Brown liquid up through tub drain
#1
09-29-17, 08:28 AM
Brown liquid up through tub drain
Hi,
We have shower/tub have never used in the 3 years, 7 months we have lived in this house. We happened to notice yesterday the tub had a dried brown residue (I've attached a picture). It looks like it would have come up through the drain and splattered as there were splatter marks more than halfway up the tub, but because the very top of the stopper was fairly clean I can say the level didn't rise that high.
My first thought was maybe it was the septic backing up. We haven't pumped since we first moved in (guy said for our size tank and number of people in it, we likely wouldn't need to until 5 years). However, there are no other signs the septic might be an issue. It's also the furthest bathroom from the tank.
Thanks for any insight.
We have shower/tub have never used in the 3 years, 7 months we have lived in this house. We happened to notice yesterday the tub had a dried brown residue (I've attached a picture). It looks like it would have come up through the drain and splattered as there were splatter marks more than halfway up the tub, but because the very top of the stopper was fairly clean I can say the level didn't rise that high.
My first thought was maybe it was the septic backing up. We haven't pumped since we first moved in (guy said for our size tank and number of people in it, we likely wouldn't need to until 5 years). However, there are no other signs the septic might be an issue. It's also the furthest bathroom from the tank.
Thanks for any insight.
#2
09-29-17, 10:19 AM
Group Moderator
Furthers bathroom from the tank but how does it relate to other plumbing fixtures in the house with regard to elevation? In other words, is it the lowest fixture in the house?
#3
09-29-17, 10:42 AM
Thanks for the response. This is on the first floor with two other shower drains. I assume the foundation is level and if not, I can't tell it. So there shouldn't be much of a difference in elevation, if any.
#4
09-29-17, 10:55 AM
Barring any other indicators, I would be inclined to suspect that it's a simple matter of the trap under that tub having evaporated itself dry over the past 4 years, and then, when you had a burble in the line, maybe when a toilet was flushed at the same time the washing machine was draining or something like that, what should have been a trap effectively became the nearest vent. Just guessing of course, but have seen similar situations with floor drains that went unused for an extended period. So I would run a gallon or so of water down that drain and see what happens. If you continue to not use that drain and do not have any recurring issues I would just plan to run a gallon or so down it every few months. But, regardless of anything else, at 5 years it is time to have the tanks pumped so I would definitely do that. I know that it's no fun, and might seem like a waste of money, but not keeping up with the tanks can lead to a bad field, and that's when the real money starts flowing.
#5
09-29-17, 04:06 PM
Thanks. Will do.
As far as pumping, before we closed on the house I intended to do it every three years, based on everything I had read. However, the company that came out said 5 years is probably good because this house is a good size (don't remember tank size) and we are only a family of 4.
Thanks again.
As far as pumping, before we closed on the house I intended to do it every three years, based on everything I had read. However, the company that came out said 5 years is probably good because this house is a good size (don't remember tank size) and we are only a family of 4.
Thanks again.
