wont drain,, and toilet wont flush, these are upstairs. Husband has been playing around and we know the water gets through the house.,

At the last bit of pipe is where it stops,, and then backs up into the house,, so the block is between the house and the tank.

My husband has tried the draino, and the snake and even used a pipe,, and hits something. Is there anything else to try or do we call in a plumber? Or do we call in the guy to empty our septic tank?

Oh and the husband used a air compressor,, took alot out of there but not enough,, Thanks!!!

On 2012-09-12 by Melissa - We tried to add drain-o, plunged, and then used an electric snake.

We have a blockage at the lowest drain towards our septic. We tried to add drain-o, plunged, and then used an electric snake.

The snake got caught in the pipe about 10 ft in. We had the septic drained to see if that was the problem couldn't see the end of the snake.

We cleaned the septic about three days ago and the septic tank and our dry well are completely full again...snake is still in drain. Any thoughts?

On 2012-08-12 by Erica

Hi, We just had our septic drained a year ago. Also, we removed a tree that we thought might be growing into some part of the septic system.

Our renters were plunging the toliet and noticed that septic backup was coming up the tub drain. Does it need to be pumped again? Or could there be a blockage? Thanks

On 2012-06-20 by (mod) -

Annie:

If you see water entering the septic tank from the tank exit pipe then the drainfield is flooded.

If you see sewage backing up into the house from the septic tank or line between house and tank then most likely the line is blocked or the tank is flooded from water entry or from a failed drainfield.

On 2012-06-20 by annie

we have the cap off before the septic tank and the water and paper is backing up we ran the snake and fresh water in the hose but still seems to be backing up

On 2012-03-17 by colin

i will try and explain the best i can just below my kitchen window is a manhole cover which water is flooding out it when running water from any tap in the house or flushing the toilet

about 2 meters away going towards the septic tank there is another cover when moving that odff there is like a round tank full of water but not over flowing then

about 10 meters away is my septic tank which is nearly full but not over flowing i remember last year the septic tank was really low level the main problem is this first man hole leaking any ideas please help

On 2012-02-19 by Anonymous

We noticed an odor about 100 feet from the house and discovered what appears to be a cesspool cap. It is filled with black sewerage and bricks, but it seems like a holding tank. There are two leach fields. What should we do?

On 2011-12-28 by Anonymous

I live in a rural area and the neighbors to the left of me have a small farm.

Well every winter & spring, when it rains the most, it floods in my back yard & my neighbors barn yard, which literally looks like a pond or small lake.

During this time, my pipes back up. I cant run water at all without it gurgling into tubs and toilets. Itll just stand in the tubs.

Where my septic tank is, the flooding occurs right over it and ontop of the pipes too. Its really bad. The ground will stay soaked for days on end & my tank stays full.

I dont have problems in the summer. And I had the tank pumped out last spring, so thats not the problem.

Does it sound like I have an absorbtion failure? If so, wat can I do and wat does it typically cost?

On 2011-12-10 by Andy

I've got a LPD system that occasionally releases some effluent onto the surface above the field.

Heavy use periods are guaranteed to bring this about. But at other times, I can't predict it. First noticed 14 months ago, only five or six occurrences since then. I am able to pinpoint four spots in the field where the effluent is percolating up ... more-or-less in a strait line.

I am assuming this is the healthiest of my (five or six) distribution lines, and the others are failing or failed.
Is this a good assumption?

How can I go about diagnosing and correcting (or at least improving) the performance of my field?

The contractor who pumped my tanks around the time the problem was first noticed suggested that its possible to washout the distribution lines if I can overcome the challenge of locating with certainty the ends of the distribution lines and the manifold (I have an approximate idea of where they are).

Is this a common practice? DIY-able? Effective?

Disclosure: The surface above is crush/run gravel and does serve as a parking spot for one of our cars regularly ... and for visitors cars irregularly, I am aware this is not recommended.
Thank you!

On 2011-11-29 by Al

Thanks Dan,
It is just a seasonal cottage that only gets weekend use by a couple so I think it should be OK. Thanks again for your help

Al

On 2011-11-28 by (mod) -

Al:

Now there are on occasion other reasons such as site layout and building layout that can lead people to send graywater into a separate facility, but most often you have to figure that if we are looking at a home where the previous owners had a reason to separate graywater from blackwater it was because the septic system capacity was limited.

You can switch over and dump everything into the septic system but there's a good chance you'll find out sooner, rather than later, that that system is inadequate.

On 2011-11-28 by Al

Dan,

Would there be any issues directing the sink/tub water into the septic?

Al

On 2011-11-28 by (mod) -

Misha:

You are describing dissatisfaction with a septic system inspection and test that is understandable: the contractor had a conflict of interest, both having performed prior work on the property and possibly not wanting to aggravate the present owner or the realtor or others besides you who were hiring him. It is an ethical failure to fail to disclose conflicting interests.

And yes, grazing animals over a septic drainfield is a mistake. Search InspectAPedia for "Grazing Animals Over Septic System Components" to read details.

On 2011-11-28 by (mod) -

Al:

It's common at properties where the septic system is of very limited capacity to separate out graywater and direct it into a drywell or separate drainage system. Your home may have that arrangement. If so, the drywell may need replacement.

On 2011-11-28 by misha

after noticing smell coming from pasture area in front of house we bought 6 years ago, i had company that we hired to do pre-purchase septic inspection come out and check septic system.

the company came out and excavated my drainfield mainline and when the employee said, hey there is a cap on the last drop box (which means that bottom two lines are no longer functional), the owner said, yeah we had to come out and cap it

because the previous owner's animals punctured those two drainlines. my question is, how could the owner of this company, who installed the drainfield in 1996, and gave the drainfield a "good" on the inspection form we relied on in purchasing the house in 2005,

fail to disclose to us that he had personally capped off half the drainfield sometime in between 1996 and 2005. when i asked him for documentation of said capping, he got really nervous and said that he was certain he had no paperwork for that job. when i said he must have an invoice for the labor and he said,

i am sure i didn't charge them for it. what gives!? i am looking at having to install a brand new drainfield to the tune of 20k or thereabouts. we never would have bought this house

if we had known it had an illegal (no longer to code, no longer met as built drawings submitted to county originally) drainfield and would have required a new drainfield, in a DIFFERENT location than the pasture,

before we bought it because the whole reason we got this house was for its large pasture that apparently should never be used as such since the drainfield is right in the middle of it and my animals apparently have contributed to its total failure now. just curious what anyone has to say...
thx!

On 2011-11-28 by Al

My cottage has a septic system that seems to only hold waste directly from the toilet.

After inspecting the rest of the ABS pipes in my 4' crawl space below the main floor, the sink drains and the tub drain hook up and drop to the floor level and exit through the concrete wall outside below grade.

Is it possible this gray water flows into a holding tank or possibly a weeping bed. I've been getting back-up in my sinks and tub lately.

On 2011-06-17 by (mod) -

Sure running water for an hour, or even less, can cause a septic tank to overflow if there is a preexisting problem such as a blocked pipe or a failed septic drainfield.

On 2011-06-07 by Lan Myers

Can running water for an hour or so cause a septic tank to overflow?

...

Continue reading  at CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - topic home, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSTIC FAQs-2 - more-recent questions and answers about fixing stopped drains

Or see these

Plumbing Drain Articles

• CLEANOUTS, PLUMBING DRAIN
• CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - home
  • BLOCKED DRAIN REPAIR METHODS
  • CLOGGED DRAIN vs SEPTIC PROBLEM
  • CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSTIC CHART
  • FIXTURE vs SYSTEM DRAIN BLOCKAGE
  • KINETIC WATER RAM
  • POWER SNAKE DRAIN MACHINES
• CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, DIAGNOSIS
• SEPTIC BACKUP PREVENTION
• SEPTIC BACKUP REPAIR - home

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Citations & References

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