Hello, I started noticing a problem a few days ago when showering. The toilet next to the shower started burping big bubbles. My shower drained, but when I flushed the toilet it started flowing out the shower drain.
Thinking I had a clog, I used a toilet plunger and I could pump water from the shower back to the toilet.

Checking the bathroom that backs up to the first, I had the same situation with its toilet and tub.

I stopped using all drains and by the next morning, the shower was drained.

Flushing the toilet and number of times started backing in the shower again.

I started to remove the cleanout between the house and street sewer system. With a little loosening, water started trickling around the threads. After an hour, the shower had drained.

Thinking it must be clogged between the cleanout and street, I removed the cleanout and figured I would try seeing if the hose might flush the short distance. When I started hosing around the cleanout, the water was draining. I replaced the cleanout cap.

I flushed the toilet about 10 times and it worked fine. We started using the system again.

Later taking a shower, I heard bubbling in the toilet again.

Does this sound like a blocked vent stack? My thinking... Opening the street cleanout allows enough water to flow out, and then allow air to enter so thing fun tonight OK for awhile. Is it the vent or a blockage in the line to the sewer?

Everything is complicated because I have a serious disability making hard for me to walk. Getting on the roof to snake a stack... Tough. With a disability, paying someone is also a problem, so narrowing the problem is critical. Thank you!

Does this sound like a blocked vent stack? Not to me it don't, You have a partial blockage downstream form the shower, Not between the house and the street. Plunging the toilet won't help either, The solution would be to either snake the shower drain or pull the toilet and snake the drain line. Good luck, Tom

That was my first thought, but when it drained after loosening the street cleanout cap, I figured it had to be clear between the shower & the cleanout. What am I missing? Thanks so much!


Not to me it don't, You have a partial blockage downstream form the shower, Not between the house and the street. Plunging the toilet won't help either, The solution would be to either snake the shower drain or pull the toilet and snake the drain line. Good luck, Tom

Unless you have water backing up out of the house cleanout as the washer discharges the line between the house and street is clear. Do you have water backing up from the open clean out when the washer's draining? Let me know, Tom