View Full Version : Vent stack blockage
skfinley
May 5, 2013, 08:37 AM
My septic filled up and backed into drain lines. After pumping the septic tank and clearing all drains I had a bubbling in the toilet so I ran a snake from the roof all the way until I could see it at the clean out valve. Everything seemed fine until I flushed the toilet. Now no water is flowing through clean out line. It just sits there. I also snaked this pipe into the tank. Is it possible that I pushed blockage that was in the air stack further down but not completely out? Thank you for any help.
Milo Dolezal
May 5, 2013, 10:11 AM
Yes there is a possibility that that happened, but probably not. 4" or 3" vent stack is extremely hard to block. Does every other plumbing fixture in your house drain OK ?
It is most likely, you didn't do good job cleaning the drain in first place. It takes quite an effort to completely block a vent pipe. Water should eventually drain even there is no functional vent present. I suggest that you remove the toilet and snake it through closet ring ( hole in the floor toilet sits on ). Then, take hose, put it into toilet opening in the floor and run it full blast for 10 minutes. If drain absorbs all the water than you are set to go. If not, keep cleaning. If problem persists, consider doing Video Inspection to see exactly what's going on with our sewer. Advice: always snake with the flow. Back to you. Milo
skfinley
May 5, 2013, 10:56 AM
Thank you. I have two sinks, one toilet and one shower on this septic tank. I have two tanks because of the house size. All the pipes to this one septic start to drain then slowly start to back up into the pipe from house to tank. They eventually drain. Sounds like great advice. Thanks. Sandra
speedball1
May 6, 2013, 07:34 AM
I had a bubbling in the toilet That indicates a back pressure caused by a blockage. Milo's correct. Either you didn't get the blockage when you lines.
Now no water is flowing through clean out line. It just sits there. Do you get any water backing up in the cleanout when you flush? And pumping the tank didn't help? Back to you, Tom