# Might need a plumber quick



## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

I might need a plumber quick if I can't get the drain for the washing machine cleared. The house is in east milton Any recommendation in the area? Thanks


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## 16983 (Sep 12, 2011)

I have a small snake robably 15 or 20 feet long, you can use, I can run it over.


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

try getting a water hose stick it in the drain as far as possible..wrap a hanf towel around it to hold pressure.....turn on water and hold on as best you can.....this might work for you ....if not Mc's snake I hope will get you fixed.......


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

Thanks. I snaked the drain and didnt seemed to have any big blockages that I could tell. The water drains but after a few minutes it starts to back up if it running fast but if I slow it down it will drain. I noticed when I turn on the kitchen sink it backs up quicker. Non of the other drains in the house back up just at the washer drain. Could it be a vent problem?


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## H2OMARK (Oct 2, 2007)

Sounds like your vent line has gotten plugged up. Take a look at your roof and you should see a vent pipe directly above your washer drain. You can try to snake it and see.


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

*Are you on septic or city?*


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

BananaTom said:


> *Are you on septic or city?*


It's on septic. I did run the other faucets to see if it asked up and it didnt. It just seems to be the line from the washer which is tied in to the line from the sink


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

*Keep in mind, your washer pumps more water per minute than city water pressure can produce. And if it drains into your septic tank, you need to NOT use bacteria killing soap. It kills your septic. I am not a plumber, but I sure hope your field lines are not stopping up, causing slow drainage. 

You may not want to call a plumber if that is the case. Permits and such, verses running new drain lines. Been there done that.

Have you ever inspected your septic tank? *


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

BananaTom said:


> *Keep in mind, your washer pumps more water per minute than city water pressure can produce. And if it drains into your septic tank, you need to NOT use bacteria killing soap. It kills your septic. I am not a plumber, but I sure hope your field lines are not stopping up, causing slow drainage.
> 
> You may not want to call a plumber if that is the case. Permits and such, verses running new drain lines. Been there done that.
> 
> Have you ever inspected your septic tank? *


It was inspected 4 years ago when we bought. the house is on pilings on the water. If the septic was backing up wouldn't I notice it at other drains?


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

chaps said:


> It was inspected 4 years ago when we bought. the house is on pilings on the water. If the septic was backing up wouldn't I notice it at other drains?


*If you are on pilings, that is another story. Is the piping exposed, under the elevated house, not hard to put a clean out in it, if on does not exist.*


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

*Try filling a bathtub with water, and the washer with water, then drain both at the same time, and see if the bathtub drains okayThis will tell you if it is septic problems*


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

Is the drain piping exposed in the area of the washing machine? There is a trap in the line within 3' or so from the washing machine "box". One good thing about most piling homes is you can easily get to the drain piping.


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

BananaTom said:


> *If you are on pilings, that is another story. Is the piping exposed, under the elevated house, not hard to put a clean out in it, if on does not exist.*


It is partly exposed. It seems to only be backing up in the smaller line which I believe goes into main line before it goes to septic tank


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

*Socks have been Known to get over the top of an "upright" washer, and cause havoc, verses a front loader*


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

Thanks for the advice. I'm going there in the morning and troubleshoot some more.


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## Catchin Hell (Oct 9, 2007)

Rent a motorized snake and clean all of your lines. Shouldn't cost you more than $50 and a little time. Most of the motorized units will clean up to 150' of line. Cleaning from the roof vent is the easiest way.


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

Thanks for all the inputs. I ended up calling a plumber. After some searching we found the washer and kitchen sink drain lines weren't tied into the septic. The lines merge and drain into its own leach field without a tank. Is this common? I think the fix will be to connect the lines to the main line to the septic.


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## CootCommander (Aug 24, 2008)

It's fairly common with older homes, around here anyway. If the health department finds out they will, more than likely, require you to put in a new system for those two lines. That's been my experience at least


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## 16983 (Sep 12, 2011)

On my last house the washer drain was used as greywater. I ran the line inderground and into one of those large green drain lines with holes and wrapped it in landscape fabric and buried it about 2 1/2 feet. I don't know if that would work too well due to the disposal, you'd need to get the solids out. That was in central Texas where we didn't get much rain. Don't know if you need to re-use your water here.


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

*Yes very common, may not be code any longer. The reason, you do not want all those chemicals that you wash you cloths with to end up in your septic. They will kill your septic.

So if you do connect these lines to your septic, start using biodegradable soaps. Never use bacteria killing soaps, you need the bacteria in your septic. That is why people add yeast or Rid Ex.

A dead septic system, will not break down solids, your tank fills up with solids, they migrate to your field lines, and the fields lines stop up.

Now you need to pump the tank, and replace field lines. A permited job will be about $2,000*


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