Who knows about septic systems?

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

So I am a relatively new homeowner and I don't know a lot about septic systems - here is a short description of the issue I may or may not be having.

When I bought the house last June I had the tank pumped out just to be safe - the house hadn't been lived in for almost a year. All through the summer and fall I didn't notice anything to make me think there was a problem.

A few weeks ago the shower started to drain really slowly and running a snake into the line didn't help so I called a plumber. The plumber shows up, walks over to my septic riser and tells me my septic tank is full, which it was, there was septic waste in the riser. He tells me the shower is slow because of the septic - mind you, NO OTHER DRAIN IN THE HOUSE WAS SLOW.

So I had the tank totally pumped out again, and the guy said it was indeed to full but only with water and that there wasn't too much solid material and that I should keep an eye on it and that the waste shouldn't get higher than 6 to 8 inches from the bottom of the riser.

Long story short - the pump out didn't help the slow drain, I did have a sever clog in the 45 that connected that drain to the main line out to the tank. I fixed that, everything is great as far as plumbing, but today I checked the septic tank to be safe and the fluid is up to a few inches from the riser again.

We only have one bathroom, kitchen sink, dishwasher, and washing machine.

So what is going on? Is it draining slow because the ground is frozen?

[histed]

Sound like you COULD have a couple of things going on. A septic tank is supposed to drain the liquid into a drain field or a sand mound - which ever you have. You don't mention a sewage pump, so I'm not sure. If you have a traditional drain field, and the weather in Indiana is as cold as PA has been, my guess is that the ground is frozen too solid to allow the liquid to filter off into the dirt. In that case, see what happens three months from now. As for the shower alone draining slow, where is it located? does the shower drain connect to a main drain line inside the house? Is there a p-trap or s-trap under the shower? Shower drains and shower drain lines are notorious for filling with hair and soap gunk. Did the plumber run a snake all the way to the main line? (If not, don't call that one again). If the shower is on a seperate line and/or doesn't have proper slope, it could freeze where it goes through the wall, but my money is on a clog somwhere in the line, especially if nothing else is slow. Try a drain opener called "Liquid Fire" if its available in your area. BE CAREFUL!!!! GLOVES AND GOGGLES,PLEASE! This stuff is nasty, but it works. Main ingredient is HCl and it will eat anything organic. Follow the directions on the bottle religiously! Let me know how you make out.

[jsizemore]

When I see a tank fill that fast after being pumped it's either because there's too much going in or not enough going out. From the size of your house I would look for something running like a faucet or the toilet. With the freeze on, do you leave something dripping or running to prevent freezing water lines? I suspect with your winters, ya'll are prepared for that weather. When it ain't going out it's because the ground is saturated, or perk lines are clogged or the distribution box is clogged or is collapsed. I've seen roots collapse ABS pipe. Just replaced a perk line with an infiltrator system to get around the roots near a natural area. I haven't had any experience with septic systems where the ground freezes. Good Luck.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

I have a drain field, no sewage pump, and we have had several nights below 0.

As to the shower, it connects to a main line in the house. When the plumber refused to touch it and the pump out didn't fix it, I took the line apart (old black pipe) found a horrible clog in the coupling that connected the drain into the main line, then replaced most of the line with PVC so it will be easier to snake in the future.

[Beagle333]

There are many things that can cause slow drainage from your tank. Roots in the field lines, crushed lines from concrete or delivery trucks running over then when building or remodeling/repairing, sediment in the lines if you have very fine soils and not enough gravel in the ditch with the line, frozen ground, high water table (you can't push water out into standing water very well), not enough field line installed when it was built.... many things.

As to keeping a tank from filling up fast again, never put Charmin in one. Try to avoid similar toilet paper that advertises as being the "strongest".... they won't tumble apart as they travel down the lines to the tank and it takes them longer to decompose in the tank than you have time to wait. :cool:

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

When I see a tank fill that fast after being pumped it's either because there's too much going in or not enough going out. From the size of your house I would look for something running like a faucet or the toilet. With the freeze on, do you leave something dripping or running to prevent freezing water lines? I suspect with your winters, ya'll are prepared for that weather. When it ain't going out it's because the ground is saturated, or perk lines are clogged or the distribution box is clogged or is collapsed. I've seen roots collapse ABS pipe. Just replaced a perk line with an infiltrator system to get around the roots near a natural area. I haven't had any experience with septic systems where the ground freezes. Good Luck.

No roots nearby, all open grass. No drips or fixtures running. I've also never had a soggy yard in the warmer weather.

[Beagle333]

If it is only one thing (such as the shower) that is slow. You can disconnect the line from the tank and then see how the shower runs. I know it's a pain to test, but it beats snaking all of the lines in the house looking for it if the problem is really in the drainage field. It also beats digging up the drainage field looking for a hairball that was in the gooseneck under your shower the whole time. 8-)

Good luck!!!

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

The shower runs great now that I took it apart and snaked it, now I'm just concerned about my tank not draining off the water.

Thanks for the advice so far everyone, keep it coming.

[lefty o]

do you have just a septic tank, or a tank and a drain field? also is the shower the closest drain to the septic sytem?

[Smoke4320]

As said before the ground is frozen wait till you have at least 5 days of above freezing weather
Bet you it will go away

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

As said before the ground is frozen wait till you have at least 5 days of above freezing weather
Bet you it will go away

So what do I do until the ground thaws? Just be careful about my daily water use?

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

do you have just a septic tank, or a tank and a drain field? also is the shower the closest drain to the septic sytem?

1000 gallon tank with a filed of four 60 ft fingers, and all the drains connect together at the same point, the kitchen bathroom and laundry room are all adjacent.

Also, I'm no longer having problems with the shower as I was able to fix it, so that seems unrelated.

[Alvarez Kelly]

It was stated above, but worth mentioning again... Don't use that plumber for anything again.

[skeeter2]

How old is the septic system? They don't last forever. The lines coming out of the tank freeze and get clogged. How much snow cover do you have. That affects how deep the frost line gets. If its a case that your drain lines are frozen, then you pump weekly til the ground thaws. The water drains off the top of the tank so maybe it had a normal amount of water. Your tank is always full of water unless you just pumped it. If everything is draining normally and your toilets are flushing then everything is working fine. Forget about it.

[marvelshooter]

I know this doesn't answer the OP's question but when our house was built about 30 years ago the installer had some advice. He said you didn't hear this from me but if at all possible don't connect your clothes washer to your septic system. And if you put in a dishwasher same thing. The bleach that gets your clothes and dishes clean is bad for your septic and keeping the soap out doesn't hurt either.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

The system is 21 years old

[KAF]

Outlet of the tank is plugged or higher than the tank. IF the tank is not backing up into the house or crawl space it is not totally plugged. Do some research on how a septic system works, can do a google search.
http://www.epa.gov/owm/septic/pubs/homeowner_guide_long.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septic_tank#Potential_problems
http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/ww/septic/pl_fall04.pdf

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

Outlet of the tank is plugged or higher than the tank. IF the tank is not backing up into the house or crawl space it is not totally plugged. Do some research on how a septic system works, can do a google search.
http://www.epa.gov/owm/septic/pubs/homeowner_guide_long.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septic_tank#Potential_problems
http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/ww/septic/pl_fall04.pdf

interesting. It hasn't ever backed up so this sounds right. I've googled the situation several different ways and haven't gotten those results.

thanks!

[KAF]

I moved in to the rural area in NW OH 20 some years ago, had to learn how a septic system works and also a well. We have a sanitary sewer system now, much nicer.........

[KAF]

MAYBE the local county health dept or county engineers office has drawings of where your outlet runs, worth a check.

[freebullet]

I would not be putting caustic/corrosive products down my lines septic or not. In a septic system it will jack up the bacteria that breaks down the solids.

Sounds like it needs pumped down AND cleaned out. That is one nasty job.

[GRUMPA]

Like what was already mentioned it sounds like there's more than just 1 problem. We just had our septic pumped out after 9 1/2yrs of use. Everything checked out OK but I also put them in as well by the same company that put in ours. If your tank isn't draining it's in the leech field somewhere. The quickest way to ruin a leech field is to dump grease or oils of any kind down the drain. It sounds like your tank is doing it's job OK but the water I guess doesn't drain fast or fast enough to the leech field.

Out here they sink a 3" leech pipe at the end of each leech line, when you can poke a stick down the pipe and bring it up it tells you at that point how well the water is draining into the surrounding soil. Since you weren't there the entire life of the system it's anyones guess what was put down the drain. That's about the only thing I can add to this. And yes I've had to basically create more leech fields from folks dumping oils and fats down the drain which coats the leech field so nothing drains.

[daniel lawecki]

You have your tank short run of pipe then distribution box that transfers to leech field runs. If the septic tank was ever over filled with solid waste and such this pipe will clog. this will lead to several problems with drainage.

[OBIII]

The average person uses 88 gallons of water per day. It would only take one person 12 days to fill a 1000 gallon tank with water. As long as the sewage is not backing up to the house, or coming out around the septic entry, then all is working as it should be. The purpose of the tank is to allow the solids to settle to the bottom, where they are decomposed. As long as the drain field is working, the water will eventually flow from the tank to the field. The solids, as they are broken down, will float to the top and be drained to the leech field. A tank is not full when it is full of water, it is full when the amount of SOLID material rises to a certain level. Then the solids are pumped out. There are products that can be used once a month to add additional bacteria to the tank to allow it to function more efficiently. Caustic chemicals, cigarette butts, etc., are all harmful to the bacteria. Grease and oil will coat the drain pipes to the leech field causing the water to not disperse. All of this has been said in previous posts, just tried to put them all together for you. If you are on well water, that will cause the build-up of the sludge that you mentioned in the pipes. I think it is a combination of bacteria and sediment in the water that causes it. Snake will push right through it without removing it.

OB

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

The average person uses 88 gallons of water per day. It would only take one person 12 days to fill a 1000 gallon tank with water. As long as the sewage is not backing up to the house, or coming out around the septic entry, then all is working as it should be. The purpose of the tank is to allow the solids to settle to the bottom, where they are decomposed. As long as the drain field is working, the water will eventually flow from the tank to the field. The solids, as they are broken down, will float to the top and be drained to the leech field. A tank is not full when it is full of water, it is full when the amount of SOLID material rises to a certain level. Then the solids are pumped out. There are products that can be used once a month to add additional bacteria to the tank to allow it to function more efficiently. Caustic chemicals, cigarette butts, etc., are all harmful to the bacteria. Grease and oil will coat the drain pipes to the leech field causing the water to not disperse. All of this has been said in previous posts, just tried to put them all together for you. If you are on well water, that will cause the build-up of the sludge that you mentioned in the pipes. I think it is a combination of bacteria and sediment in the water that causes it. Snake will push right through it without removing it.

OB

So if it wasn't draining to the field at all, or very slowly, I would have probably had some sort of overflow/backup by now, right?

[shooter93]

Kaf and OB are correct. Having a full tank is not necessarily a problem. In fact they will hold liquid right up to the exit line in a gravity system. It MAY be possible for a freeze but the top of my tank and leech field are not over 12 inches deep and it has never frozen and we have been well below zero often. If it backs up....then there is a clog or something. One of the best things you can do for a septic system is to pump the tank every 2 years. Many localities now require this. Yes.....many people can or do go longer but it's a small price to pay for peace of mind. Sewers and septic systems only fail at midnight Christmas eve....it's a rule I think....lol.

[altheating]

I bet the ground is frozen and not allowing the liquid to drain off into the leach field. Not sure of your frost line, but I hear ours here in upstate NY is down to 52". The line to your distribution box may also be frozen up.

[montana_charlie]

If you find that your septic tank is full and that makes you think it should be pumped out, the guy who runs the pump won't argue with you. He'll just pump her out and take the money.

If you ask somebody if having a full tank is a problem, then you are on the way to finding out if you can let the pump guy stay at home.

As said, the septic tank empties from the top.

Here is a diagram of a typical septic system:

http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehoss/images/Fig1.gif

As you can see, the tank is almost full, but the 'riser' (which is the round entry to the tank) is empty.
This is the 'normal' state.

What was the situation when you thought your tank was 'full' the second time?

If you need more information about septic systems, you CAN come here and ask people.
Everyone who answers will try to be helpful. But, as you have already found out, many don't read what has already been said ... and they keep trying to help you fix stuff that you have already fixed.

Better (in my mind) to go to a place that specializes in septic system information ... like the place where that diagram came from ... which is http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehoss/inspect_septic_1.html

CM

[Tom Myers]

The shower runs great now that I took it apart and snaked it, now leI'm just concerned about my tank not draining off the water.

Thanks for the advice so far everyone, keep it coming.

You are probably ok now that your shower drain is clear and draining into the septic system.

The level of fluid in your septic tank should be the same all the time. It should not "drain off" the water.
The fluid level in the tank needs to be at a certain level for the bacteria to change solids into a liquid type emulsion and provide a place for sludge that cannot be converted while allowing scum and as-yet unconverted solids to rest so that they are not carried on out into the drain field.

Do some Google research on the concept of septic tank waste removal processes.


http://www.statelineseptic.com/images/septic_system_diagrams/IMG_0001.jpg

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

by full I mean past the point of being 6 to 12 inches from the top of the tank. I understand that it is supposed to normally be mostly full of water, the problem is that mine keeps filling past that point, at times to the point that it begins to fill my access riser.

[Wis. Tom]

Washing machine water is the worst for septic tanks, but hard to get around.

[Tom Myers]

by full I mean past the point of being 6 to 12 inches from the top of the tank. I understand that it is supposed to normally be mostly full of water, the problem is that mine keeps filling past that point, at times to the point that it begins to fill my access riser.

Your drain field may be partially frozen and only slowly accepting the liquid from your septic tank.

Right now my drain field is completely frozen and we are simply using the septic tank as a holding tank. This means monitoring the level in the tank and then have the pumping truck come in and pump it out and haul it away. This will be our only solution until the ground thaws completely sometime in May.
Our only options are closely monitoring the tank and drastically reducing our water usage.
This summer will be spent adding an additional spoke to our drain field and perhaps digging up and refreshing the sides and bottom of one or more of the other spokes.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

Your drain field may be partially frozen and only slowly accepting the liquid from your septic tank.

Right now my drain field is completely frozen and we are simply using the septic tank as a holding tank. This means monitoring the level in the tank and then have the pumping truck come in and pump it out and haul it away. This will be our only solution until the ground thaws completely sometime in May.
Our only options are closely monitoring the tank and drastically reducing our water usage.
This summer will be spent adding an additional spoke to our drain field and perhaps digging up and refreshing the sides and bottom of one or more of the other spokes.

Thanks, this is along the lines of what I suspected it might be. I'm going to call the Septic inspector at the county health department tomorrow morning and see what he says.

[Alan in Vermont]

Having a full tank is not necessarily a problem. In fact they will hold liquid right up to the exit line in a gravity system.

I am so glad somebody pointed this out. The tank has to be "full" before any liquid goes out to the field. If the tank is full right to the very top, then you have an issue.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

I am so glad somebody pointed this out. The tank has to be "full" before any liquid goes out to the field. If the tank is full right to the very top, then you have an issue.

Which it is, like I said I know it is supposed to be mostly full, my concern is the lack of a half a foot of space on top.

[flounderman]

The septic tank has the drain near the top. It is supposed to stay full up to the outlet. It is a settling tank that the solids decompose and settle to the bottom as sludge. The outlet is a foot or so down from the top and the water level is going to be up to the level of the outlet. When you pump it, the water will have to fill the tank before it will drain. If you just have one slow drain, the problem is in that drain pipe and not the septic tank. I have lived here 25 years or more and never had to pump the tank. I wouldn't call that plumber again.

[histed]

Wealth of knowledge on so many things here. OP - my apology, I had forgotten that drain openers can mess with the bacteria in your tank. It does seem to be a rule that septic and wells cause problems only in the worst weather. It is possible that your out flow/drain may be clogged. I had that happen at our first house and still don't know how or what caused it.

[BD]

Although septic tanks drain from near the top, there should never be septic waste in the riser above the tank cover. That indicates a problem beyond the tank. Could be a clogged distribution box, or a pinched pipe. Or in the the worst case a clogged field. A properly installed system designed for the location should pretty much never freeze, as the system in use generates heat. However, skimping on the cover fill or plowing over the field could lead to a freeze up. If the house sat empty through a cold winter, (no sewage to generate heat), it is possible that the tank frost heaved a little and pinched the outlet pipe, (tank goes up a couple inches, outlet pipe does not, so the pipe gets squeezed or even sheared off.) I have had this issue with new systems that get installed in the fall, but do not see any sewage unit the following summer.
I'd be as easy as possible on the system until the ground thaws, then start digging from the tank outlet and see what you find. If you have the original plan and can locate the distribution box, I'd dig that up as well. Lacking the plan, you find the box by following the pipe out from the tank. After you get done digging up and repairing, put down 2" blue dow board over all the pipe you have accessed between the distribution box and the house before you re-bury it. Two inches of foam over the tank will help a lot as well.

[Petrol & Powder]

Don't attempt to solve multiple issues at once, too many variables makes the solution difficult to pinpoint.
Based on what has been posted already, I would do NOTHING for now. If the drains are working the full septic tank means nothing. As long as it is working, leave it alone.

As for the long term, bacteria is your friend, try not to kill it off.
The washing machine is the worst offender for filling the tank with water. We used to run the washer drain down the hill but that was in a rural area where you could get away with that. If you're in the market for a new washer, the front loaders use far less water.
If the drainfield is failing there's not much that can be done short of replacement. Roots, sand, crushed pipes, etc. can all cause problems in a drainfield.
In theory, a septic system shouldn't require any attention. In practice they eventually fail for a lot of reasons but keeping grease, chlorine, and anything that inhibits the bacteria from working out of the system is a good plan.

The drainfield should be deep enough that it shouldn't freeze but it has been so cold that is a possibility.

[powderburnerr]

if it is 20+ years old ,there is a good chance the tank has settled and the outlet has a kink in it ,slowing the flow down. ,it takes a lot of cold bare ground to freeze a leach line.especially if you emptyed it and it refilled so quickly.

[tunnug]

At my last house we had a septic tank with a leach field that worked fine for about 8 yrs, house was built around early 60's, we started having problems with water backing up just like the OP, long story short, I paid to have a new leach field put in where the old one was, the original was about a foot deep so there wasn't enough of an area to allow proper leaching in, made the new one about five feet deep and never had a problem for the next ten years when we sold it.

[cbrick]

This is first house I've had with a septic system, been in it for three years now and no issues. Yet. Had the tank inspected when I bought the house but unfortunately I wasn't here when he dug up the back yard. His report simply stated - No issues. The only way I have of even knowing where the tank is is by where he dug with a back hoe, there is no access (inspection) pipe on the tank. The only thing above ground is about 70 feet downhill on the drain line. I actually know little about this system but I know that I am anal about what goes into it. Never ever anything greasy, pans and skillets are wiped clean with paper towels before washing. Garbage disposal used sparingly. Never anything like paper towels. Never any kind bleach, even bathroom cleaners are used as lightly as possible. No Kotex or similar. My washing machine does not go into the septic. I use Rid-X religiously once every month. I may not know a lot about these systems but knock on wood no problems so far, hopefully being anal about it will keep me out of trouble.

Rick

[Kent Fowler]

This is first house I've had with a septic system, been in it for three years now and no issues. Yet. Had the tank inspected when I bought the house but unfortunately I wasn't here when he dug up the back yard. His report simply stated - No issues. The only way I have of even knowing where the tank is is by where he dug with a back hoe, there is no access (inspection) pipe on the tank. The only thing above ground is about 70 feet downhill on the drain line. I actually know little about this system but I know that I am anal about what goes into it. Never ever anything greasy, pans and skillets are wiped clean with paper towels before washing. Garbage disposal used sparingly. Never anything like paper towels. Never any kind bleach, even bathroom cleaners are used as lightly as possible. No Kotex or similar. My washing machine does not go into the septic. I use Rid-X religiously once every month. I may not know a lot about these systems but knock on wood no problems so far, hopefully being anal about it will keep me out of trouble.

Rick

One of the septic guru's for the state said to quit using anti-bacterial soap as it attacked the little bugs in the system. Also a septic system is anaerobic and as it doesn't like oxygen, it needs to be kept sealed tight.

[cbrick]

Well that explains the no inspection pipe but if it ever does need to pumped out I don't know how they will do it short of digging up the tank. I have stopped using antibacterial hand soap. The quantity has to be pretty small compared to the tank but I said I was anal about what goes into that tank.

Rick

[TXGunNut]

Just don't let anyone talk you into an aerobic system. Money pit with a habit of failing when it's cold & nasty outside.

[MaryB]

Friends are fighting a frozen leach field here in SW MN. Frost is down way to deep. He has a sump pump suspended in the tank right now and is pumping the water into the grove. Nothing else he can do right now until we get a thaw. I have to keep water running or my line from the street freezes up, do not want to have to dig that up and replace it!

[454PB]

Where I live, any failed septic system MUST be replaced with one of the new systems that utilizes two tanks. The first is settling tank where "most" of the solids are collected, and the second contains filter elements that have to be either cleaned or replaced depending on system load. There's a transfer pump, level sensors, and an electronic control box for this. My next door neighbor had his system replaced with one of these, and when they where installing the leach pipes, I asked him how that could work, since the pipes were only 18" deep. Sure enough, the first winter his leach field froze causing the entire system to back up.

These new systems may be environmentally friendly, but there are also a gold mine for the installers.

[Plate plinker]

if it is 20+ years old ,there is a good chance the tank has settled and the outlet has a kink in it ,slowing the flow down. ,it takes a lot of cold bare ground to freeze a leach line.especially if you emptyed it and it refilled so quickly.
This!
and you could dig around the d box and see if you get water there. When it thaws enough

[DLCTEX]

A friend bought a ranch and the septic system was relatively new and was supposed to be top notch. Whenever he had company the sewer would back up. I checked the lower end of the leach field and found it dry. I dug next to the tank and found that the installer had neglected ti connect the tank to the leach line br 4 ft. The soil had a high clay content and would not absorb much . Local plumbers were set on selling him a new system.for $7,000.

[CastingFool]

I know this is not an issue for the OP, but when we had our septic tank pumped out once, the guy told me not to flush the baby wipes down, as they don't break down. Also, the county sewer inspector told me I could put in a separate dry well to run the reject water from the water softener, instead of letting it go into the main septic tank.

[cbrick]

I forgot to mention the water softener in my post. It's discharge goes with the washing machine drain not into the septic. I asked around about the effect of salt on the septic and never got a decent answer. I may also re-plumb the dish washer so it no longer goes into the septic either but in my house it gets very little use.

Rick

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

Well, here's the answer/bad news from the septic expert at the county health department. My finger system is dying. The frost isn't deep enough to be causing this much of a problem. The cold may be slowing the flow down a bit but if my system was in top working order a little bit of a slowdown wouldn't be a big deal. So now I just have to watch it and have it pumped out until the weather improves then have a new finger system installed.

[KAF]

For those that do not pump their tank every so many years, you should pump it out on a schedule depending on how many people in your household. The solids WILL fill it to the top. When the sewer system was put in around here there were way to many that when dug up to abandon were full to the top with just a channel going to the outlet. They COULD NOT BE PUMPED OUT, they were that solid. THAT is what caused the affluent to pollute the streams to the point where the EPA made us put in a sewer system. Those who do not pump will cost everybody lots of money.

[blackthorn]

One thing not mentioned here is NOT to flush unwanted, leftover/expired drugs into your system. Many of these will kill the bacterial action and if you get them into the system, they are REALLY hard to get rid of!

We use a product called Acti-Zyme. It is a coarse powder that looks like coarse pepper. The stuff I get is made in Vancouver BC so I don't know if it would be available where you are. I got mine from a plumbing supply store. This stuff claims to be "industrial" and claims to break down the grease-crud that coats drain fields and causes poor performance. The folks who sold it to me claim it will restore drain fields that are becoming "slow" over time (i.e. several months of use (as directed). We have been here for ten years. Had the septic pumped the first year and again two years ago just because we felt it was time. Never any problems (so far). Anyway---I am convinced it works, but it is like a good fire prevention regime, was the fact you had no fire due to the programme, or just luck?

[Kent Fowler]

Well that explains the no inspection pipe but if it ever does need to pumped out I don't know how they will do it short of digging up the tank. I have stopped using antibacterial hand soap. The quantity has to be pretty small compared to the tank but I said I was anal about what goes into that tank.

Rick

Your septic tank should have 2 heavy concrete "plugs" about 1 foot square and are beveled on all four sides to match the beveled holes in the tank. This allows for an air tight operation and also a way to get at both sides of the tank if you need to. My FIL said he decided to pump his tank out after 13 years and the vacuum truck operator said there were very little solids present. I suspect him having a pretty good grease trap and no garbage disposal help the situation.

[ascast]

your tank is supposed to be full. The inlet is on top, and the outlet is about 4 inches lower. It should ALWAYS be full, or at least to with in 4-6 inches of the top. That is how they work. The solids fall out in the tank and the liquid flows out to the leach field. Sometimes with a steel tank it gets holed in the bottom and it really screws up the process. Also, if someone is putting sanitary napkins down the toilet, well that is generally a big no-no. They get caught easier and then swell up to be huge. Avoid if possible, unless lines are straight.
In septic tanks, full means full of sludge NOT liquid.
good luck

[rockrat]

How many people were in the house before you? They might have used alot of water and had alot of waste. I suspected that your leach field was in need of replacement. When I bought my house, water was leaking out of the leach field and the owner had to pay to have it replaced before he could sell the house to me. It was only 15 years old. I suspect he never took care of it.

I try and take care of mine. Have had some trouble with the piping, but mainly because of roots/hair in the pipe, and did have to have the system cleaned out three times in the last 24 years. Like others, I put bacteria in they system, at least 6x/year, and try and keep grease out of it.

[GabbyM]

Lots of good suggestions here. Like no Charmin or any double ply toilet paper. Single ply only and check to see if it's septic system compatible. but that only works in the future. If I were you I'd definitely try an enzyme product. Like Blackthorn mentioned. My S.O. is, among other things, a salesperson for a janitor supply company. She sells lots of enzyme product for septic systems. It's far more effective than rid X although nothing wrong with that. This stuff will reduce solids in an outhouse pit to near nothing. I know little else about it including it's brand name. Since it's her gig. She's down in Nashville right now taking a class on crime scene cleanup. So I hesitate to ring her phone.

[snuffy]

Here in eastern Winnebago county we have red clay under the black topsoil. It is very poor soil to allow the waste water to be absorbed from the drain field. They do what is called a "perk test" when someone builds a house that is too far from the city sewers to hook-up. If the test hole does not absorb a certain amout of water over a specific amount of time, it fails the test. Then either a mound system is installed, or a holding tank that MUST be pumped when full. The mound system must have a pump for the wast water to enter above ground level into the mound. They seldom last for more than 20 ears.

Holding tanks will teach you water conservation in a big hurry. The charges to have it pumped will mount up fast. They are best for the environment, because there's no effluent being absorbed by the soil, that might reach the water table. Around here the bedrock is anywhere from 6 inches under the surface of the ground to 60 feet down. So location is everything.

[GabbyM]

rockrat mentioned bacteria. Bacteria and enzymes are to different critters. Just so you note that. Also there are enzymes and other products sold at hardware and lumber yards, names I wont mention, that are pretty much worthless. Right along with there hardwood floor care products and carpet spot removers that do more harm than anything.

[montana_charlie]

I forgot to mention the water softener in my post. It's discharge goes with the washing machine drain not into the septic. I asked around about the effect of salt on the septic and never got a decent answer.
I picked yours to 'quote' because you mentioned a water softener. But, our experiences with a septic system disagree with much of the 'wisdom' imparted here.

When we moved in, the septic system was ten years old and, to our knowledge, had never been pumped out. At least, the subject never came up during negotiations for purchase.
We (two of us) lived here for (about) fifteen years before we wondered what the inside of the septic tank looked like.
I had a local guy come to pump the tank out, and I spent the whole time helping ... or asking questions ... whichever he was willing to put up with.

First thing I noticed was that the tank interior did not smell like I expected. It was a heavy, earthy smell, but not like what we got when 'burning the sierra' in Vietnam.
When I mentioned that to the guy he said it indicated a 'healthy' tank.

When he started to probe the scum layer, he said, "You guys don't use Rid-X, do you?"
I said he was right, but how did he know?
He said that Rid-X causes a lot of scum to build up, and generally advises people to use something else ... or nothing.
We had been using 'nothing' ...



So, anyway, we had a healthy system that (possibly) had not been pumped out in 25 years while we had done nothing special to maintain it other than be careful about what we flushed down there.

We have a garbage disposal in the kitchen, and anything 'vegetable' goes through ... but not meat. We also don't pour cooking oils or greases down the drain.
The toilet paper we use is 2-ply, but is stated to be safe for septic systems. That's the only kind of paper that goes down the drain.

We also have a water softener (already here when we came) which runs (I think) every third day, and uses (I think) six pounds of salt per run.
All of our used water, including 'grey' water, goes into the septic tank.

We did begin using a clogged drain and septic tank 'helper' named Flow!.

We started using it for this reason ...
The ground above the drainfield is covered with grass.
The actual layout of the pipes was very evident when we first arrived because, in the summer, there was extra growth in those long lines.
In more recent years, parts at the distant end don't seem as green as they used to be, so we started using a product that claims to percolate through 'solids' and clear out obstructions.

This is a preventative measure that we hope isn't actually necessary ... as our system continues to work well despite it's age and being 'ignored' for so long.


There is a little poem posted in the bathroom which was there when we arrived.

All us folks with septic tanks
Give to you our heartfelt thanks
For putting nothing in the pot
That isn't guaranteed to rot.
Kleenex is bad, matchsticks too,
Cigarette butts are taboo!
No haircombings - use the basket.
There's a darn good reason why we ask it.

CM

[SSGOldfart]

I Didn't read the whole thread,but what you need to fix this problem with the tank is two 1/2 gallon jugs of butter milk. Feed your septic tank one tonight and the other in the morning yes I know it sounds crazy but it's fixed my tank twice now and I went 12 years between pump outs.I can't explain why you need at least 12 hours between feeding,?? an old man told me this once and it has saved up a lot of trouble and Monday.

[Edward]

What is normal is the holding tank is always full to the outlet ,the inlet is 4" higher than outlet .there is an access lid over the inlet/outlet/ and center hatch for access.Next time
lift inspection lid over outlet,if outlet is under water the problem is from there to the field. Out let pipe is clogged or field is shot, To insure house to tank is clear again open inlet lid on house side and run water,good flow =clear pipe.Solid waste floats and tank appears full always.The reason you should pump every 3yrs is to insure solids do not get under outlet baffle and clog outlet pipe or field .PM any other questions .Septics are what I did in my other life!

[mack1]

I did not read the entire thread so this may have been mentioned but here I go anyway many things affect a septic system as has been mentioned. If you have used any drain opener this will affect bacteria and other bugs in the tank so ridex or yeast will help wait a few days after use for application another thing is retention time of the system, where I am the standed 1000 gal tank for one person will not have enough water flow but with 5 teen girls not enough retention time. If your leach field is well defined in dry weather but not muddy I would not worry much most likely the cold as mentioned. The leach lines should only be 18 to 24 inches deep as aerobic "air" bacteria finish off the breakdown of wast.
If the outlet has a high spot in it this slow or stop the flow and will cause problems also to much or to little fall are bad.
If problems like backing up or bad oder persist I would find someone who installs septic systems to look at is also do not buy into all the pumping a properly maintained system will not need pumping but fo maby 10 or 20 years if you like.
Sorry my post runs on a little I have not given much thought to this in a while and do no want to retype it.

Just red more of the thred I did not intend to step on toes with any of my post about pumping tanks, in my area some make rounds swindling people pumping tanks twice a year or so. My comments are from my experience is from some schooling , my tank and a couple others not professional.