Septic tank pumping interval?

[danfromsyr]

Uh, no, unless, of course you mean just simply moving bacteria from one place to another.

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ahh, ok then...

 

[danfromsyr]

I've heard it depends on how dirty one gets and how many are using it.

Miniscule as it seems, laundry, bathing and general cleaning, has soil, grime, sand in it, which does not digest in a septic tank, settling on the bottom. **** like bone( through garbage disposal), other item inadvertently flushed might not break down at all.

hair, human and pet that washes in from showers and laundry likely builds up like on shopping cart wheels..
needs periodic cleaning and removal with fire is likely not possible.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

3 to 5 ks what the septic guy will tell you. Ive heard of people making it 50 years without pumping

 

[willf650]

Where I live the county requires them to be pumped every 3 years but my septic company recommends every two.

This is my first house with a septic so it has been pumped every two years for the last decade.

Never had an issue thus far with my septic. I have two settling tanks and a final tank with a pump.

 

[Recoveryman]

I'll throw my response in, because this is always a topic on my mind...

Our house was built in 1937 and still has the original BRICK septic tank for it's "conventional" type septic system. The d-box was replaced at some point with a masonry block construction box (which I don't love) and the field was updated in the 1990's with a 410-ft long field line that just wiggles through the grade of our back lawn. We bought the house in 2012 and had the tank pumped and repaired (mortar). The repairs were done while we were gone so I didn't see the tank when they dug up the lids.

We haven't pumped it since then (13-1/2 years) and we're really careful about what goes down the drain. None of the fancy additives, definitely no paper anything except toilet paper, there are 4 of us in the house (including 2 two kids!), we avoid putting anymore solids down the drain, but if food IS going down the drain, it's minimal.

All that being said... I'm replacing and moving the tank, at a minimum. It's too close to the house, I don't trust the age or construction, and it's in the way of future home renovations and I want to configure the inlet line and location to work with my future shop build, since it will have a bathroom.

Rumored quotes for my area of North Carolina are 6-10K for a conventional system installation with field. But I'm still trying to find someone that will come out an quote it. People don't want to talk about septic systems unless you already have the permit pulled, which seems completely back-assward to me. So it's been tough to get anyone out. Either way, I'll have to do this, soon. I'm nervous.

Scootermcrad: If you order a new tank, you would be wise to order it with an extra inlet hole. Most of the time, they just come with one inlet. When they cast the tank, it would be easy to provide an extra inlet hole. At installation, you may not need the extra hole, so just cap it off. You may never need it, but some day it may be gold.
Recoveryman

 

[Recoveryman]

3 to 5 ks what the septic guy will tell you. Ive heard of people making it 50 years without pumping

Hobby man22: I could have gone fifty years without pumping, had it not been for one of the kids flushing a barbie doll. This happened about twenty five years in use. This was on a fair sized house (1800) square feet, two and a half baths, a busy washing machine, and five people. Keep the grey water out of the septic.
Recoveryman

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Hobby man22: I could have gone fifty years without pumping, had it not been for one of the kids flushing a barbie doll. This happened about twenty five years in use. This was on a fair sized house (1800) square feet, two and a half baths, a busy washing machine, and five people. Keep the grey water out of the septic.
Recoveryman

So you dont let the washer machine water go into the septic tank? I think thats grey water

 

[Crazyjake8493]

So you dont let the washer machine water go into the septic tank? I think thats grey water

I think that's what he's suggesting - send the washing machine drain elsewhere. It's grey water, as are showers.

 

[Jay__Dub]

I think that's what he's suggesting - send the washing machine drain elsewhere. It's grey water, as are showers.

Our washing machine goes in to the sump hole, and is directed out to a garden.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Well the washing machine water carries a bunch of lint and any other contaminants that could be on a garage junkies clothes which can clog the system, but I dont see an issue with any other type of water going into the tank within moderation.

 

[scootermcrad]

Scootermcrad: If you order a new tank, you would be wise to order it with an extra inlet hole. Most of the time, they just come with one inlet. When they cast the tank, it would be easy to provide an extra inlet hole. At installation, you may not need the extra hole, so just cap it off. You may never need it, but some day it may be gold.
Recoveryman

That seems like sound advice, to me!

 

[sparky 1971]

I had a new 1500 gallon system installed in 2016 and had it pumped the first time in 2021 or 2022. According to the honey sucker, it had a long way to go so I'll probably push it out to seven or eight years for pump #2. There are only three of us in the house and Monday thru Friday I usually take a dump at a convenience store when I get breakfast on the way to work, I have the kid trained to do it at school, and the wife says she doesn't poop. Ever.

 

[Hellpig]

Had it done after about 20 years, guy said it looked good, " coulda went longer".

Probably getting close to 20 years again

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I had a new 1500 gallon system installed in 2016 and had it pumped the first time in 2021 or 2022. According to the honey sucker, it had a long way to go so I'll probably push it out to seven or eight years for pump #2. There are only three of us in the house and Monday thru Friday I usually take a dump at a convenience store when I get breakfast on the way to work, I have the kid trained to do it at school, and the wife says she doesn't poop. Ever.

Lmao. You could always train everyone to start doing #1 in the backyard

 

[sparky 1971]

Lmao. You could always train everyone to start doing #1 in the backyard

Living in the country with the closest neighbor 1/2 mile away has its advantages. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't pee in my driveway when I get home from work.