Cleaning out septic system?

Doc_Bob · Oct 8, 2006

How often do you folks who have septic have them "pumped"? I bought a place with a 30+ yr old septic. Had it pumped out 3 years ago. I was not there when it was done. I did find the septic cap and dug it out. I am having them come back this year and having it done again.

My wife and I practice safe "septic". By that I mean we do not put garbage done the disposal, but throw it in the trash. Just toilets and showers.

So, how often? Other than pumping out the tank, what else do you do?
Bob

RayH · Oct 8, 2006

With just your wife and you, I would say every seven years would do. I know I had ours (My wife and I) pumped out at five years and it wasn't even half full. It was the first pump after building the house so I wanted to see how it was doing so I could gauge from then on.
Theres not much you need to do to maintain the lines, just make sure you dont let solid waste build up in the tank far enough to go into the lines and clog them. When they pump it, they will leave some in the bottom, this helps keep the bacterial action going but if you want you can pour some bacteria down into the tank just to egg it on after being pumped.

Mike_Lipke · Oct 8, 2006

My septic guy says every election year (4).
That way you can't forget how long its been.
Also, with all the BallSnit flying around, they all probably need to be pumped.

RonMar · Oct 9, 2006

How big is the tank? If it is 30+ years old, I would guess that it is a single tank unit. Most nowadays have 2 compartments to allow for dual setteling to get more of the particulate matter out of the water before it heads for the drainfield. It is better to pump them earlier than later to leave more room for particulate matter well below the outflow point. Since you have acces to the hatch, why don't you open it up and see how full it is? when open, you will most likley find a matted layer(dry on top) from the floating material. Punch a hole in this and take a length of PVC pipe with a cap on the end and slowly lower the capped end thru the hole you punched. A larger diameter pipe(1"-2") is better for this as the settled material is not very dense on top and is easilly pushed thru. At some point you will start to feel some resistance as the end cap comes into contact with the dense material that has settled to the bottom of the tank. This is the top of the settled material but there is also probably several inches of "soupy" material above the point where you feel resistance. If you know your tank size in gallons and you can see the side dimensions thru the hatch, you can calculate it's depth. Another method is to take a thin pointed rod and push it thru the material on the bottom till you come in contact with the tank bottom then you can measure the difference between bottom and where you encountered resistance with the large diameter pipe. You can also compare this to the lowest point in the outflow. Like I said, the top of the settled material is very thin and fluid and as it gets too close to the outflow more and more particulate matter will be drawn that way. Try not to stir things up too much with your probeing. Particulate matter is the killer of drainfields. That is why running too much water thru the septic system can kill the drainfield. It stirs up that upper layer and carries too much of it into the field before it has a chance to settle out. Does yours have an outflow filter? if so, it would be good to clean and inspect it also(while you have the top open

MrJimi · Oct 9, 2006

Is there a pour in product that can help a septic tank, I have asked about Rid-X and I was told it was dollars down the drain? Ours is 30 plus years old also and I think working ok, I had it pumped in 2000
Jim

Egon · Oct 9, 2006

There are lots of "Pour in Products" that will definetly transfer dollars from your wallet to other places.

If they help is another matter.

MossRoad · Oct 9, 2006

It all depends on the size of your septic tanks and how many people use it. There are rules of thumb, but really, they don't apply to anyone, as each case is completely different. I would have them pumped and be there when it happens. Inspect it and see how many solids are in the tank, etc... Then have it pumped two years later and inspect again. If it is no where near full, wait three years for the next pumping, inpect, etc... and adjust your years of pumping for your situation. I would also not let it get more than 2/3 full, so that you have some cushion.

Really, how much does it cost for peace of mind? In the big picture of home ownership, a few hundred dollars every three to four years on septic maintenance is a drop in the bucket compared to digging up your yard and installing a new system after it has failed, backed up into your yard, or worse, into your house or onto the neighbor's yard.

Just budget $10.00 a month for septic maintenance and spend it every three years.
It's not like you're flushing your money down the drain!

MossRoad · Oct 9, 2006

MrJimi said:
Is there a pour in product that can help a septic tank, I have asked about Rid-X and I was told it was dollars down the drain? Ours is 30 plus years old also and I think working ok, I had it pumped in 2000
Jim

The best thing for septic system maintenance is natural stuff. After you have it pumped, go eat a large meal at a truck stop and let nature take its course, if you know what I mean.

That will get the system off to a good start. I have also heard that harsh soaps and detergents will kill off the good bacteria that digest the waste, same thing with anti-biotic soaps. So be careful what you put down the drain. You want to keep your microbes healthy.

texbaylea · Oct 9, 2006

Here is the link to a delightful book: "The Septic Systems Owners Manual".

The Septic System Owner's Manual

Lots of good information about the care of a septic system plus other information you don't really need like the history of same. MossRoad is right as to the best way to restart a septic system.

Vernon