Hello All, I live in a 1970s house on septic and when I run my washing machine it backs up through the garage via the condensate line on the stint pipe. I usually could always snake it to work properly but for the past week it still floods the garage. I've snaked it with a 30 ft hand snake (purchased from wal mart) and had my septic tank pumped. There isn't a vent specifically for my washer on my house, it appears that the washer line is also connected with my kitchen lines. When I open my washing machine while its pumping water out I hear a gurgling sound. My question is, if I snake my vent line for the kitchen could this resolve my problem? What else can it be, any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Okie,
Have you checked on your leach fields? Your local septic company should be able to evaluate your fields. Sometimes, they can become non-functioning. You stated that you have had the septic pumped out but you still have flooding. This leads me to believe that the leach fields are not removing the liquids like they were designed to do so. The tank is suppose to hold the solids while the leach fields lets the liquid out of the tank to evaporate which is what it is suppose to do. Bacteria breaks down the solids and then the leach field takes the liquids away. If your leach fields have been "contaminated" by solids, then the leach field becomes clogged up with solids stuff instead of just liquids. Over many years, it may clean itself out but you obviously can't wait many years. You may also have put more into the system then it was originally designed for. You should have gotten an invoice from the septic company and it will tell you quite a bit about your systems load capacity. --- Ace

Thanks for the reply Ace - Yes I had the septic tank pumped this afternoon and they said my lines were working properly, and my septic tank was a little full of water but not of solids. After they pumped my septic tank I went inside before I covered it to run the washing machine and it still flooded my garage via the condesate pipe.

Just found out that my p-trap (which is under the slab) under the stand pipe is busted, so it looks like I'll be chipping concrete to fix this problem

Also verify the washing machine goes to the septic tank. On some older homes they do not

I checked when I pump the septic tank and it does indeed go to my septic.

Good. I hope you use eye and ear protection in breaking the concrete.