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    seatacwhat's Avatar
    seatacwhat Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Jul 23, 2010, 01:46 PM
    Problem With Toilet Not Flushing And Shower Back Up
    OK I'm in a big situation here. When I flush my toilet it seems as if its going to complete the flush and starts to drain but then it just keeps swirling and filling up and if I do not shut off water to toilet and / or plunge the shower drain it will overflow . When I pump the shower drain the toilet will empty and all the stuff from the septic will then come up through the shower drain. I guess I can't really say septic because if there is as plug then its not from septic but from what's behind the plug.

    This been going on for couple days now and I came to this thread to get some tips and since the entire septic system just got completely replaced its not that and its not the tanks are full. I get no issues through kitchen or bathroom sinks just the shower and toilet.. well I took couple tips off here and I went on roof and ran snake down vent pipe and then I removed toilet and ran snake down that pipe and I turned the shower on to clean my hands when finished then all the water from the shower drain started coming up the toilet drain. I had just caught it before it started to overflow.

    When I ran snake down toilet pipe I ran couple feet then had to do some wiggling I assume that's the bend then after that ran it 4 feet or so then had problems and had to maneuver it then it went through then a few more feet had to maneuver it some more then it wouldn't go anymore.


    I plunged the shower drain to see what happen as I looked down the toilet pipe and the shower was hard to bring up and water but as I was doing it the toilet pipe would start to fill.


    That about sums it up any help would be great
    massplumber2008's Avatar
    massplumber2008 Posts: 12,832, Reputation: 1212
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    #2

    Jul 23, 2010, 01:53 PM

    Hi Seatacwhat...

    Sounds like you are taking all the appropriate steps. What size snake are you usi? It should be a medium to large sewer snake... see images. If you are using a hand-held snake (last image) then you have the wrong snake for the job.

    If you are using the correct snake then it could be that you have a broken pipe there.. hard to say so far though!

    Let me know what machine you are using...

    Mark
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    seatacwhat's Avatar
    seatacwhat Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Jul 23, 2010, 01:56 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by massplumber2008 View Post
    Hi Seatacwhat...

    Sounds like you are taking all the appropriate steps. What size snake are you usng? It should be a medium to large sewer snake...see images. If you are using a hand-held snake (last image) then you have the wrong snake for the job.

    If you are using the correct snake then it could be that you have a broken pipe there..hard to say so far though!

    Let me know what machine you are using...

    Mark

    Lol I am using hand held snake and its not even as cool as that one its manual no cool looking drill thing.
    massplumber2008's Avatar
    massplumber2008 Posts: 12,832, Reputation: 1212
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    #4

    Jul 23, 2010, 02:01 PM


    I can see why you are having trouble.. :p .

    Go to a local rental store and rent the medium electric snake with a 3/8" cable... minimum.

    Purchase some leather gloves and goggles for safety.. OK? Some plastic sheeting taped to the walls will keep down on any splash mess.

    Keep the pipe full while snaking... that way when you hit the blockage you'll know it. Snake the drain slow... see what you run into.

    Let me know how you make out... OK?

    Mark
    seatacwhat's Avatar
    seatacwhat Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Jul 23, 2010, 02:04 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by massplumber2008 View Post
    I can see why you are having trouble..:p .

    Go to a local rental store and rent the medium electric snake with a 3/8" cable...mninimum.

    Purchase some leather gloves and goggles for safety..OK?

    Come home and snake the drain..go slow and see what you run into.

    Let me know how you make out...OK?

    Mark
    Will do thanks for help ill let you know the outcome after I get it done
    massplumber2008's Avatar
    massplumber2008 Posts: 12,832, Reputation: 1212
    Senior Plumbing Expert
     
    #6

    Jul 23, 2010, 02:05 PM

    I changed my post above.. reread before you start. Good luck!
    seatacwhat's Avatar
    seatacwhat Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #7

    Jul 26, 2010, 10:41 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by massplumber2008 View Post
    I can see why you are having trouble..:p .

    Go to a local rental store and rent the medium electric snake with a 3/8" cable...minimum.

    Purchase some leather gloves and goggles for safety..OK? Some plastic sheeting taped to the walls will keep down on any splash mess.

    Keep the pipe full while snaking...that way when you hit the blockage you'll know it. Snake the drain slow...see what you run into.

    Let me know how you make out...OK?

    Mark

    OK I did everything you said to do with snake and I used all 50 feet of the snake down the line and hit no plugs but the system is still plugged. The septic system is no more than 35 feet from where I started snaking it from. We just had the entire septic system done. All the pipes and everything are brand new. There are various access caps through out the yard now. I checked the one that is right next to the septic tank itself and it was full. This access point is placed closer to the house than the septic tank so I imagine that the sewage goes to that part of system before it goes to main tank. It looks like a overflow or something. Its just cement silo type deal but separate from main tank which is about half foot away.

    I had my girlfriend plunge the bathroom shower as I looked down the silo and it would start to fill then suck water and stuff back down and filled up as she plunged and so on.

    Would that mean that it could be plugged from that part of the system? As I mentioned before the entire system is only about 6 month old. Are the tanks suppose to be full at all times then they just drain into the field or if the drain field is below the new grass and the grass was being watered for one hour or so a day for little over a week make the system back up and back our system up?

    Any help be great thanks

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