Flushing Toilet, Coming Through Shower Drain... Only When A Lot Of Water Is Used

[rocket8735]

*please note this is a 2nd occurrence in 24 hours, we did hire a plumber to come out and roto rooter from the clean out located outside of our house. he got a clog out and everything worked... but now the problem is back*

We moved into a house that was pretty vacant for a while. Toilets flushed fine, drains drained fine, everything seemed fine.

First night we move in and actually use all the sinks, bathrooms, take a shower etc... later that night, someone went to the bathroom and it wouldn't flush. So we tried a plunger but no luck. Tried flushing again but then it went through the shower drain. Toilet in the master bathroom was doing the same thing and so was the shower drain there. Seemed related.

A plumber came out and used a roto rooter through the clean out located in our front yard. He went pretty deep until he was finally able to get out a clog. Everything started working normally.. we thought we were good to go.

We go through a full day of usage. Then today, we have laundry going, dishes, cleaning stuff... and the toilet wouldn't flush. Then of course it goes through the same shower drain again. Same with master bathroom. Same problem we thought was already solved.

Any ideas?

 

[Terry]

You're getting closer.
All it takes is one bad spot to back up your plumbing. The shower and the toilet are related. The shower is the low point, so it shows up there first.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[rocket8735]

You're getting closer.
All it takes is one bad spot to back up your plumbing. The shower and the toilet are related. The shower is the low point, so it shows up there first.

We tried a roto rooter through the clean out valve located outside in front yard. It broke through a clog and everything worked... but now 24 hours, the same problem is back. Thoughts?

 

[Reach4]

We tried a roto rooter through the clean out valve located outside in front yard.

You pushed a snake through the outside cleanout toward the street yourself? Or you had a drain cleaning pro out who used big professional 4 inch cutter head?

 

[rocket8735]

You pushed a snake through the outside cleanout toward the street yourself? Or you had a drain cleaning pro out who used big professional 4 inch cutter head?

He used a roto rooter but it wasn't a 4 inch cutter head. It was pretty small... and he pushed it toward the house (not toward the street). The clog is somewhere in the house since very little water (if any) was flowing from house to street.
After a few attempts, he finally hit the clog and broke through... and everything flowed out in a heavy flow toward the street. We flushed the toilets and ran showers and water was flowing out just fine for rest of the day & night.

Then today comes... we're using water in the house as normal routine chores, shower etc... and the toilet won't flush. Tried again and it came through the bath tub again.

I think the issue is with this one bath tub. It's always been SLOW to drain. Even after we thought we fixed things with the roto rooter the day before... it was always slow to drain. There must be a clog somewhere near that bath tub pipe... I'm just not sure why it would cause toilets to not flush if we were using water everywhere else in the house (not that bath tub water).

 

[Reach4]

Then today comes... we're using water in the house as normal routine chores, shower etc... and the toilet won't flush. Tried again and it came through the bath tub again.

I think the issue is with this one bath tub. It's always been SLOW to drain. Even after we thought we fixed things with the roto rooter the day before... it was always slow to drain. There must be a clog somewhere near that bath tub pipe... I'm just not sure why it would cause toilets to not flush if we were using water everywhere else in the house (not that bath tub water).

Symptoms show that the problem tub and toilet are both upstream from the clogged area. You might want to get the toilet lifted and have the drain tool inserted into the closet flange. I wonder if the drain company gives a discount on a redo.

I suspect you are on a slab, and the toilet and bathroom are on the ground floor.

Regarding the slow tub, have you ever pulled the linkage up? Some of them collect hair that you can pick up when you pull the linkage up. That won't help this problem, but it could help the slow draining once the clog is removed.

 

[rocket8735]

Symptoms show that the problem tub and toilet are both upstream from the clogged area. You might want to get the toilet lifted and have the drain tool inserted into the closet flange. I wonder if the drain company gives a discount on a redo.

I suspect you are on a slab, and the toilet and bathroom are on the ground floor.

Regarding the slow tub, have you ever pulled the linkage up? Some of them collect hair that you can pick up when you pull the linkage up. That won't help this problem, but it could help the slow draining once the clog is removed.

Correct, we are on a slab foundation with toilet and bathroom on ground floor (it's a 1-story home anyway)
The toilet and shower are definitely upstream from the clogged area (you're good!)... this tub is the first to get backed up when issues come up. Then the master shower will back up when flushing the master toilet.... so they're all connected and upstream from the clogged area. Now if only I could find out where this clogged area is. I believe it's 'inside' the house and not outside the house from the house to the street...

 

[Reach4]

Correct, we are on a slab foundation with toilet and bathroom on ground floor (it's a 1-story home anyway)
The toilet and shower are definitely upstream from the clogged area (you're good!)... this tub is the first to get backed up when issues come up. Then the master shower will back up when flushing the master toilet.... so they're all connected and upstream from the clogged area. Now if only I could find out where this clogged area is. I believe it's 'inside' the house and not outside the house from the house to the street...

The drain guy can go through the toilet flange, but also can maybe rod down a vent pipe on the roof. If you go from the toilet, it is pretty sure that you will hit the problem area. If you go through the vent over that toilet, there is a good chance you would go through the right area. But it is also possible that there will be turns that the cable will not be able to follow. It seems to me, the more vent pipes you have on the roof, the more likely that they go straight down.

 

[rocket8735]

The drain guy can go through the toilet flange, but also can maybe rod down a vent pipe on the roof. If you go from the toilet, it is pretty sure that you will hit the problem area. If you go through the vent over that toilet, there is a good chance you would go through the right area. But it is also possible that there will be turns that the cable will not be able to follow. It seems to me, the more vent pipes you have on the roof, the more likely that they go straight down.

Interesting... haven't tried anything with the vent pipe on the roof... guess that'll be the last resort.

My main concern is that we cleared it out once using the roto rooter from the front yard clean out pipe (or thought we did) and everything worked fine. Then 24 hours later, the issue returned... strange

 

[Jadnashua]

If they did not use a full diameter cutter head, they just poked a hole through the clog, they did not clear the pipe and it will quickly reclog that small hole through the clog. It's not a complete clog which allows things to slowly drain if the flow isn't too high.

 

[rocket8735]

If they did not use a full diameter cutter head, they just poked a hole through the clog, they did not clear the pipe and it will quickly reclog that small hole through the clog. It's not a complete clog which allows things to slowly drain if the flow isn't too high.

This is my hunch as well... so strange that just 24 hours later, the problem is back. It's like he didn't clear out the clog well enough. I'm going to request him come back with a dull diameter cutter head and see if we can truly blast through this thing.

 

[rocket8735]

If they did not use a full diameter cutter head, they just poked a hole through the clog, they did not clear the pipe and it will quickly reclog that small hole through the clog. It's not a complete clog which allows things to slowly drain if the flow isn't too high.

He felt horrible. Came back for free and went on the roof to completely clear it out through the vent pipe! I hope that fixed things! Thinks he may have just poked a hole through the clog initially and didn't really clear it out completely.

Hoping it's not a serious pipe issue where stuff will just keep catching onto and clogging. Guess we'll see how long the good flow lasts...