Hey there. I tried searching through the plumbing forum for some answers but only got a few bits and pieces that Im not sure really apply to my issue.

Since July, I have had issues with water backing up into my bathtub and coming up through the shower drain. I first time was the worst, it was nasty urine smelling water that was brown-ish and it actually flooded my bathroom. My boyfriend plunged and used tons of drano and nothing worked. I finally had a service come out and clean out the septic tank and everything returned to normal.. for a little while..

A couple of different times in the past few months the toilet would gurgle (send up air bubbles) or clear water would come up through the tub then go back down again.

Now the problem is back once again. This time, I just walked into my bathroom and noticed the walk-in shower had water in it and the bathtub was half full of black-ish water. Also the other bathroom tub has about 2 inches of gray-ish water.Neither I nor my two roommates have used the toilet or the shower in a few hours.

If it is of any help, I never have problems with the sinks or the washing machine and I have well water. PLEASE HELP!

The reason that water is not coming back into the sink is because it is higher than the other things and before water would get that high it would run over the tub or commode.

I kate to tell you but it is possible that you tank is full again and will have to be pumped.

Or it could be that the line is stopped up before the water gets to the septic tank. Either way you are probably going to have to have a service man come out.

The gurgle is your sewage line trying to vent because your vent stack is clogged. The clog is right where the stack and drain come together, most likely place. Rod from the roof is best if safe this time of the year. You can stop plunging and using chemicals. While it is possible that your field is satyrayted and the tank can no longer function the likelihood is lesser than the clogged vent, maybe you have both. That service man, was he a septic pumper with a very large truck and they had to dig down in your yard to lift a concrete lid, that kind of guy?

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

The gurgle is your sewage line trying to vent because your vent stack is clogged. The clog is right where the stack and drain come together, most likely place. Rod from the roof is best if safe this time of the year. You can stop plunging and using chemicals. While it is possible that your field is satyrayted and the tank can no longer function the likelihood is lesser than the clogged vent, maybe you have both. That service man, was he a septic pumper with a very large truck and they had to dig down in your yard to lift a concrete lid, that kind of guy??

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It was a septic pumper and they got on the roof and snaked a pipe on the roof.. is that the vent stack?

I live in FLorida so even though it is abnormally chilly, it is safe to get on the roof :)

What did the pumping guy tell you? He should have been able to tell you if your septic system is the problem or if it is a drainline problem.

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Originally Posted by truck 41

what did the pumping guy tell you? he should have been able to tell you if your septic system is the problem or if it is a drainline problem.

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Honestly I don't really remember.. I want to say drainline...

New Update: The water has drained from tub and shower.. left gross looking residue.. everything is back to normal.. again. Ugh?

Did he also "and they had to dig down in your yard to lift a concrete lid, that kind of guy??" Sounds like he did snake your vent stack

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Did he also "and they had to dig down in your yard to lift a concrete lid, that kind of guy??" Sounds like he did snake your vent stack

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They didn't dig a thing..

Fun fact Im from GLen Ellyn, IL :)

Not too many septics in your home town but yours sure wasn't pumped down in Florida. Not sure what he did but you don't pump out s eptic without digging. He must have rodded just your vent stack which is fine, I too suspevted a clogged vent. You apparently still have issues. When was your septic pumped out if ever?

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Not too many septics in your home town but yours sure wasn't pumped down in Florida. Not sure what he did but you don't pump out s eptic without digging. He must have rodded just your vent stack which is fine, I too suspevted a clogged vent. You apparently still have issues. When was your septic pumped out if ever?

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Oh man I don't know when because that is what I thought he did! :(

They put a huuuge tube/hose down it so I thought they pumped it from up there

Septic tanks are not pumped via the vent stack. There is no way on earth they could have reached your tank by following all of your vent, drains to the tank which is likely another 50' away from the house. Did he bill you, what did it say?

Yes you can have your septic pumped without digging up anything unless your lid is covered. There is a cement lid that is removed and they put a large 4" hose they put down into your septic and suck it up into a large pumper truck. Your problem is one of 3 things. 1) Your septic tank is still full (when they pump it tell them to make sure they get it all off the bottom, some places like to take advantage and only suck up the top liquid and not everything on the bottom so it fills quicker), 2) your line to your septic is plugged part way (it may not be plugged all the way that is why it still drains some), 3) your line to your septic may be broken (you may need to have someone come out and TV (camera) your line to the septic.

This is a common misconception. A properly working septic tank is always full to the top of the baffle. The tank is full and only the gray water floating on the very top over flows to the field. A full tank will not mean a problem but a saturated field downstream of the tank would be a biggy. Christine may have moved on since we have not heard from her in 4 days, we may never hear back as to what they really did. I would agree that this may be the time for a plumber to come out and assess the condition of the field and drain lines, not the guy that claims to have pumped the tank via the roof though.

Thank you all for your quick answers.. I contacted my dad and he is going to try to find the company we used to pump the tank.. hopefully this will be resolved soon!