Clogged septic outlet

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Yod12

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Sep 3, 2012
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Toilet plugs up every once in awhile. Today it overflowed. I went outside to look in the cleanout from the house before it enters the septic system while the tub was running full blast. Just a little trickle for about two minutes, and then something seemed to clear - nothing visible; water flowed big time after that and toilet worked again.
What could this have been?
 
Something was probably blocking the line and when there was enough water above the blockage it moved.

When was your tank last serviced?
You may want to have the line between your house and the tank scoped to look for blockages or breaks.
What kind of pipe connects your house to the tank? PVC, cast iron or clay?
Are there any trees or large bushes growing near your main waste line? Clay lines are really good at getting blocked by roots growing through the connections between pipes. PVC not as much.
 
The last guy that came and snaked it out says that houses built around the 50s have a tar paper 'pipe' from the house to the tank. There's a deck on top of that area I'd have to take apart. Can't find any contractors who will do it
 
That's Orangeburg pipe that was prone to collapsing if any weight was put on it and I've seen roots grow right through it.
A power snake or trying to jet blast it may destroy it.
A deck built on top of it does not sound like a great idea.
Having someone check it with a camera is your safest bet to find out where the real issue is.
It may be as simple as a plugged vent line.
 
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