On Jan. 31st I had our septic tanked pumped out due to it being full and backing up in to the house.I had it pumped previously about 3 years ago after going 5 years before. Approx 3 weeks later its doing the same thing. We have had a lot more than normal snow and rain in this time frame. So I lifted the lid on distribution box and it was full, and the yard was wet but I've seen it worse. I was told by a septic service that the yard being saturated was the problem. We left on vacation for a week and just returned today. We have had no rain or precipitation the whole time we were gone, the yard isn't saturated and the distribution box is empty. We have flushed the toilet 4 times and 1 load in the dishwasher since being home and its already backed up in to the toilet. The distribution box is still empty. I have checked and there is power going to the pump. What could be the problem? #brokefromvacation

 

Welcome to the forums!

It sounds like your drain field isn't working It would probably take an onsite inspection to determine if there is a blockage or if the ground will no longer support the drain field. It's highly probable you'll need to install a new drain field in a new location

How did I miss that I'm not familiar with septic pumps but either the pump is bad or something is preventing it from working.

 

I'd suspect a blockage in the line before the distribution box... probably tree roots. Lines could also be frozen if they are not buried below the frost line.

 

Yes, verify that the line between the septic tank and distribution box is clear. I've seen tree roots clog them and ground settling pinch or break the line. Luckily it's a relatively easy and inexpensive fix as far as septic systems go.

 

Yes, I've also seen pipes crushed by age and soil compaction... mainly orangeburg pipes which only have about a 50 yr lifespan, if that.

 

My advice is to never use a pour down the drain cleaner. They are caustic, hazardous chemicals that rarely work and create a hazard for anyone trying to clear the line mechanically. Since your distribution box is dry any drain cleaners poured down the drain would not be effective after being diluted by passing through the septic tank.

 

Check to see if you have a grease trap on the outlet side of your septic tank. We had problems and found that the grease trap needed cleaning.