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punkerbuggie · Jan 31, 2012, 09:42 PM

I have an older home 60's with one bathroom on city water and septic system. The tank was cleaned out this past summer so I know that is not the problem. About 6 months ago I borrowed a 50' snake and snaked the vent pipe on the roof which made the kitchen sink drain like a champ. The sink and tub in the bathroom drain fine, it is just the toilet. I tried to snake the vent pipe above the bathroom and I was able to get about 35' of the 50' snake in without a problem. I saw a bit of black silt on the snake but nothing of any consequence that would make the toilet flush slow. Repeated flushes in a row will bring water up into the bath tub. My plan is to go back up with the garden hose (used it the first time) and try to give it a good clean out with that. I am open to suggestion and also to know if it is possible to snake the toilet. I suppose if all else fails, I will call a plumber, however times are tough and extra $$$ is scarce. I am open to any suggestions and willing to try anything that I have not tried yet to fix this. One person in household and no grease or glogging substances are used. Thanks for any help that you can give!

speedball1 · Feb 1, 2012, 06:19 AM

Hold off calling the plumber. You have giver us all the information except what we need. And that's What does the toilet do? Overflow? Fills the bowl and then swirls and slowly drains down without taking the solids? What?
To snake a toilet you will need to purchase a closet auger, (see image). Pick one up at any hardware store. Let me know what's happening to your toilet and we'll walk you through the repair. Sound like a plan? Tom

punkerbuggie · Feb 1, 2012, 07:13 AM

Thanks for the response! In the morning the first 2 flushes are OK. All is flushed and no back up in bathtub, which is within 2' of the toilet. On the third flush the toilet begins a normal flush then almost stops and most of the water goes out with sort of a chug as opposed to a clean flush. On the fourth and there after, unitl a substantial period passes it will over flow into the bath tub. The toilet never over flows and the flush of the toilet seems strong it is at the end. I suspect it is not the toilet but the air vent but I am unable to bring up a clog of any sort. The house is small 1000' so 35' of a snake in the vent is really a lot. I do reach a point where I am unable to go further but it feels as though I am hitting solid pipe as opposed to a clog, it is hard to describe but it is like metal hard not a solid thud hard. Thank you so much for any suggestions you may have. At this point I am very functional and at work all day so it is not a huge issue, I would just like to fix it before it gets worse. Is it possible to put drain cleaner in the vent?

speedball1 · Feb 1, 2012, 07:35 AM

It doesn't sound like a vent problem to me. You've described a blockage. But this one sounds like it's outside your house. Try this.
Go outside and open the house cleanout. Now start flushing and watch the flow. After 4 or 5 flushes if the cleanout overflows then you have a septic problem. Most likely the drainfield's so loaded it can no longer disperse the liquid the septic tank sends it. Let me know if the cleanout overflows. Back to you, Tom

punkerbuggie · Feb 1, 2012, 07:56 AM

I had the septic emptied about 6 months ago and I am in agreement that it could be the clean out but I am unable to find one. The septic is on the side of the house and the driveway is butted against the house. I do not see any pipes coming out of the house. I will really look good this evening when I go home as I suspect that you are right on, the house is a Florida house with no basement built in 1964. Because there is no use all day the problem has not escelated further but it would be nice to fix it.

I had the septic emptied about 6 months ago and I am in agreement that it could be the clean out but I am unable to find one. The septic is on the side of the house and the driveway is butted against the house. I do not see any pipes coming out of the house. I will really look good this evening when I go home as I suspect that you are right on, the house is a Florida house with no basement built in 1964. Because there is no use all day the problem has not escelated further but it would be nice to fix it. Thank you for taking time to assist me with this!

speedball1 · Feb 1, 2012, 08:32 AM

I too live in Florida and our code mandates a sewer cleanout not over 18" off the foundation and brought to grade. In time dirt may cover it but it's there. It is usually located on the same aside as the septic tank. We take a pointed rod and probe the ground until we hit a pipe. All indications point to a failed drainfield. If you can't locate the clean out can you open a inspection port on the septic tank? If it's full call in a drainfield expert to check yours out. Good luck, Tom

punkerbuggie · Feb 1, 2012, 09:33 AM

Ok I will search for a cleanout. My drain field is relatively new, septic old but recently emptied. My worry is that they covered the cleanout with the driveway. It is house, then driveway then septic. Thank you for all the suggestions, I will try again as time allows. I really appreciate the input!

speedball1 · Feb 1, 2012, 09:55 AM

If you can't locate the house cleanout then open up a port on the tank. Give it 4 or 5 flushes and if the tank fills up then you have an problem downstream from the septic tank. This could be either a loaded drainfield or a faulty manifold. Good luck, Tom

punkerbuggie · Feb 1, 2012, 02:02 PM

Can you tell me if the clean out would be closer to the house or to the septic tank and will it be a metal cover plate or somehting of that nature? I am really not sure what I am looking for but I know where the septic tank cover is located and I can sort of follow that line back towards the house. Thanks for your help!

Fr_Chuck · Feb 1, 2012, 02:21 PM

Yes or maybe no, In one house I moved to, there was nothing you could see by looking,
We went to the building permit department and got a layout of where it was put. We then took rods and poked into the ground till we hit the top. ( the top was concrete)

Another home had a clean out for the sewer line by the house to "rotor" the line from house to tank if needed. And it has a pipe sticking about 2 feet above the ground that was a clean out.

speedball1 · Feb 2, 2012, 06:51 AM

Can you tell me if the clean out would be closer to the house or to the septic tank and will it be a metal cover plate or somehting of that nature?

I answered that in post #6 (see below)

I too live in Florida and our code mandates a sewer cleanout not over 18" off the foundation and brought to grade. In time dirt may cover it but it's there. It is usually located on the same aside as the septic tank. We take a pointed rod and probe the ground until we hit a pipe. All indications point to a failed drainfield. If you can't locate the clean out can you open a inspection port on the septic tank? If it's full call in a drainfield expert to check yours out.

Since you evedently don't read our answers real good let me repeat post#8

If you can't locate the house cleanout then open up a port on the tank. Give it 4 or 5 flushes and if the tank fills up then you have an problem downstream from the septic tank. This could be either a loaded drainfield or a faulty manifold.

We can't tell you much more until you isolate the problem.