Septic Smells

[bigtiller]

I would call a "septic repair & maintenance" company near you. They know their "stuff."

 

[masseyrider]

300 gallon sounds small.
I make sure never to dump fat or grease down. That can/will plug drains and the septic field.
I dump a package or 2 of yeast down to keep the microbial action going.
Also I try to limit the amount of bleach and harsh cleansers so they don't kill the microbial action.
I get it pumped every 3 years.
They just did it a couple months ago and with the lids open you would have been hard pressed to smell anything without sticking your head down into the tank.

 

[gstrom99]

the outlet pipe which is open air dumped about 100' away, the cleanout, or the lid not being airtight.

How 'bout posting a pic of the system and this "open air outlet pipe"?

 

[murphy1244]

A tank that's seldom used is hard to keep a cycle going in your tank.

 

[shock]

How 'bout posting a pic of the system and this "open air outlet pipe"?

OK, not being a plumber, or educated in septic systems, I may have mistakenly mischaracterized the discharge of waste water from the outlet. I just assumed it ran out the end of the pipe from the tank into the open air. Sounds like that is an unlikely setup. I've never smelled anything near where I think the outlet pipe is run to. (it's very likely in a tall grassy, kinda brushy area that is hard to investigate). Regardless, I don't think it comes from the outlet pipe as a potential source of the smell...

And to repeat, there is no inside smell, just outside near the tank.

Edited to add: I put yeast in about every month, and we don't use bleach, as it's mostly used as a hunting shack.

 

[MMC]

OK, not being a plumber, or educated in septic systems, I may have mistakenly mischaracterized the discharge of waste water from the outlet. I just assumed it ran out the end of the pipe from the tank into the open air. Sounds like that is an unlikely setup. I've never smelled anything near where I think the outlet pipe is run to. (it's very likely in a tall grassy, kinda brushy area that is hard to investigate). Regardless, I don't think it comes from the outlet pipe as a potential source of the smell...

And to repeat, there is no inside smell, just outside near the tank.

Edited to add: I put yeast in about every month, and we don't use bleach, as it's mostly used as a hunting shack.

OK, not being a plumber, or educated in septic systems, I may have mistakenly mischaracterized the discharge of waste water from the outlet. I just assumed it ran out the end of the pipe from the tank into the open air. Sounds like that is an unlikely setup. I've never smelled anything near where I think the outlet pipe is run to. (it's very likely in a tall grassy, kinda brushy area that is hard to investigate). Regardless, I don't think it comes from the outlet pipe as a potential source of the smell...

And to repeat, there is no inside smell, just outside near the tank.

Edited to add: I put yeast in about every month, and we don't use bleach, as it's mostly used as a hunting shack.

 

[ruffdog]

OK, not being a plumber, or educated in septic systems, I may have mistakenly mischaracterized the discharge of waste water from the outlet. I just assumed it ran out the end of the pipe from the tank into the open air. Sounds like that is an unlikely setup. I've never smelled anything near where I think the outlet pipe is run to. (it's very likely in a tall grassy, kinda brushy area that is hard to investigate). Regardless, I don't think it comes from the outlet pipe as a potential source of the smell...

And to repeat, there is no inside smell, just outside near the tank.

Edited to add: I put yeast in about every month, and we don't use bleach, as it's mostly used as a hunting shack.

Interesting....does the 300 gal tank collect the solids and the liquid runs out a pipe instead of a septic field?

 

[MMC]

Although I have helped "buddys" put in some septic systems (in my youth), I am certainly not an expert. But I do have opinions. So, here it is: a well designed septic system doesn't really need help. If you are having to put "stuff" in, that's a patch, a band-aid. The comments about inside "traps" are valid - the water in your trap is your gas (methane) seal. But that's inside the house (normally) - if you are away from that cabin and the water evaporates, you will have sewer gas come up. So, pour some water down an unused drain every now and then.

But that's not what you indicate is the real problem. Unless you have a strange vent issue outside (which I would doubt), the sewer smell is coming from the tank or the bleeder field (if originally designed properly). Keep in mind, many folks put stuff in that's not "code." Yes, you can do that, but you really have to know what you're doing. Keep in mind "codes" are a minimum standard, not necessarily the best.

I really would encourage you to find a professional - nobody on this forum can see what you can. We're just guessing. Well intentioned, but still kinda' guessing.

Bottom line: "It ain't right - find a professional - your situation may not be healthy."

 

[grsthegreat]

ALL septic tanks should be pumped every 5 years. Solids do accumulate. This will help protect the drain field.

 

[ruffdog]

Our State requires it every 3 years.


Pumping the septic system as required by Wisconsin law every 3 years

 

[5030]

A 300 gallon vault sounds 'fishy' to me. This spring we had our concrete vault replaced, we have a one bath and a half farm house with 2 sink drains and a dishwasher as well and just my wife and I and local ordinance stipulates nothing smaller than a 1000 gallon tank and a working drain field. Our drain field perks fine so the contractor removed the old concrete vault and replaced it with a new 1500 gallon 2 manhole (plastic covers) concrete vault and connected it to the existing drainfield which just happens to be under one of my side hayfields ( and it grows the nicest alfalfa hay you've ever seen) btw. We have never gotten any smell at all and like previously posted, our county drain mandates pumping every 3 years and we do. I do the same with all my rental properties but the vaults on them are much newer than ours was.

Something is very fishy about your system in my opinion, hunting shack or not. Never heard of a 300 gallon vault. Smallest ones available here are 1000 gallon. If it was mine, I would have built an outhouse over a pit and called it good and a couple pounds of lime down the hole would suffice just fine. Besides, you cannot plug up an an outhouse...lol

My grandparents had one complete with a 2 holer and plenty of reading material inside. They dug a pit and used it for a couple years and then dug another pit and moved the outhouse and interestingly, where the old pit was, grandpa would let it sit a couple years, level it out and use it for the garden and it really grew nice produce.

 

[paulsharvey]

Ok, so, pumping, I'll give you what I see; the septic contractors that run a pump service will recommend having a system pumped every 1-5 years, the septic contractors that just do new installs and/or repairs (and the pumping required for repairs) general don't locally recommend pumping. A functional system should last many many years. Honestly, if your needing to pump every year or every 2-3, either you are paranoid, or have a problem. Tons of folks go 20-30+ years having never pumped.

Now, to the smell; can you visually see the access or is it buried? You say "lid" which to me, is the top slab on a concrete tank, but the majority of tanks are poly or fiberglass now, although concrete is still used. If we mean the actual access (often there are two), is visible, clean around it, and see if that is where the smell is coming. A septic tank, by vary definition should be without air, totally different bugs than a aerobic system like a sewer plant.

Being used so little, it is possible that is the source of the problem, but I'm guessing it's more likely the "lid". You still want to maintain access for future, but you could seal the outside with a tar/bituminous product. It won't be "easy" to open, but it still can be.

As far as checking if it needs pumped, and if we are able to see the actual access, you can open it, and take a pipe or stick and get an idea of how much solids have built up. The tank will be full, but we should have oils on top (thin layer, shouldnt be a lot), water, and the very bottom will be sludge and solids. I Highly doubt, that after just a few years, of seasonal usage, the sludge/solids are needing pumped.

 

[paulsharvey]

Depending on how the system was installed, and designed; it could be the box on the outlet side, where everything splits into the arms of a drain field. Virtually all new systems have a drain field, but there are other types, such as gray water sprayers, aerobic systems, lagons and probably other things.

Also, how everything is piped matters; there are set ups that will have a tank it the ground but the inlet pipe from the home is partially above ground; that could be a small crack in the 4" pvc or a poorly fitted/glued pipe fitting. If you live in the desert, you might even be able to get gas migration though very dry, sandy soils.

 

[5030]

I disagree with the first part of your initial post. We live and farm in a zoned area and pumping frequency is determined by county ordinance not by personal preference and our health department will notify you when it needs pumped and the contractor that just installed our new 1500 gallon vault is also a honey pumper. In fact he pumped the original one dry before he pulled it.
Even our up north hunting property is in a zoned area and if we were ever to build a 'Hunting shack' on the property, it would have to conform to the zoning ordinance and that includes the sanitation system, so I disagree with your premise. Same applies to our deep well which we have tested for bacteria and fertilizer ingress on a regular basis and that test is provided by the county at no charge. Of course it's hard cased so ground water ingress is a non issue but none the less, we have it tested on a regular basis. Local ordnance specifically states that any well used for drinking water must be at least 175 lineal feet from any sanitation (septic tank) and or leach field and I'm quite familiar with the ordinances as my wife is the local (township) building ordinance chairperson.

 

[murphy1244]

My farther in law down in Florida has never ever pumped his septic out. My guess is the hotter it is the cycle never gets interrupted by cold.

 

[5030]

gets real cold here but the ground temp below 4 feet remains stable at 55 degrees. If I had it to do over again and I was 30 years younger, I would have had directional boring done with a continuous field feeding a water furnace. My buddy built a new home and he did it and his total utility bill remains below 100 bucks a month, winter and summer. At my age the ROI isn't feasible.

Least my septic system never stinks...lol

 

[5030]

Speaking of cold, it's not all that far off even if it was 93 here yesterday it will soon be below freezing and I'm not looking forward to it. The older I get the less I like the winter weather. My only salvation in winter is, it lets my ground rest to produce a bountiful crop the following spring.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

When I grew up we had a septic tank but no drain field, the effluent just ran of out of the tank and soaked into the ground. It ran this way for over 40 years before a drain field was installed. There was no smell ever.
Now our juristiction allows composting toilets to be installed but it also, is regulated on how you can depose of the compost.

 

[ruffdog]

My farther in law down in Florida has never ever pumped his septic out. My guess is the hotter it is the cycle never gets interrupted by cold.

Has he ever looked to see how much sludge is in the tank? Our tanks must be pumped if the sludge level is at the 1/3 capacity of the tank. I have a feeling that he is treating it as "out of sight, out of mind" and will call when there are issues. Then it is too late. Florida does many things different but we value our ground water quality here.

 

[shock]

Ok, so, pumping, I'll give you what I see; the septic contractors that run a pump service will recommend having a system pumped every 1-5 years, the septic contractors that just do new installs and/or repairs (and the pumping required for repairs) general don't locally recommend pumping. A functional system should last many many years. Honestly, if your needing to pump every year or every 2-3, either you are paranoid, or have a problem. Tons of folks go 20-30+ years having never pumped.

Now, to the smell; can you visually see the access or is it buried? You say "lid" which to me, is the top slab on a concrete tank, but the majority of tanks are poly or fiberglass now, although concrete is still used. If we mean the actual access (often there are two), is visible, clean around it, and see if that is where the smell is coming. A septic tank, by vary definition should be without air, totally different bugs than a aerobic system like a sewer plant.

Being used so little, it is possible that is the source of the problem, but I'm guessing it's more likely the "lid". You still want to maintain access for future, but you could seal the outside with a tar/bituminous product. It won't be "easy" to open, but it still can be.

As far as checking if it needs pumped, and if we are able to see the actual access, you can open it, and take a pipe or stick and get an idea of how much solids have built up. The tank will be full, but we should have oils on top (thin layer, shouldnt be a lot), water, and the very bottom will be sludge and solids. I Highly doubt, that after just a few years, of seasonal usage, the sludge/solids are needing pumped.

Haven't read the rest of the posts below this post, but many folks are telling me something similar - that it shouldn't need pumped for a long time if ever. The plastic lid is plainly visible (at least 1 lid, not sure if there are more). I've moved the dirt and rock where the lid attaches to the tank or riser, not sure what's there, and that's where I see a wave where the lid comes up a 1/4" from the - let's call it the tank. It's still really hard to tell if that's where the odor is coming from tho, as the smell comes and goes...... I plan to take the lid off next time I'm there and see what i can see. I also plan to do a smoke test by pumping smoke down the roof vent and see if smoke comes out the cleanout, the lid, or ground somewhere. That's my plan at this point. Then I can call my plumber but he seems like he's wanting to just dig it up and hasn't even seen it yet. Plumbers are hard to find in the area before someone says "just find another plumber".....
Thanks for all the responses.