[hollyesposito]

This has happened a lot especially when it rains, or a lot of snow melts? What can I do? We have to go to the gas station to do number two, and it can take up to a day or two of heavy plunging and treatments before it starts working again

[JudyKayTee]

Has a plumber looked at this?

Do you own or rent?

I had a similar problem with property I owned and rented out and it was a problem with the sewer, not the house.

[hollyesposito]

I rent, I opened that outside line, it's a white pipe with a lid on it, it looks fine, no cloggs I can see down into it. This happens a lot. When we first moved in, within a week, the drains backed up into the bathtub, including the toilet, it happened twice? The other drains are working fine, just the toilet?

[JudyKayTee]

Advise the landlord IN WRITING that the house/apartment is uninhabitable because you do NOT have toilet facilities.

[hollyesposito]

That's the thing, I like where my house is located, great neighborhood, and I like my landlord, I don't want to upset my landlord or create any bad issues, am I being to passive maybe? I am really sick of this issue, seriously sick of it. But I don't want to seem to aggressive while handling it with the landlord.

[JudyKayTee]

that's the thing, I like where my house is located, great neighborhood, and i like my landlord, I don't want to upset my landlord or create any bad issues, am i being to passive maybe? I am really sick of this issue, seriously sick of it. But i don't want to seem to aggressive while handling it with the landlord.

If you want an honest answer, yes, you are being too passive. Every problem with a rental property does NOT have to end up in a landlord/tenant battle. There is a problem. You'd appreciate it if the landlord would take a look at it. The landlord cannot correct the problem if the landlord doesn't know it exists.

I think you are living in unsafe, unclean and dangerous conditions.

[hollyesposito]

They know that I've had ongoing problems with it, they've had a plumber out here three orfour times before

[hkstroud]

Could you clarify a couple of things?

You said.

within a week, the drains backed up into the bathtub, including the toilet, it happened twice? The other drains are working fine, just the toilet?

Does that mean that the toilet and other drains were backing up into the tub? Some work was done. The other drains are now working properly but the toilet continues to back up into the tub?

If that is correct, are you saying that this only happens when you have a rain or a heavy snow melt?

PS
I wish my tenants were more like you.

[hollyesposito]

After the plumber came out the second time because of the drains and toilet backing up into the tub, I haven't had anymore problems with the backing of anything into the tub. Just the reoccuring toilet draining slowly and bubbling after heavy rain or snow melt. I however was told by my dad it could be tree roots to not flush any toilet paper or anything else down the toilet, even though I'm on city sewer and don't have a septic. And to flush a cup of salt once a month down the toilet to help prevent the roots growing any better. I put a cup of salt in the toilet and plunged my little heart out, and now my toilet is flushing normally this evening?? I'm baffled

[hkstroud]

If the toilet backs up or drains slow only after a rain or a lot of snow melt that sounds like broken sewer line. The rain water or melted snow is probably washing dirt in to the sewer line. That dirt could be catching tissue and solids. Eventually stopping the sewer line completely.

The next time the toilet stops up go outside and remove the cap to the clean out. With a flash light look down the pipe. If you see water and sewage the blockage is between the clean out and the street. If you don't see water the blockage is between the clean out and the house (the toilet).

If the problem is tree roots you will have the problem even though there is no rain.
Don't think salt will kill the tree roots. Copper sulfate is what is commonly used. I believe that it is some times referred to as copper salts. Available at hardware stores and garden shops. It will kill the roots but they will keep coming back. Even if you kill the roots, dead roots will still be there catch things and stop up the line so the line must be snaked with a sewer snake and a cutting head.. When the plumber runs a snake down the line he should see signs of roots on the snake when he pulls it out. He might not be able to see signs of dirt.
If he finds roots he should be able to tell you approximately where the break is. The only permanent fix is to dig up the line and repair.
If he can't tell you what the blockage is it would be best to run a camera down the line.

Landlord may as well do it because the problem is not going to go away.