Topic: Plumber in the house?

[eigenvector]

I don't actually need advice, maybe just a friendly shoulder.

I'm on septic, and given the amount of rain we get in Seattle during the winter I always get jittery when the drains start to back up.  I've never had a problem, but it's one of those things that make you worry - especially since if the drain field does go south you can't even use the toilet.

Lately though my tub drain has been plugging up and this morning my toilet didn't empty.  I'm still hopeful that it's the vents.  'Cause when I turn around suddenly the toilet is empty and the bathtub is dry - except now there's water on the basement floor under the pipes.

I snaked the vent stack (there's only one on this 1950's home) but didn't pull anything out to write home about.  Gonna see about getting the septic guy out to take a look.  There's nothing worse than dealing with this .... crap.

[jeffg]

rebuild your leach field and fix the lateral nobody ever touch that stuff. so you got a 65 year old leach field. do some research about building a septic system.
I'm not a plumber but looked a lots of land with septic system, so I read about it, and permits, drainage, perk testing. Nobody want to deal with no dam pooh when you got a barbeque going with your friends all over
 

[Stev-o]

I manage a commercial property that has septic, luckily no issues lately.

Have you thought about pumping it out?

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Where's DonR when you need him?!

[eigenvector]

Pumped it out last year.  I have it inspected and pumped out every 3 years or so.

It doesn't see a lot of use, I'm only home about 1/2 the time anyway.

I did get a hold of the septic guy - he told me to pop the cover and see how high the water was, if it up to the top of the cap, call him back otherwise something else is plugged up.

So I popped the cover, those guys must be superhuman - that thing weighed a F'in ton, water was right where it was supposed to be.

[Don R]

Where's DonR when you need him?!

 I switched to pipefitter. LOL. You might pump it and see what's in there. Check the baffles especially on the outlet inside the tank. that keeps solids from going into the field. I owned a property that was very flat and wet, mine was dependable for a long time.  Check the toilet's wax seal, that's the most common place for them to seep. If it's vented properly it's rare to see a vent problem however, out in the country anything can happen.

[Steve F]

Sounds like you have a clog between the house and the tank.  Maintenance is the key to a happy septic system, and the easiest thing to do is monthly enzyme treatment.  I get a bottle of this stuff and dump half a bottle in every month to keep the tank active and the field clear.  At one time, I had a problem with the field, and this treatment cleared it up!  Have the tank pumped about every three years or so, but it's only three people in the house.  Avoid dumping household disinfecting cleaner down the drain as this stuff, as the name implies is "anti-septic" in nature and will kill a septic system.....just ask my parents about that one.

[70CB750]

I pump septic every year there is a presidential election, easy to remember  to move the #$%*

Pumped it out last year.  I have it inspected and pumped out every 3 years or so.

It doesn't see a lot of use, I'm only home about 1/2 the time anyway.

I did get a hold of the septic guy - he told me to pop the cover and see how high the water was, if it up to the top of the cap, call him back otherwise something else is plugged up.

So I popped the cover, those guys must be superhuman - that thing weighed a F'in ton, water was right where it was supposed to be.

[RevDoc]

I pump septic every year there is a presidential election, easy to remember  to move the #$%*

Pure genius, Prokop! Couldn't ask for a better point of reference as a reminder!

[Stev-o]

 Maintenance is the key to a happy septic system, and the easiest thing to do is monthly enzyme treatment.  I get a bottle of this stuff and dump half a bottle in every month to keep the tank active and the field clear.

I've heard this as well. Can you recommend a specific product?

Do you pour directly in tank or just pour in the sink??  Thanks

[pmanning]

Are there trees along your pipe run between the house and the tank.  A 1950s home in the Seattle area could have a variety of pipe types to the tank including 2' sections of concrete pipe the joints of which are, over time, easily infiltrated by root systems.  Trees love it when they get in.  Might be time to run a snake between your house clean out and the tank.

[Duke McDukiedook]

My parents use Rid-X on their system every couple of months. Just dump it in your terlet bowl. 

[eigenvector]

Well to close this out (for now...)

This morning I had the same slow drain from the bathtub and the same leak into the basement.  I pulled back the hair catcher in the tub to see what's what and out comes a bubble, followed by a <SHHHHHLURP!> and the water went down the drain like a black hole.  About sucked my face off it was so quick.

Whatever it was that was clogging the pipes got pushed out of the way finally.

That said - Don, that wax ring and probably the flange is leaking.  Already picked up a new flange, elbow and no-hub connector to rebuild the toilet connection.  Yup - I'm gonna be elbow deep in shtuff this weekend.  I have a mind to remove the brass fitting in the cast iron stack and use a doughnut to connect the ABS all the way into the stack - but that would mean digging out the lead and oakum seal.  I'm not sure I'm feeling that sporty right now.

[Steve F]

 Maintenance is the key to a happy septic system, and the easiest thing to do is monthly enzyme treatment.  I get a bottle of this stuff and dump half a bottle in every month to keep the tank active and the field clear.

I've heard this as well. Can you recommend a specific product?

Do you pour directly in tank or just pour in the sink??  Thanks

Here's a link to see the product.
http://www.heartlandlabs.com/septifree.html
  Just flush down the toilet or through the sink drain and rinse.  I get it at Menard's.  They recommend a 1/3 bottle per treatment, but I use half a bottle each month.  Cheap insurance for sure, and it works.
Cheers.

[Don R]

Yeast of any type may be helpful too. dump it in. I used to pump tanks. It was hilarous once when we were pumping air into the tank to mix up the liquids and solids and condoms began to fill with air and pop to the surface. The old farmer saw them and shot into the house. A few minutes later he came out and mentioned at least his sons-in laws were being careful, cause I haven't worried about that for years.

[RAFster122s]

My sister and her husband had bought a house after being married few month previous and had a septic that was backing up and not flushing. They apparently had friends with pumping service and they emptied the tank and found the inlet pipe was totally clogged with condoms. They got razzed about that for a long time by their friends and cousins who were helping.

Why would anyone with half a brain think flushing a condom was a  good idea on a septic system??

------

Feeding the septic with old corn meal with the yeast or rid-x enzyme product is beneficial...gives yeast more to work with.
In Mexico it is std practice to not flush paper of any type in toilets. So, the odor in bathrooms there is especially "colorful" shall we say. It ain't no reading room there...in and out quickly.

[74cb750]

My sister and her husband had bought a house after being married few month previous and had a septic that was backing up and not flushing. They apparently had friends with pumping service and they emptied the tank and found the inlet pipe was totally clogged with condoms. They got razzed about that for a long time by their friends and cousins who were helping.

Why would anyone with half a brain think flushing a condom was a  good idea on a septic system??

Well, depends who is looking over your shoulder while you are in the bathroom. ;-)

------

Feeding the septic with old corn meal with the yeast or rid-x enzyme product is beneficial...gives yeast more to work with.
In Mexico it is std practice to not flush paper of any type in toilets. So, the odor in bathrooms there is especially "colorful" shall we say. It ain't no reading room there...in and out quickly.