Any septic system pros out there?

tcreeley · Jan 2, 2014

When we had our tanks installed- the official design called for an above grade design because of poor drainage in the clay soil. The tank outlet and leech field were set on back filled gravel. Luckily the house was high enough so that drainage was fine and I did not need a septic pump installed. I have never heard of water washing into the septic tank from the sides. That would alarm me. - Septic tanks that float?- Ours up here are made of cement- they are never moving! Good luck with all of this.

aczlan · Jan 2, 2014

tcreeley said:
Septic tanks that float?- Ours up here are made of cement- they are never moving! Good luck with all of this.

If the tank is empty and the ground is saturated so that you have water all around the tank it is very possible.

Aaron Z

lilranch2001 · Jan 2, 2014

very many floating home foundation barges are made from precast concrete, and hope to HE double hockey sticks they float.
You don't fill that septic tank up with water and you have high ground water watch how fast it will pop out of the ground

Claytonfarms · Jan 2, 2014

To answer most of the posts I could not get to:

Our permit was issued on Dec 14, 2012 so we had until Dec 14, 2013 to install the system. The county did give everyone until Jan 1 2014 to have the system inspected. I am assuming they had too many inspections and not enough inspectors.

The new system has aeration pumps, level alarms, effluent filters, requires a monitoring service and costs close to $18,000 before the monthly monitoring fee. All this to help lower nitrogen output into the Chesapeake Bay, while farmers can pay a fee and dump all they want on the top soil. I am not knocking the farmers but there has to be a better way. The guy behind us has 20 cows I am sure they produce more waste than I do but the cows do not need a septic system.

As you can see I removed all the previous pipe from the tank. I made up 2 pipes with tees for the inlet and outlet, acquired 2 risers, covers, sealer etc. I was planing to install this weekend but it is snowing now and the high for the weekend is 18 degrees. Burr.

I have no idea why it was installed this was to start, the correct way is easier, cheaper, and I am sure will last longer.

I did find the septic codes for our county online and I have no idea how any of it passed inspection. I intend to redo the install per the code with lots of pictures.

I have seen tanks float, once I was on the eastern shore of Maryland after a hurricane, there were septic tanks and burial vaults all over the shore line. High ground water, loose backfill and sandy soil do not mix well. Never pump your tank in the rainy season!

When the hole was open, we had 8 inches of snow then 2 days later rain for a day and 50 degree temps. I had water running out of the ground 2' below the surface and 3' deep around the tank. I do not know how much water is needed to float the tank but I pumped the water that was around the tank into it and it is 1/2 full now. Hopefully it stays in place.

Dutch445 · Jan 2, 2014

Claytonfarms said:
The new system has aeration pumps, level alarms, effluent filters, requires a monitoring service and costs close to $18,000 before the monthly monitoring fee. All this to help lower nitrogen output into the Chesapeake Bay, while farmers can pay a fee and dump all they want on the top soil.

not sure i caught these details in the original post, but now you're talking about a fully engineered system, nothing standard about it!
(been there, done that, but with a 2nd pump tank that took the effluent from the septic tank and pumped it uphill to a drainfield
on the high side of the property) coincidentally that property i had was in the chesapeake "watershed", although 300 miles away!

buickanddeere · Jan 2, 2014

If you can work it into the drainage system. Having the grey water diverted from the septic tank will extend the service life . Bacteria killing soaps form showers, sinks and laundry degrade breakdown. Salt from water softeners don't make a septic tank work better either.

Tractor Seabee · Jan 3, 2014

buickanddeere said:
If you can work it into the drainage system. Having the grey water diverted from the septic tank will extend the service life . Bacteria killing soaps form showers, sinks and laundry degrade breakdown. Salt from water softeners don't make a septic tank work better either.

At least run the gray water through a grease trap unit, grease is a septic tanks worst enemy. We did this way back in the 50s when systems were more primitive than they are now. My folks lived there for 20 years and never had to pump out the tank, but cleaned that grease out every year.

Ron

buickanddeere · Jan 3, 2014

How does grease get into the grey water drains ? We never pour grease down a drain.

John White · Jan 3, 2014

When I installed our septic system, I got the permit and did it myself. I worked for a septic co that installed systems. I was a private contractor and did the backfilling and dozer work. I seen plenty of questionable things. When I installed mine I wanted a gravity system. The health dept. was trying to make every instillation go to the pressure system with holding tanks, alarms and all the bells and whistles. I insisted on a gravity system. Which they agreed to. We had a wind storm come through here a few years back and knocked all the power out for over 2 weeks. You should see all the mess in these peoples houses that had the pressure systems. I installed the septic system for my son and another property I own and I insisted on gravity system. (I know in some places they wont work) Every time the inspector inspected then he said I did a much better job than the licensed installer. After the Co. I was working for went out of business I built up a septic pumper truck and got my license and started pumping. I have seen a lot of questionable instillations that were approved by the health dept.