Plumbers call this "Brown Friday" for a reason.

[femmocrat]

Lots of plumbing problems over Thanksgiving.

We were about to have family over and discovered our septic tank is backed up! I don’t know what to do with all this food. I’ll freeze what I can, I guess. This is very frustrating. I have been working on cooking and cleaning for days.

[Walleye]

1. Totally sympathize. I hope the problems work out OK for you

[femmocrat]

11. Thank you!

It took a couple of days, but things did eventually work out. The septic guy will come back out when he returns from deer hunting! LOL

[Haggard Celine]

2. They make this stuff that is supposed to eat up

the stuff in your septic tank and prevent that, or at least make it so that you don't have to empty the tank as much. I don't know how long it takes. You might find other products that you can buy in a store that work just as well, but here's a product I found.

https://septicmaintenance.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAqIKNBhAIEiwAu_ZLDnqL0JxmeMG2CORPdx-YlZIKhijGMoh8A9bjS-DKr8HfhmRdn7QAKhoCt10QAvD_BwE

[Disaffected]

8. If you need something like that

you are doing something wrong to begin with - a properly treated septic tank & field should not require any artificial stuff to function properly.

Rules are:

Don't flush anything other than the necessities (no garburators, no paper products other than toilet paper, no chemical drain cleaners or other cleaning products).

Pump & clean the tank periodically, depending primarily on the size of the tank and the number of folks in the house. Usually once/year but a septic tank pumping service can advise. If left too long, sludge will build up, preventing proper operation of the tank.

Don't mess with the ground above the septic field - it should have only grass growing on it as trees and bushes can clog it with their roots. Keep heavy traffic off it to prevent ground compaction. Try to minimize water runoff on it unless living in a dry climate.

The most important thing is to prevent solids from being evacuated from the tank and into the field as that will clog/flood the field and prevent the tank form draining. Treating the system properly will prevent that.

Oh, and get the tank inspected every few years (the pump service guy should do that anyhow). There is a partition in the tank that can become corroded and a syphon pipe that can become dislodged. If either of those happen , solids will be carried over to the field or the tank will not drain properly.

A properly maintained & used septic system should operate trouble free for decades...

Edit to add: If your tank is not gravity drainage i.e. has an electric pump, routine inspection is even more necessary.

[Haggard Celine]

9. Excellent advice! Thanks for taking the time.

[Disaffected]

16. Yer most welcome!

[femmocrat]

13. Thank your for replying.

Lots of good advice in your post. We do have a regular septic service. Our regular guy will return as soon as he is back from deer hunting!

[Disaffected]

15. OK and good luck!

Hopefully it is something easy to rectify.

[femmocrat]

12. Thanks for the recommendation. I will check it out. nt

[Wounded Bear]

3. Not surprising, especially in the south...

and other areas that have had excessive rainfall. If the soil is saturated with rain water, I'm sure that doesn't help drainage at all.

[Hotler]

4. First rule of being a plumber.

don't chew your nails.

[Eyeball_Kid]

5. Eww!

[Backseat Driver]

6. Appropriately named by personal experience.

When preparing the best mashed potatoes ever for the Thanksgiving meal; never, ever grind potato peels from 5lb of Russets up in the disposal.(nor egg shells, come to think of it). The glob was eventually cleared by the longest "snake" ever and scary chemicals. LOL! I sure was grateful for the phrase, "He who has the most/best tools, wins!" Lesson(s) learned...

[femmocrat]

14. Thanks.

Good advice! No garbage disposal here, though.

[Disaffected]

7. Next time

rent a Porta-Pot (or whatever they may be called in your area).

[femmocrat]

10. Thank you all for your sage advice!

It is now Sunday and most of the family is coming for dinner. At last! Happy belated Thanksgiving!

The problem was actually from a leaking sink and that filled up the septic. Everything is fine for now. Husband replaced the enitire sink and did a great job. Getting ready for our dinner now!

to a having a handy husband!!