[esg]

I have a 1961 one story house on a slab foundation. The weather has been below freezing, day and night, for the last two weeks.

I ran the washing machine, and during the drain cycle, noticed air "blooping" in the toilet bowl next to the shower (also in use). After appx one minute, the shower stopped draining. In 15 more seconds, brown water plus "bits" started coming up through the tub drain.

Several questions: 1) Where does my washer drain to? 2) Where does the tub/toilet drain to? 3) Is my drain frozen, and where? 4) How do I fix the problem? Almost all references to frozen pipes have been re: supply pipes, and the few that address drains are with basement or crawl space foundations.

Thanks for your help.

[fshay1]

If it was installed correctly, I would guess that the drain is plugged rather then frozen. All of the drains in your house should end up in the main which should be buried lower then the regional frost line. The water that's being PUMPED out of the washer is forcing the water under less pressure back up into the tub drain. I would start by snaking the toilet with a hand snake. If that didn't work I would rent an auger or better still call a plumber! Lol. You may want to check with neighbors to see if they are experiencing any similar problems. Remember I am doing a lot of hypothisizing here and good luck!