Help with septic tank issues

[Robert28]

My house is pretty old and the septic system is about 44 years old (last time it was updated to my best guess). My leech field stopped draining and I kept having issues with it backing up into my two downstairs bathrooms, I was having to pump my septic tank every 6 months. I contacted two plumbers and they both said “your septic tank is fine, you need a new leech field though.” So I called around and got someone to install infiltrator septic systems for $4500, I kept my original tank and they even ran all new pipes and I had to relocate my leech field so as to not get roots in the system again.

Well, after all the work was done I thought “finally! This is over and won’t have to deal with this mess anytime soon”. Wrong. Not even 4 weeks went by and hadn’t had any issues, until recently. It’s doing it AGAIN! except this time it backs up like it did before, but it’ll eventually drain on its own….but slowly. Just leaves a dang mess. It did it Saturday and it did it today, so why didn’t it do it in between? It’s like it gets a clog in the pipes somehow but I have 3” pipes and not to mention all new pipes connecting to the mainline from the house to the tank and new leech field. I’ve checked the tank and it’s not full, there’s no sewage coming up from the ground. I’m at my wits end trying to figure this out. Any ideas?

 

[Spotlite]

How much moisture is in your ground around it?

 

[Milkman]

Have you looked for a leak of some sort?

A toilet that is not shutting off will run lots of water. Are you on a well or metered water?

 

[jiminbogart]

There must be something in the pipe between the bathroom and the tank.. Run a camera through it.

Where are you located?

 

[jiminbogart]

Have you looked for a leak of some sort?

A toilet that is not shutting off will run lots of water. Are you on a well or metered water?

The tank isn't full.

 

[Robert28]

How much moisture is in your ground around it?

None. We’ve had a bit of rain but that was on Saturday, that’s what made me think was the cause but today had me baffled. I have sandy sandy soil and the guy that installed it even commented I had the perfect soil for draining.

 

[jiminbogart]

How much moisture is in your ground around it?

Tank ain't full.

 

[Robert28]

Have you looked for a leak of some sort?

A toilet that is not shutting off will run lots of water. Are you on a well or metered water?

I had a toilet that was running but had it fixed and that was prior to having all this work done. No leaks anywhere that I can find. I’m on a well.

 

[jiminbogart]

None. We’ve had a bit of rain but that was on Saturday, that’s what made me think was the cause but today had me baffled. I have sandy sandy soil and the guy that installed it even commented I had the perfect soil for draining.

You stated that the tank was not full. That takes the field lines out of play.

 

[Lukikus2]

There must be something in the pipe between the bathroom and the tank.. Run a camera through it.

Where are you located?

He is two story also.

 

[Robert28]

The tank isn't full.

Nope I definitely checked it. I did have a bad clog prior to the new pipes being installed but all that was taken care of. I’m not flushing anything that I shouldn’t be down the toilet like grease or toilet paper that’s not ok for septic systems.

 

[Milkman]

You stated that the tank was not full. That takes the field lines out of play.

He stated new pipes from tank to house

 

[Robert28]

He stated new pipes from tank to house

Yep, house is on a slab and they connected all new pipes to the mainline. They even checked the mainline before installation and said it was good to go. The issues was roots in the leech field (which is why they moved the location) they even removed roots from around the septic tank.

 

[jiminbogart]

He stated new pipes from tank to house

Yep.

The pipes in/under the house need a camera down them. May no have good fall. May have junk.

 

[kmckinnie]

Maybe your outlet baffle is clogged.

 

[jiminbogart]

Do you have a cleanout where the drainpipe exits the house?

Did the install a new cleanout?

Have you opened the cap on the cleanout to see if it's full of sewer water?

 

[Milkman]

I had a toilet that was running but had it fixed and that was prior to having all this work done. No leaks anywhere that I can find. I’m on a well.

Do you have a well house of some sort?

 

[Robert28]

Maybe your outlet baffle is clogged. View attachment 1147566

That could be it!

 

[jiminbogart]

Maybe your outlet baffle is clogged.

Could be.

Open the cleanout. If the cleanout isn't full it's not the baffle.

 

[Robert28]

Do you have a cleanout where the drainpipe exits the house?

Did the install a new cleanout?

Have you opened the cap on the cleanout to see if it's full of sewer water?

Yep they did install one (didn’t have one before) and I checked it and it was backed up and full of water but then, like I said, it drained slowly and then I went to check again and it wasn’t clogged and was flowing normally.