Toilet bubbles and won't flush while shower is running

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J.D.

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We just moved into a house (4 months ago) built in the late 1960s. Pretty soon after we moved, we noticed that the toilets bubbled and occasionally had some difficulty flushing. After about a month, everything backed up and nothing would go down toilets or showers. Had the main line snaked by a plumber, who pulled up nothing but tree roots. Figured the house had sat vacant for a while, tree roots had blocked the line, and we were done. As a preventative measure, I bought some tree root killer and flushed it down our toilet. We are on sewer. Two weeks later toilets bubbling, couldn't flush toilets during or just after a shower, but they would flush later in the day. By the next day, everything was blocked up again, so we called the plumber out. Again. He snaked the line. Again. Reasoned that the tree root killer had mushed up some of the remaining tree roots, since again that's all he pulled from the line. Went away for the weekend, second day back and toilet bubbling again. Shower is draining ok, but I can't flush the toilet during or immediately after a shower. Later in the day it flushes just fine. Any suggestions what could be causing this? I am hesitant to call out a plumber again and literally flush $200 down the drain. Again.
 

Reach4

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Maybe check for a local drain cleaning specialist who might do a more complete job of cutting out the roots. Was the cleanout access a problem, which could partially explain why your guy did not get the roots out the first or second time?


Consider getting the clay tile sewer line replaced with PVC (or ABS if that is what they use in your area). At the same time, they will install a big outside cleanout, which will allow easier and probably cheaper cleanout for the portion that they were unable to replace because it was under the street.

People speak well of RootX.
 
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Think about it.

Tree roots in the sewer line may also imply giant cracks and holes in it where more surrounding tree roots and soil can easily nudge its way back into it.

It's possible your plumber is also making a lot of debris in there each time it is done, meaning the repair is also the cause of the new clogs.

In any case, a sewer line infested with tree roots isn't going to heal itself over time and "get better". It's just going to deteriorate and get worse and worse. Tree root auging merely just buys you time to decide what to do.

Your only long term solution is to dig up your sewer line and replace it.
 
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