Buying House with Septic System

[Jstpssng]

So, here, you can get a certificate of inspection; they check tank (no way to visually see anything with drain field), they pump the tank completely out, make sure baffle and all is intact; then they fill with gray water, to the top, and time the rate to drop below the discharge. Then, they issue a certificate of inspection. If I remember right, they refilled again, and timed again, until they got to 500 gals of added and perked water, or the daily usage of a 3 bed room home. It only took about 15 minutes per add, and the drain field was given a clean bill of health

Edit; the water was added directly to the tank, not through the plumbing.

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[ponytug]

Those inspection cameras are amazing, and I wouldn't let someone work on a leach field without one. You can see the issue, know where to dig, or where to hydrotreat.

All the best, Peter

 

[paulsharvey]

If you have ever been around either sanitary or storm sewer camera inspection; step one is a hydro vacuum and jet clean, so that you can actually see what your looking at. You dont "swim" them.

Ive been around the smaller ones, with what appears to be an oversized Phish tape role, and a push camera; virtual identical to your cheap automatic endoscope, and the larger ones are often track drive, and only work in 8"+ pipe; but give exact footage, 360 degree, with zoom, and even gap measuring.

Im not saying it can't be done; but the stuff ive seen; you would need to pump and jet clean; go into the tank, remove the exit riser, and feed the camera in; if you dont have an accessible junction box. If you have an accesable junction box, you would still need the system pumped, and they wouldn't work in the drain field if holding water.

 

[paulsharvey]

Maybe there are some kinda of tech that can see in gray water, but I dont know what that would be. Thermal wouldn't work, visual wouldn't work, would have to be some kinda sonic logging, looking for anomalies?

 

[paulsharvey]

I did read through (scanned through, too many words...) the website; and I didnt see Anything about septic systems. Sewer systems should be generally dry, once you place an inflatable ball up stream. Septic is a full tank.

The also do make flush-able locate balls that you use a locator to find a tank that is difficult to locate. Again, thats the tank, not the leech field.

 

[paulsharvey]

Those inspection cameras are amazing, and I wouldn't let someone work on a leach field without one. You can see the issue, know where to dig, or where to hydrotreat.

All the best, Peter

Unless you know something I dont (entirely possible), thats great for the drain lines from house to septic, or in a sewer system, house to manhole/grinder pump; but of no use in a septic tank, that is always full

 

[California]

In order to locate the leach junction box in the future I buried a few lbs of scrap iron pipe on top of it. That should be easy to locate in the future. And hopefully will protect the box from crushing with the backhoe. (Like we did last time ).