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scotslass · Feb 9, 2009, 08:35 AM

Hi

I am having a stressfull time with our plumbing. Our toilet started having a small leak from its base, and when either the toilet was flushed or the downstairs bathroom sink was run, the kitchen sink would gurgle.
So we changed the wax ring on the toilet, now when my washing machine drains, it comes out the bath, the toilet still leaks, the kitchen sink still gurgles, now when we flush the toilet water comes up the drain in the bath.
We flushed out the vent on the roof, have poured stuff down the bath, the drainage hose for the washing machine, still no luck
Even bought one of those balloon things that go on your hose and put it in the overflow of the bath, still no luck.
My toilet seemed to be working OK after doing some of this, but now this morning when you flush it, its coming up the bath again, and the bowl of the toilet the water comes up high when flushed takes a while to drain and then has a low water level.
Please someone help me, I'm about at my wits end

Thanks

Laura

ballengerb1 · Feb 9, 2009, 08:48 AM

Your main drain line is plugged up and requires rodding. Do you have any clean outs in your basement, city or septic?

Milo Dolezal · Feb 9, 2009, 09:03 AM

The leak around the base of the toilet is telling you that there may be sewer back up. Changing wax ring will not do too much. Do as Ballengerb1 said: snake your sewer main.

scotslass · Feb 9, 2009, 09:56 AM

I have looked around the outside of the house and do not see a clean out drain could it be in the crawl space under the house.

How easy is it to rod the line, could I do it myself

Milo Dolezal · Feb 9, 2009, 10:02 AM

Exterior clean out may be few inches bellow the grade. It is hard to work under the house with large snake, provided, that you will be able to remove the end plug. You can go to your downstairs toilet, remove it, and snake it through the toilet opening. You can rent snake in Home Depot and do it yourself. But be prepared for messy job. Also, wear good gloves and be (very) aware of the quickly spinning, and possibly kinking, cable.

ballengerb1 · Feb 9, 2009, 10:03 AM

You can rent a good sewer rodder for about $60 an do the job yourself with a little advice from us. You must find an access point to get inside. Depending on the age of the home there could be a clean out about 18" outside the foundation, could be slightly underground. Most homes do have a clean out in the basement or crawl. How old is the home and where are you?

scotslass · Feb 9, 2009, 10:12 AM

We are in ronan Montana and the original part of the house was built in 1930, but its had an addition added to it since then.

Would it be easier to get a plumber to do this, I am on such a low budget that I really wanted to do this myself

scotslass · Feb 9, 2009, 10:14 AM

We have a full bathroom upstairs too but are having no problems with that

Milo Dolezal · Feb 9, 2009, 10:15 AM

The addition should have a Clean Out. The original house probably not.

I do not know how much they charge in Montana but in my area snaking main line will run you around $100.00 with accessible Clean Out. Without clean out - it depends if he can snake it through the roof vent or access sewer main through crawl space clean out. In these cases he could charge you more... He may even suggest to install new exterior clean out. Installing new clean out will costs few hundred dollars more.

scotslass · Feb 9, 2009, 10:32 AM

I will go outside and check again for the clean out, I would really prefer to see if I could do this myself if I can't find the clean out, what is the next option

Milo Dolezal · Feb 9, 2009, 10:36 AM

Scotslass: take a shovel and kind of poke it in the dirt around the house, usually the side of the house facing the street. Clean out could be covered with vegetation. We usually cut it so it ends up being about 6" below the ground. Clean out itself should be located about 18-24" away from the exterior wall.

Come back & let us know how you did...

scotslass · Feb 9, 2009, 10:40 AM

Just one more quick question, the main sewer line is in the alley way at the back of the house does that mean that the clean out will be at the back of the house too

Milo Dolezal · Feb 9, 2009, 10:42 AM

That is correct. If you have main City sewer in the alley than your sewer line will be exiting your house towards the back.

scotslass · Feb 9, 2009, 10:48 AM

Thanks I will get back to you and tell you what I find

scotslass · Feb 9, 2009, 11:40 AM

Well I've looked and still can't find the clean out, so is there another option that I can do to clear the line,

ballengerb1 · Feb 9, 2009, 01:05 PM

Scot, all your drains eventually come together so the upper floors appear to be OK but are likely just stacking sewage into the lower pipes. Sounds like this is only a partial clog, they do get worse on their own. See where your sewer line exits the house and then try probing with a steel or fiberglass rod into the ground opposite where the drain exits the house.

scotslass · Feb 9, 2009, 01:42 PM

Would it be worth looking under the house in the crawl space to see if the clean out is there and also to look at where the pipes/drains are

I'm sorry I'm just being a clueless woman

ballengerb1 · Feb 9, 2009, 02:43 PM

Yes look under the house. If you don't see a clean out you will at least see where the pipe comes down from the houses plumbing and goes through the exterior wall of the foundation.

scotslass · Feb 9, 2009, 02:45 PM

I will send my son down to look for me, and will let you know what we find