Gross Plumbing Question - Need Advice

[raysnkaysmom]

We came home tonight to my daughter flushing the toilet and it overflowing.. tried to wait for it to go down, and then plunging it backed it into the tub...
We go downstairs, and the pipes are spewing into the laundry room...with that lovely smell...

Kitchen sink seems to be backed up too....

So..is this something a snake can fix? Is it our septic tank or just backed up pipes that maybe we can reach by taking them apart downstairs??

I have nooo idea about this.....

Ahhhh..
advice?

 

[agnes!]

Sorry, all I got is to call a plumber. And the sooner he gets there the better.

agnes!

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Funds are tooo limited for a plumber now.... omg... I swear if things couldnt get worse.....

This is one of those weeks...I feel it.

 

[marlynnp]

Could be a clog in the main and it could be your septic is full.

Do you know where the cap is for your tank? Check and see if it's full. If it isn't then snake the main drain. There should be an access on the pipe in the basement.

NOt an issue for you but I know a lot of people starting to have problems right now because the water table is high, the ground is frozen and now snow is melting and the water in septic systems doesn't have anywhere to go so it's sits in the tank and then backs up.

 

[TaraPA]

I know you don't want to hear this - but if raw sewage is involved (which it sounds like it is) call someone in. We had a raw sewage leak once that a "sometimes contractor friend" tried to fix - OMG, he ran from the basement & threw up in the back yard. That is one smell you will not soon forget, and it takes weeks if not months to get out of your house!

Keep us posted....

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I know you don't want to hear this - but if raw sewage is involved (which it sounds like it is) call someone in. We had a raw sewage leak once that a "sometimes contractor friend" tried to fix - OMG, he ran from the basement & threw up in the back yard. That is one smell you will not soon forget, and it takes weeks if not months to get out of your house!

Keep us posted....

Yeah..my DBF just ran to Lowes to buy a snake before they close. He tried to take me downstairs to show me where he was going to take apart the pipe to try to find the clog and I about threw up... Hello... I AM pregnant here!!

I have a feeling this mess is about to get a lot bigger
But, honestly... there are no funds to pay for someone to come out, so I'm stuck on relying on him.....

 

[TaraPA]

Well I've got my fingers crossed for you!

We have had several plumbing problems here (and it's a new house) - we have 3 different kinds of plungers - the regular kind, some heavy duty air pump kind, and the good old metal snake. I ran to Lowe's one day like your BF is doing now, and just bought one of everything! I bet they laughed at me a I left. I'd find some old towels & plastic bags for him to have handy.

Open the windows if you can (I'm in PA - no WAY we could have them open in this cold!), turn your fans on, whatever it takes to move that smell out!

 

[Colleen27]

I hate to say this but.... If it is backing up throughout the house, you could be looking at a major issue. I don't have any experience with spectic fields, but in our experience those "symptoms" usually mean the main line out of the house is clogged or damaged. Work on the main line can be a real PITA - breaking up the basement floor, digging up the yard, etc. and a lot of times the problem tends to be something like tree roots cracking the waste pipe so not only does the pipe need replaced, the landscaping needs to be reevaluated as well to prevent a reoccurance. Keep in mind, though, that my experience is limited to working on homes of a certain age (usually 50+ years old)and planned poorly in keeping with the trends of the time (the ubiquitous tree in the front yard, planted within a foot or two of the main line out of the house).

I certainly hope it turns out to be something less serious for you!

 

[MinnieMe87]

I hate to say this but.... If it is backing up throughout the house, you could be looking at a major issue. I don't have any experience with spectic fields, but in our experience those "symptoms" usually mean the main line out of the house is clogged or damaged. Work on the main line can be a real PITA - breaking up the basement floor, digging up the yard, etc. and a lot of times the problem tends to be something like tree roots cracking the waste pipe so not only does the pipe need replaced, the landscaping needs to be reevaluated as well to prevent a reoccurance. Keep in mind, though, that my experience is limited to working on homes of a certain age (usually 50+ years old)and planned poorly in keeping with the trends of the time (the ubiquitous tree in the front yard, planted within a foot or two of the main line out of the house).

I certainly hope it turns out to be something less serious for you!

That's what I was going to say too. Friends of mine had this happen to them and it was not pretty. Hope it turns out okay for you OP, hang in there!!

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Well..he's about to snake the pipes going thru the bathroom sink.... I'm staying as far away on the other end of the house as possible....I just see this ending badly, but he 'swears' he knows what he's doing...and I just have to hope he's right...

 

[OctMtnWoods]

I hate to say this but.... If it is backing up throughout the house, you could be looking at a major issue. I don't have any experience with spectic fields, but in our experience those "symptoms" usually mean the main line out of the house is clogged or damaged. Work on the main line can be a real PITA - breaking up the basement floor, digging up the yard, etc. and a lot of times the problem tends to be something like tree roots cracking the waste pipe so not only does the pipe need replaced, the landscaping needs to be reevaluated as well to prevent a reoccurance. Keep in mind, though, that my experience is limited to working on homes of a certain age (usually 50+ years old)and planned poorly in keeping with the trends of the time (the ubiquitous tree in the front yard, planted within a foot or two of the main line out of the house).

I certainly hope it turns out to be something less serious for you!

That first sentence is what I was going to say. Call a plumber. ASAP.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Well..he's about to snake the pipes going thru the bathroom sink.... I'm staying as far away on the other end of the house as possible....I just see this ending badly, but he 'swears' he knows what he's doing...and I just have to hope he's right...

If the whole house is backing up I would think the problem is located after all the individual pipes gather into one pipe and leave the building.

How long is the snake he is using? what floor is he using it on?

you may need to rent the medium size 50 foot motorized snake. It is a little lighter than the 100 foot version. Our home depot rents it for about $25-30 for an hour or two. Look for the lowest point of access. A large screw plug in a big 4 inch pipe or a floor drain maybe.

Beware! If upper floor fixtures are flooding then when you open something lower, the pipes may be full and it will spill out.

Sanitary sewer spills have to be cleaned with bleach or something likewise. open the windows when using it.. hehehehheee

Sorry to hear.. if you have any other questions. You can PM me. I promise not to tell your BF you are getting a little advice on the side, heheheheheheee

MIkeeee

 

[JR6ooo4]

If the whole house is backing up I would think the problem is located after all the individual pipes gather into one pipe and leave the building.

How long is the snake he is using? what floor is he using it on?

you may need to rent the medium size 50 foot motorized snake. It is a little lighter than the 100 foot version. Our home depot rents it for about $25-30 for an hour or two. Look for the lowest point of access. A large screw plug in a big 4 inch pipe or a floor drain maybe.

Beware! If upper floor fixtures are flooding then when you open something lower, the pipes may be full and it will spill out.

Sanitary sewer spills have to be cleaned with bleach or something likewise. open the windows when using it.. hehehehheee

Sorry to hear.. if you have any other questions. You can PM me. I promise not to tell your BF you are getting a little advice on the side, heheheheheheee

MIkeeee

I forgot,
all that is assuming it is just a clogged pipe. You mentioned a septic field. If that is full then snaking the pipes will not help.

We have sanitary sewers at my house, so I do not know anything about a septic filed.

MIkeeee

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Well..the snake just busted...luckily it was only $25 tonight at Lowes...and he said it seems to have broken just at the time that the water all 'swooshed' down into the pipes from the toilets and tub.....
Hopefully that was it.. He said it looks like it.... Now it's cleanup time... Bleach out... Lysol wipes out wiping down every place he touched ...

I have to pee... and I"m scared to go... lol (Besides, I dont' necessarily want to walk into the bathrooms right now)

I haven't even looked... I dont want to know if the situation 'appears' fixed or not....

I'll keep you updated.
Thanks for the advice

 

[JR6ooo4]

well that is pretty much good news!

get some heavy duty pipe cleaner (if your pipes are sturdy) and clean them out more.

do they make a clorox smilie?
Mikeeee

 

[JR6ooo4]

So, now the question is...

what is DBF getting for saving the day?

I know, I know, for any person in your present condition, making you as comfortable as possible is the best reward. Heheheheheee

Mikeeee

 

[OctMtnWoods]

The snake broke? I hope none of it is still in the pipes because thats just going to contribute to the problems I would think.

 

[JR6ooo4]

The snake broke? I hope none of it is still in the pipes because thats just going to contribute to the problems I would think.

I have broken one or two of those. Usually the gears break and you can not crank/twist it. all you can do is poke, so it is pretty useless. but you can pull it out.

not like the time I tried to flush out the driveway drain with the garden hose and the nozzle got stuck after two bends.

Mikeeee

 

[maymom96]

About two years ago, we had a very similar problem. We couldn't use any water in the house because everything was so backed up. Dh would snake the drains and water would move but them everything would clog again. DH looked in the septic tank and said "This must be the old one because it is filled to the top with dirt". So he spent hours and hours snaking the drains. He thought he was going to have to dig the "dirt" out of the old tank to find the problem in the pipes. When he took a stick and poked the dirt, we discovered that it wasn't dirt after all.
So the tank had to be cleaned and then the pips leading from the house to that tank snaked out many times because everything was packed tight. The company who cleaned the tank charged us to snake the drain and thought they got it all. They didn't. DH spent days after the tank was cleaned out hanging in the tank snaking all the clogs out. Toilet paper is evil let me tell you!
So if your clog comes back, check the septic tank.

 

[TaraPA]

Well???? How does it all seem this morning?