Whenever we wash clothes the water backs up in the bath tubs and shower. We had the septic tank pumped out over the summer and it helped but now the water is backing up again . The septic tank can't be full again , could it ? Please help I am tired of cleaning up water . Also it is causing my toilets to over flow .

Oh man I feal horible for you. Your leach field may have problems.
I live in a trailer on 20 acers with my family. This sounds bold but I cut a hole in the side of the house put together a l shaped pipe and run my washer out the side to water my trees.
I also herd that ridecs helps.
Good luck!!

Thanks Wayne , I do have a pipe that runs out from the side of house for washer . Could it be stopped up and how do I check to see if it is ?

Your tank may be fine but your drain line going to it is partially blocked. When the washer drains it puts water into the drain faster than the blocked drain can let it out to the tank. Rod that drain all the way to the tank, probably 40'. Do not put gray water out the side of your home. Besides being againist code it does not help trees. Washing machine detergent is made from petroleum.

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Your tank may be fine but your drain line going to it is partially blocked. When the washer drains it puts water into the drain faster than the blocked drain can let it out to the tank. Rod that drain all the way to the tank, probably 40'. Do not put gray water out the side of your home. Besides being againist code it does not help trees. Washing machine detergent is made from petroleum.

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The line that is running out from the side of house is the one that plumber installed 10 years ago when we bought our house . So it is up to code , Inspector passed it . OUr home is a doublewide and was brand new when we purchased it .

I am not going to argue about this line since I don't know where you live. No building code I know of allows gray water to be dispensed on the ground. Either way, it is not good for trees. I still believe your real plumbing issue isd a partially blocked drain going out to the tank.

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

I am not going to argue about this line since I don't know where you live. No building code I know of allows gray water to be dispensed on the ground. Either way, it is not good for trees. I still believe your real plumbing issue isd a partially blocked drain going out to the tank.

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Ok I don't know why you keep referencing about trees . I have said nothing about any trees . I just want the water to quit backing up in my house .

"run my washer out the side to water my trees.
i also herd that ridecs helps." The other poster was telling you it was good for trees and I am disagreeing with his advice.

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

"run my washer out the side to water my trees.
i also herd that ridecs helps." The other poster was telling you it was good for trees and I am disagreeing with his advice.

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Oh Ok , Let me tell you what the guy said that that pumped out the septic tank over the summer . He said the problem wasn't in the septic tank . He tried to tell me it was cigarette buts clogging up the drain lines , Seeing as how we don't smoke I don't see how this is possible . He couldn't produce any of the cigarette buts he claimed to be clogging my drains . He said I have three lines that go from the septic tank to where ever it drains . I have had a plumber look at it and he says it is a septic problem but septic man says it isn't . I am about to pull out my hair .

The guy who pumped your tank may have been building up to getting you to replace your field. I think he was full of beans. When you pump a tank you can't see into the field tiles. Tanks can operate just fine with little or no pumping, most pros recommend pumping every 5-10 years but then they are trying to get your business. Tanks remain about 95% full to the top with only a few inches of air space between the sewage syrface and the tank lid. If your tank was 100% full to the very top of the tank then your field may have failed. If there was a few inches of air space then I'd still think you have a blocked drain going to the tank. Did the plumber says he got his snake all the way to the tank?

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

The guy who pumped your tank may have been building up to getting you to replace your field. I think he was full of beans. When you pump a tank you can't see into the field tiles. Tanks can operate just fine with little or no pumping, most pros recommend pumping every 5-10 years but then they are trying to get your business. Tanks remain about 95% full to the top with only a few inches of air space between the sewage syrface and the tank lid. If your tank was 100% full to the very top of the tank then your field may have failed. If there was a few inches of air space then I'd still think you have a blocked drain going to the tank. Did the plumber says he got his snake all the way to the tank??

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He didn't snake it... he said he doesn't do that . He said the septic man would snake it . Do I need to call someone else ?

You got yourself some real winners there. The guy who pumps tanks does not snake pipes, plumbers snake pipes. Plumbers who don't snake pipes aren't real plumbers. I would start fresh with a new plumber who knows what he is doing. A failed tank or field is rare compared to a clog in a drain. When you hear hoofs think horses not zebras.

I agree with those who are telling you your leach field may be to blame. I had to have ours replaced after similar problems, and there hasn't been an issue since. Of course, my hubby, who does a little plumbing on the side, kept telling me the sink in the kitchen drained slow because of the leach field, but it didn't get better when the leach field was replaced. In fact, it clogged entirely when he was away on a fishing trip...

The kids and I unhooked the kitchen drain pipe in the basement when Draino didn't help and discovered that the prior owner had dumped grease down there as well as allowing her family to wash their hair in the kitchen sink. We pulled out tons of greasy black hair clogs before the water (which had still stood in the sink even after the pipe was disconnected) suddenly let loose! It was very messy at the time, but a couple of more runs with Draino Pipe Snake fluid cleaned the remaining mess off the sides of the pipe, and we haven't had a repeat of the problem.

So have your leach field replaced (which is expensive, but worth it) and the pipes cleared out (which may contain gunk that backed up at some point) and you're apt to find your entire problem is gone for good! (And don't forget to put Rid-Ex in once a month to prevent future problems, as we've done so since 2002 and haven't had to have the "kaa-kaa suckah" back!)

I agree with Tiggerella completely. I had a gas poscket in my line that backed up my sewage. Opend the drain cap 1 big fart and it was fine. It can be a merried of things. The sigeret buds may have been from a former owner on les the system is new. You may have a cloged pipe. Or a saturated field. Try the easy things first. I would open my out side drain produce the conditions to cause the back up and see if the water goes by. Be prepaird to turn of the water in a hurry. (be care full)

And I water my tries with the washing machine water all the time. As do meny people! But I use organic washing machine soap. I run an organic farm. Althou I do not water my produce with it. Any thing I put in the er or water in one way or another I will have to injest. Such as miricle grow that kills your soil organisms(worms bugs and bacterea), you wach your products. I don't like ridec but some times you do what must be done.
Good luck on the septic tank and cloge.

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Originally Posted by cwarricksgal

Whenever we wash clothes the water backs up in the bath tubs and shower. We had the septic tank pumped out over the summer and it helped but now the water is backing up again . the septic tank can't be full again , could it ? Please help I am tired of cleaning up water . Also it is causing my toilets to over flow .

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I install septic tanks daily , I believe what you have is a cracked pipe, if you go out to your garden you maybe have wet spots, this would suggest a leak /crack pipes, or you tank mite be full again , but if you just had it cleaned , then rule that out ,
Do you have latria lines, or latria heads, you mite want to consider installing two heads to get rid of the water faster,
In the mean time , when a washer get rid of the waste, its been pumped out fast , maybe , you have a block pipe, somewhere near the toilet , as the washer tend to share
The same pipe, if you have an other problems please tell me

A failed tank or field is rare compared to a clog in a drain. When you hear hoofs think horses not zebras. Do not overlook the obvious, a blocked drain going to the tank.
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