HELP! Clog or Septic? Backflow in tub!!!

[jamielady]

Thank you I completely agree! I have been doing exactly that. My Mother always taught me to keep records of everything!! I am going to talk to someone at the city council where I live in my small town, he coached my son in basketball. Maybe he can lead me in a good direction.

[jamielady]

Upon waiting to hear back from Septic companies, I decided to give the snake I bought another try under the bathroom sink. I got through this time. It did seem to make a difference. I then used the toilet auger again and I could hear new bubbly sounds in a new spot next to the toilet. So back to the sink I did it a couple more times. It was difficult but with the type of snake that hooks up to your drill it was helpful! I tired the upstairs toilet just flushing water since no one has used it, and the water still comes back a little high, but its flushing without coming back into the tub. I will wait a bit and see if its still better or back to the same old. Maybe it is a clog? Hmm... LOL, no offense fellas, but Im glad youre the plumbers and not me!! Hats off to you!!

[Redwood]

I'm going to say give up on the DIY approach...
The auger is not long enough to reach the problem.
The snake you are using is not strong enough.

As I suggested the septic tank cleaner is your best bet!

[jamielady]

Well now you can't blame a gal for trying, now can you?!
I put in a few calls to different places for the septic. No one has returned my calls yet..(maybe because its snowing here?) Went outside and got a better perspective on where the tank is located, found outside edge so far towards house so am getting closer! But the weather is very bizarre here in the Seattle area with snow, then hail, then lightening, and back and forth so quit for today on that project. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll have this all taken care of! Thanks again!

[BAPlumber]

now that you've found the tank, start uncovering the top until you find the access lids. What type of pipe do you see leaving the house cast iron or plastic.

there is the possibility that you also have a pump on the septic system. Sometimes the pump wires can be seen on the outside of the house plugged into an outlet, or there may be an alarm box mounted to the outside of the house.

[MG]

Your rent may not be due until the 15th, but you could take a different route. Get the thing fixed and short your landlord that amount - send along the receipt as well. If he doesn't like it call an attorney.

[Gary Swart]

The advice here has all been predicated on the fact or assumption that working on the septic tank requires the approval of the landlord. This may or may not be true in all jurisdictions, but it is certainly something that should be verified. It is the responsibility of the owner to maintain the sewer, so if the work can be done without the owners approval, my opinion is to have it done and deduct the costs from the next rent payment. If it came to a legal fight, if you have all of the receipts for the work done and have photos of everything, I think a small claims court would find in your favor. You could probably get any cost of clean up paid as well. Main thing is to have written and visual proof of everything.