When we drain the new tub, gross stuff happens. Old original home, no plumbing and has an outhouse. Additions a few decades later, 8" lower than the original home, include a cistern, pump, kitchen and bathroom at 8" lower and septic field. Functioned fine. (had it pumped somewhere in 2013 when this used to be our camp). Late 2014 we put in a second bathroom in the original home that is 8" higher. When we showered or drained the tub all our toilets and sinksbubbled and let out septic odors, both drains and studor vents. At first, since I am a new owner to this home I assumed it was the septic and had it pumped. That did not fix it, all our toilets and sinks still bubble and gurgle and spread that nasty smell when we shower or drain the new bathtub. If I let little one fill the new tub almost full, draining it actually come backs up into our old tub (8" lower) along with icky junk, and smells terrible. Now in the septic, the gross stuff approaches the clean-out pipe in our yard (a foot above the ground) I fear junk will clog our leach field. Everything functions well until we shower or take a bath in the tub. Any ideas? Thank you for your thoughts!
My 2 cents... I'd have a plumber come and assess your entire system. Could be something as simple as the studor valves not working right, could be something's plugged. A good plumber should be able to figure it out and when he's done you'll know more about your system there.
He is right. You can guses, you can try different things, but in the end, a professional is what is needed. Is your system vented with a stink pipe? New stink pipe with the new addition?
Thank you VERY much for your time! We have not used it since your helpful conversation friend It will be tested soon, the new bath will be loaded up with a slug of water tomorrow night for a bath, I am crossing my fingers!! It should have been used last night but things happened and we did not...... I will report
It must be a venting issue for sure. I'm not sure what makes a long run, it's maybe 5' max from new bathroom to the main vent, then 20' to septic. TurboDiesel thinks it is a "wet vent".
No luck after lil one's bath tonight. (I slowed the drain down to a trickle) Same problem, but slower. I guess the plan is this weekend, hubby will bring 2 tanks of water home (almost 900 gal). He wants to fill and drain different things to see the what happens (even though I already did a few.....) He said he will to snake the main vent as well.
I remember a couple of years back a friend was trying to clear a clog in his kitchen with chemicals and plungers. After using one of those compressed air cans he kept at it, until he was startled to find water coming down the roof in front of the kitchen window. That's where he learned about vent pipe.
No resolution yet, but, it has been pretty dry here for awhile after more rain than usual this summer and last summer. We are near a peninsula on a lake that has been at record high levels for 2 summers now. (hoping it is/was the high water tables), except that the back pressure started before the lake water level rose again this year. So many variables makes troubleshooting difficult.
Time to tighten the belt on the budget, getting an entire new septic system mid October. The venting problem from the new bathroom is still there, we have til Oct to get that figured out/corrected.
