Septic tank?

**chowder** · 02-05-2011, 10:15 AM

Our toilet has started to back up every few days.I plunge it which doesn't seem to do much.If we leave it for a few hours or overnight,it will flush,but then a few more flushes and it backs up again.Does this sound like the septic is full?

**Debbie-cat** · 02-05-2011, 10:18 AM

I read that if you flush the toilet and the water backs up into the shower or if you drain the tub and the water gurgles inthe toilet then the spectic is full. Is it doing that?

Do you have a basement?.... Is it possible that the line from the toilet is partially frozen?

**Russ** · 02-05-2011, 10:19 AM

When was the last time you had it emptied? We do ours every 2 years and maybe that's overkill but we've never had an issue.

That said, we know people who have never had theirs emptied.

**chowder** · 02-05-2011, 10:32 AM

The basement is warm,so cant freeze.The tank was pumped about 5 years ago.I was told that the tank might be full but the water is still getting through,but slowly.Does that make sense?

**monkeywrangler71** · 02-05-2011, 10:38 AM

How many people in your household? And do you use thick fancy toilet paper? It can fill up quickly with a large family and a lot of paper.

Is this toilet at the lowest point in the house? When your septic backs up it should be overflowing somewhere low, like into your washing machine if it's in the basement. If it's an upstairs toilet and nothing is overflowing in the basement, I would be more inclined to think there is a partial blockage closer to the toilet in question, rather than a full tank.

**heartofmine** · 02-05-2011, 10:50 AM

Sounds like there may be a blocked line since it goes down after a while. It may stopped up near the baffle. When it gets that bad about the only thing you can do is dig it up and snake it out. You'll probably need a professional to come in and do that and if you do I'd go ahead and have it pumped out at the same time.

We've had enough septic problems to last a life time but we finally got them all fixed after replacing all the field line and adding another 100 feet plus replacing all the lines from the house to the septic.

**Debbie-cat** · 02-05-2011, 10:50 AM

Sounds like a partial plug somewhere. Do you use Charmin bath tissue? If you do, DON'T! It is THE worst for septics.

**alotofgooddeals** · 02-05-2011, 01:19 PM

All we have to do is go lift the cover off the septic and break up the stuff on the top...for some reason it plugs right there...I find everything in the top like socks(i am thinking the wash machine eats these...) and it gets this hard crusty stuff on the top....this happened around 7 years ago and my dad was around at the time and he was so awesome...he figured it out for me and it happened last year but my dad has recently passed in the last couple of years but he would have been proud of me...I went out and pulled the top off and did the same thing he did and voila...we were all fixed....as for pumping of the septic system...I must have a good one because we haven't done it for 15 years and not sure when it was done before we moved in....i am thinking this spring i should invest in getting it pumped though to avoid future problems....

**TigerGirl1226** · 02-05-2011, 01:21 PM

Sounds like you need your drain snaked.

**nodmicks** · 02-05-2011, 02:06 PM

It sounds like it is blocked somewhere to me also. Do I live in the only area that forces you to get pumped every three years and send proof in to the healthy dept?

**CrazyHomemaker** · 02-05-2011, 03:14 PM

Chowder - We called to have ours pumped a few years ago. The honeydippers said we didn't need it pumped and they pulled out some sort of plug that is put in the hole where the honeywater comes into the septic tank. That took care of it.

We're going to get ours pumped this year. It's been 7 years since we put it in and it is getting sluggish, too. We use bum-scraper single-ply tissue and we've not had much problems. It disintegrates quickly. We also do the septic bacteria additive several times a year. That helps a bit. It doesn't hurt to get it pumped out every few years.

alotofgooddeals...you're brave!!!

**Winkie** · 02-05-2011, 03:25 PM

I can tell you what happens if it needs pumped & you don't do it...

**Winkie** · 02-05-2011, 03:26 PM

Sorry... It gets backed up into the leach field & plugs up the works. Then it costs a ton of money to get that fixed.

**lisaflex** · 02-05-2011, 04:36 PM

we get ours done every 2 yrs...the city sends us a notice. and, we do it! we also had a blockage issue a few yrs back...bad and lots of $$$$ later it was fixed. get it done and see if that helps first before you have more expensive issues.

**frugalfranny** · 02-05-2011, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by Debbie-cat

Sounds like a partial plug somewhere. Do you use Charmin bath tissue? If you do, DON'T! It is THE worst for septics.

Have also heard that Costco TP is really bad too.

Originally Posted by chowder

Our toilet has started to back up every few days.I plunge it which doesn't seem to do much.If we leave it for a few hours or overnight,it will flush,but then a few more flushes and it backs up again.Does this sound like the septic is full?

What is the possibility of tree roots in the tank? (if this has happened often)

Arborvitae are NOTORIOUS for getting into septic tanks.........BTDT! Maples are another one that will find any crack, air space, ANYTHING and grow into the spot.........even basements! and don't forget to check what is growing at the neighbors........tree roots DO TRAVEL!