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No, this was 2 or 3 years after we purchased it. Those pipes might have been in there for ten or 20 years so it would be our responsibility. Matter of fact part of the issue was they didn't fully replace the pipes. There is product they used to use called orangeburg that looks like a roll of roofing paper. It's very similar, it was in surprisingly good shape and had been in the ground for 60 years. They left about a 20 foot section where it terminated by the septic. The issue is that was already settled as far as it was going to settle decades ago. The new pipe settled before it.
I'd assume you'd need some kind homebuyers insurance for that. I wouldn't think homeowners insurance would cover it but you can always check. Didn't cost us much because the only thing I was paying for is the guy that did this a lot to run his mini excavator. He was only there for two days, think it was $1500 total for everything.
Can anyone explain to me why a dip/belly in a pipe would only cause a problem once a year rather than being an ongoing problem?
The solids and whatever are going to collect in there. It's going to take a while to get fully blocked and once you snake it and get it cleaned out you're just resetting the clock. Fabric softener for example, see below.
Have you checked to see if the septic tank was blocking up? Does this happen after you use a lot of water?
You mentioned a garbage disposal, you shouldn't use them in a septic system. They do have ones that inject some kind of enzyme in the food particles that will help break them down but I still wouldn't trust it. Septic systems are very expensive to replace and it's just not worth it. You want to put as little down that drain as possible. Make sure to wipe grease out of pans with a paper towel before cleaning them. No fabric softener as they are petroleum based and can turn into a gel, if you're getting blockage this can accumulate on solids as will the grease. Try and use as little Clorox or other harsh chemicals as you can. Make sure the toilet paper is septic friendly and isn't as thick as towel.
With this problem you have it's all the more reason to avoid these things.
The solids and whatever are going to collect in there. It's going to take a while to get fully blocked and once you snake it and get it cleaned out you're just resetting the clock. Fabric softener for example, see below.
Have you checked to see if the septic tank was blocking up? Does this happen after you use a lot of water?
You mentioned a garbage disposal, you shouldn't use them in a septic system. They do have ones that inject some kind of enzyme in the food particles that will help break them down but I still wouldn't trust it. Septic systems are very expensive to replace and it's just not worth it. You want to put as little down that drain as possible. Make sure to wipe grease out of pans with a paper towel before cleaning them. No fabric softener as they are petroleum based and can turn into a gel, if you're getting blockage this can accumulate on solids as will the grease. Try and use as little Clorox or other harsh chemicals as you can. Make sure the toilet paper is septic friendly and isn't as thick as towel.
With this problem you have it's all the more reason to avoid these things.
Thanks for the explanation.
The septic tank was cleaned out in 2010. There are only two of us living here and only for 2.5 of the last 4.5 years.
I haven't noticed any correlation to using a lot of water. We probably use far less water than most as my husband frequently uses the outdoor shower which doesn't go into the septic, we don't cook everyday, the dishwasher/laundry is not run every day. I'm sure its wishful thinking, but I was actually wondering if we were putting enough water through to keep the pipes clear.
The first time it happened a few weeks after we moved in and I'm pretty sure the house was not being used regularly before we bought it. Second time after we had been gone for a year.
Never heard that about the disposal. I don't usually put much down the disposal. It may have added to the problem this time. I was actually hoping I caused it this time but with the toilet backing up 10 days after being snaked from the kitchen I don't think so.
I wipe grease out like you said and run lots of hot water with soap if I am washing anything greasy.
Don't use fabric softner and rarely use bleach or harsh chemicals other than whatever is in the toilet bowl cleaner.
We've lived with septic before. Nothing is going down the toilets except waste and toilet paper.
I would suggest the camera. It's going to show you exactly what the problem is. My money is on a dip in the sewer line. The reason it only does it with the commodes is because of the water volume/time. Commodes dump a volume of water quick, other appliances don't.
If you are intending to keep the house, you need to have the plumber locate the septic AND the aeration field. No trees or any deep rooted plants allowed as they will plug the pipes with their roots. So that small magnolia will have to go as will any other trees within 25 feet of the aeration field.
I'd strongly suggest having the plumber remove the disposal in the kitchen. It was a stupid install by the builder and should have never been there from the start. Disposals and septic systems do not mix. Your builder should have also installed a grease trap at the kitchen which is a mess to clean out but saves the septic tank. Sounds like you had a moron for a builder.
Might also want to check with your states building codes. In Texas, a builder defect is a warrantable item forever should you be able to prove it is a builder defect. Since you have documented proof that the builder had his plumber come out to check the issue, IF there proves to be a dip in the pipes, it's the builders responsibility to fix it or pay for the repair. This CAN get expensive to fix.
There are several options to fix a dip in a sewer pipe. You've already gotten one where they will all but destroy the inside of the home. Another, assuming it is slab on grade, is to tunnel under the house, find the main out of the house, cut it, and install a completely new main sewer line. This is far less invasive and a lot easier on the house structure. It is time and labor intensive though.
I would suggest the camera. It's going to show you exactly what the problem is. My money is on a dip in the sewer line. The reason it only does it with the commodes is because of the water volume/time. Commodes dump a volume of water quick, other appliances don't.
If you are intending to keep the house, you need to have the plumber locate the septic AND the aeration field. No trees or any deep rooted plants allowed as they will plug the pipes with their roots. So that small magnolia will have to go as will any other trees within 25 feet of the aeration field.
I'd strongly suggest having the plumber remove the disposal in the kitchen. It was a stupid install by the builder and should have never been there from the start. Disposals and septic systems do not mix. Your builder should have also installed a grease trap at the kitchen which is a mess to clean out but saves the septic tank. Sounds like you had a moron for a builder.
Might also want to check with your states building codes. In Texas, a builder defect is a warrantable item forever should you be able to prove it is a builder defect. Since you have documented proof that the builder had his plumber come out to check the issue, IF there proves to be a dip in the pipes, it's the builders responsibility to fix it or pay for the repair. This CAN get expensive to fix.
There are several options to fix a dip in a sewer pipe. You've already gotten one where they will all but destroy the inside of the home. Another, assuming it is slab on grade, is to tunnel under the house, find the main out of the house, cut it, and install a completely new main sewer line. This is far less invasive and a lot easier on the house structure. It is time and labor intensive though.
Is the aeration field the same thing as the drain field?
The tree is on the list to go anyway as its looked sickly since we moved in. Kind of odd since things usually look greener when they are near septic. For what its worth, no one believes there is a problem with the septic system. All the plumbing in the rest of the house except the two problem bathrooms is working fine.
Majority of houses here outside of town are on septic and every one we looked at or have been in since has a disposal. The builder and his plumber are very well respected. Not to say they didn't do something wrong but they aren't fly by night or known for slip shod or mediocre construction.
I think we are past statute of limitations, but Fla law is not as straightforward as Texas on this issue, so that issue will likely require an attorney.
Thanks for the tunneling under the house info. I will have to look into that further.
First step get a camera out here which seems like will not be doable until Monday.
A well constructed septic system that is not abused can last indefinitely. You have bacteria in the water that will break down solids however the food going through a garbage disposal has not been pre-digested for lack of a better term. Putting too many solids into it can overwhelm it.
I tell you something else we have, a lint trap on the washing machine. I looks like a big water filter. There is very fine mesh bag in it. It gets clogged pretty quick but there is an overflow.
We used to have a disposal in town and I loved it, it's the one thing in the kitchen I miss. I still catch myself throwing banana peels or whatever into the sink.
A well constructed septic system that is not abused can last indefinitely. You have bacteria in the water that will break down solids however the food going through a garbage disposal has not been pre-digested for lack of a better term. Putting too many solids into it can overwhelm it.
I tell you something else we have, a lint trap on the washing machine. I looks like a big water filter. There is very fine mesh bag in it. It gets clogged pretty quick but there is an overflow.
We used to have a disposal in town and I loved it, it's the one thing in the kitchen I miss. I still catch myself throwing banana peels or whatever into the sink.
OK, Ive read some about the disposal issue. Wow I would never chance a banana peel in a disposal lol even if I were on a city sewer line. I really don't put a ton of stuff down the disposal. What I did a couple of weeks ago was somewhat of an aberration as I had missed trash day cleaning out the frig and normally my husband eats all the leftovers. I wont be doing that again. But, I think it may just be coincidental to the annual problem we have with the back two toilets.
The lint trap sounds like something I may need. I forgot that the last plumber who was here said he felt like he was hitting something like rags. I knew we didn't put anything like that in the toilet so kind of ignored it. He watched what came out into the septic and said he saw a few fibers like from a carpet. I think I asked him if it could be from laundry(like a bathmat). No rags came out, just a few fibers and he really never gave me a straight answer so I figured it was no big deal.
I doubt this is your exact problem, but some years back, hubby did a whole-house remodel, including changing out toilets. Well, a short time after, the customer called and said the toilets were backing up, and sure enough, hubby had to go under house and adjust the slope of drain(s) to accommodate smaller tank toilets.
Plumbing doesn't seem too much like 'rocket science', until some of these 'flow' problems arise.
I doubt this is your exact problem, but some years back, hubby did a whole-house remodel, including changing out toilets. Well, a short time after, the customer called and said the toilets were backing up, and sure enough, hubby had to go under house and adjust the slope of drain(s) to accommodate smaller tank toilets.
Plumbing doesn't seem too much like 'rocket science', until some of these 'flow' problems arise.
Good luck with your situation!!
Thanks. The house was only 7 years old when we bought it and I am pretty sure these are the original toilets so unless the drains were improperly installed to start with that shouldn't be the problem. Is that something that a plumber should notice with a camera or should I ask?
Is that something that a plumber should notice with a camera or should I ask?
Its hard for most to detect if the slope of the pipes are off because it all looks like a flat tube from that position. I know some have tips that not only have the camera but can also read the angle of the camera head in relation to the pipe wall. But any sediment in the pipe or even things on the head can mess with the reading. What the camera can do is see if there is a noticeable change in the slop or if there is any negative slope. Sometimes they can use the water flow to guesstimate the angle.
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Putting too many solids into it can overwhelm it. 
