Argggg Septic System

[51Magnum]

Well, I am ready to break ground for my new shop next week and I decided to look at my septic tank and make sure it was draining good (have had problems in the past). I found that the leach field is full again. It is not draining as fast as my three kids are putting it in.

So now I have to add the cost of a new field to the cost of the shop!! I guess there goes my lift for a few years.

Also, I checked where the end of the domes are and they are 2 feet into my shop so I am going to have to take 6feet off the leach field domes. Which doesn't really matter because I HAVE TO PUT A NEW FIELD!!!

ahhhh......I hate days like this.

 

[sberry]

Obviously tank is too small to provide clear fluid to the drain field.

 

[tdkkart]

Or the baffles are bad in the tank, you should not be getting anything but liquid into the field. If the liquid is backing up your field is not draining.

 

[1320stang]

You might look into an aerobic system with the sprinklers.

 

[oldgoaly]

I just pulled the top off of mine circa 1938, let me say this the people we had here to clean and inspect the system were not here to do the customer right, but to make money. So I replaced a bad pipe, will cast another top with rebar and lifting hook. I know it's not rocket science, google septic system and you can find guidelines on how they are supposed to be made, the hold your nose and see what you got. You might need to dig a couple of holes to see what condition your leech field is in, or if it was installed properly. I spent 27 yrs in business and had no complaints, if you do the customer right you will do well, maybe won't be investing millions with Bernie Madoff.... tt

 

[autoist]

Are you out in the country?

http://www.wikihow.com/Construct-a-Small-Septic-System

Works great!

 

[johnboy94]

Well, I am ready to break ground for my new shop next week and I decided to look at my septic tank and make sure it was draining good (have had problems in the past). I found that the leach field is full again. It is not draining as fast as my three kids are putting it in.

So now I have to add the cost of a new field to the cost of the shop!! I guess there goes my lift for a few years.

Also, I checked where the end of the domes are and they are 2 feet into my shop so I am going to have to take 6feet off the leach field domes. Which doesn't really matter because I HAVE TO PUT A NEW FIELD!!!

ahhhh......I hate days like this.

Is the field saturated? Effluent surfacing on the ground? or is the tank just at higher than normal operating level? Could it be a bad header root clogs broken etc...What has your rainfall been like here latley? Will the county allow you to just install a new field, or are you going to have to install new tank(s). There are a lot of possibilities for septic "failure" one the best resources on the net for septic explanations is http://septiconline.com/id1.html.

We get calls everyday for "failed" systems some are shot, some need repair and attention.

Johnboy

 

[51Magnum]

This is what I did. I had the tank pumped last fall and when I lifted the cover the water was completely to the top. They pumped it and the water literally flowed back into the tank for hours. They took almost 2000gal out.

So this time I removed the peep hole cover and found that the water was not all the way to the top but the exit tube was completely submerged in water.

So clearly the field is not clogged but is not draining. We have really bad soil here. The type of system I have is the dome type, i.e. plastic domes buried in the field.

We have had no rain for about a month. After we pumped it last fall I went out and got a front loader wash machine and ripped the water softener out as well.

Shane

 

[nate379]

Old wives tale on the softner. Course if you don't really need it, no reason to run it. My water is ultra hard here so I have one.... as most people around here do.

 

[babzog]

Old wives tale on the softner. Course if you don't really need it, no reason to run it. My water is ultra hard here so I have one.... as most people around here do.

Yup... softener regeneration water is dumped into my sump pit and just gets pumped out back. Can't stand the water here without a softener: tons of iron - yech. As well, you don't want to kill that new front loader by running hard water into it and filling it with scale.

 

[51Magnum]

When I say I ripped it out I mean out of the septic system. I could not live without it, but now it is draining in another location, not down into the septic. I could not believe they use over 30 gallons a day!

 

[babzog]

Ahhhh... me understanding.

 

[nate379]

Uh... what softner do you have? If it's draining 30 gals a day it must be way too small. A proper sized softner should only run about once a week.

When I say I ripped it out I mean out of the septic system. I could not live without it, but now it is draining in another location, not down into the septic. I could not believe they use over 30 gallons a day!