AboutSharon McCarthy Expertise I can help with most questions about residential plumbing problems including septic systems, and some questions about irrigation. I have no experience with commercial installations or codes.
Experience I have been a sole-proprietor service plumber in two small towns north of Phoenix Arizona for 26 years.
Publications I had a monthly column in the United Steelworkers of America, local 1033, newsletter 1978 to 1982. I wrote an article for "The Theosophist" in 1977. I've written dozens of letters to the editor in many newspapers.
Education/Credentials High school and three years of college. My step-father, having worked 40 years in the plumbing trade in Chicago, taught me for two years. The rest has been hands-on experience.
Past/Present Clients Many hundreds of good people in Cave Creek and Carefree Arizona
Question My tubs back up when we have a heavy rainfall. It has happened in the past and it clears up overnight. It still should not be happening. What can I do?
Answer Dear Paula,
I can only assume that you are on a septic system. There is a reason, if this is the case. You can do something about it, but it might cost you. Or you can put up with it, more about that later.
The septic tank simply processes the solids by reducing them to small particles through anaerobic bacterial action. The main workhorse in a septic system is the leach field.
There are two types of leaching systems; a shallow broad field, or a narrow deep pit. They both do the same thing. The water leaving the tank [every time you add water to the tank, the same amount goes out the other end to the field] goes to this leaching area.
In the field, there are perforated pipes imbedded in gravel. The water is distributed through the pipes evenly, after which the water seeps out into the surrounding soil. Most goes down, some goes to the sides and some evaporates through the surface.
When a house is first built, the tank and field sizes are determined by the number of bedrooms in the house. The number of bedrooms is an indication of how many people in the household will be using water, and thus how much water will be going into the system.
Also a perc" test is done where the field will go. This tells the inspector how much water that soil can "percolate" in a certain amount of time. Now to your situation. What is happening is, the rain is saturating the soil around the field. If the water in the field can't leach out because the soil around it is saturated, it will cause the tank to back up.
You have two choices. If you want to solve this problem once and for all, you'll have to have the field extended. Made larger. This will require a backhoe to dig out more ground, add more perforated pipe and gravel, and cover it up. If you have a deep pit, you may have to have anothor one dug.
If you can't afford this, you'll need to space out your water usage when it rains. Don't flush toilets when you do a load of laundry. Space out showers. I'm sure you get the picture!
I live in the desert. Sometimes we get torrential rains here, and I start getting phone calls. I just tell people to watch their water use until the water drains away. So those are your choices. Hope this helped! sharon
