Septic stink

[guyrj33]

A properly functioning septic system should not have any effluent running out on the ground.
You could test your leaching field by plugging the outlet pipe and looking for wet spots developing in your leaching field.
A proper leaching field will allow the water to evaporate thru the surface while allowing the biological components to aerobically decompose.
This is an unhealthy situation.

 

[ByronBob]

Your system is vented. Look on the roof of your home. See the pipe sticking out of the shingles. It's the vent you don't know about.

 

[ByronBob]

You have no topsoil on the tank top? You have water which retains heat exposed to -20 Deg weather in ground with no topsoil. The temp difference isn't good, you could crack the concrete couldn't you?

At a minimum you should have 3 inches of soil on top of the tank for anything to help cover the odor's

 

[mwechtal]

rswyan,
If you have clay, and you have an outlet pipe, you most likely have a sand filter, not a leach field. A sand filter has a layer of perforated drain pipe at the bottom of the trenches, covered by a special type of cloth, then the trench is mostly filled with sand, then what looks like a leach field is installed above the sand, and finally it's buried. The sand has to meet county specifications around here. The effluent goes into the top layer of perf pipe, trickles down through the sand, into the bottom layer of perf pile and then drains out the outlet pipe. If you have heavy clay, a leach field will do exactly nothing.

Mike

 

[woodlot]

I have soil covering my tank. There is a riser or extension comming off the tank that supports the lid. About 12" of riser and the lid are above ground. If this is a problem please let me know. I have not had any problems with freezing in the two years I've owned the tank. I have seen the exposed riser and lid on other systems so I was assuming this set-up is ok. I also hope the septic guy would have said something if my situation was wrong or bad, then again I think he steams frozem systems in the winter.

 

[ByronBob]

Oh a riser, this is normal..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Highbeam]

The exposed lid is normal and now required here in Washington. You will find that when it snows, those lids melt the snow pretty quickly.

"A proper leaching field will allow the water to evaporate thru the surface while allowing the biological components to aerobically decompose" This is not correct. The effluent is supposed to flow into the earth. As it falls through the soil it is aerated and the aerobic bugs eat the leftovers. This is why you can't put a drainfield in real deep or pave over it. The drainfield lines need the air.

I would be worried if you have a surface outlet for your drainfield after only being treated by a septic tank. Here in the NW when the water table is high or the ground impermeable we build mounds above ground of sand to provide the aerobic treatment bfore the effluent hits the groundwater.

 

[guyrj33]

I know it doesn't make sense when you first read it, but a properly functioning leach filed does allow water to evaporate thru the surface. To refine your point, effluent should not flow into the groundwater. The whole point of aerobic decomposition in the leach area it to clean the effluent, letting only cleaned water flow into the ground water. That's why the leach field has to be above the high water mark in the soil. Also why mounds are built.

 

[hobbyfarm]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So why the stink? Is it me? too many burreto's? )</font> /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

woodlot,
I doubt it's the burritos. It must be you. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif But seriously, perhaps your nose is too sensitive! Maybe you need to go volunteer at the homeless shelter for a few days. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif That should fix that sensitive nose. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I happened to think that maybe your drain field is saturated. Or, it could just be level of beneficial bacteria in the tank is insufficient. This is similar in purpose to a compost pile - if it smells, something's wrong. That said, with compost piles, it is usually too much moisture or not enough. It has to be balanced. You might be right about diluting it with too much liquid. Oh yeah, what most of the guys said - don't vent the tank.
One more thing - about your nose - this IS a septic tank and it has a dirty job to do. It will never smell like an early morning bakery, the clean, fresh smell of the air after a thunderstorm or rose garden! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[cisco]

Hmm, some of the replies have raised an issue I need to think about. The garage/apartment on my country property was my first experience with wells or septic, so I probably overbuilt each (or, more correctly, had the contractors do such). The septic tank and field are substantially larger than needed, with the tank lid buried about 12" deep, and the leach field 3 feet, with lots of gravel around perforated and linen draped pipe, in soil that's semi-sandy. Odor, wet spots - none, ever.
BUT --- when I retire I'll build a house on the property, I'll need to think about prevailing winds and neighbors. I've 2, 1 being a church retreat camp about 1000 feet away, behind trees, and on weekends, when a bunch of folks are camping there, there seems to be a bit of strain on the septic system, as just the faintest of odor can be present when I walk over to say "hi" to folks. My closer neighbor (300 feet) in real rainy weather tends to have a slightly discolored slick on the grass over his septic, and also just the faintest of odor when I walked over to get a closer look.
So, may not matter if my septic systems are working - if my neighbors have issues as their systems further age, I darn well better select a place on my property that's downwind (well, most of the time) from them.
Thanks - never had considered the issue before.

 

[woodlot]

Well, I finally had a chance to "tour" the septic area last night. No stink from the thank lid or the four 4 inch pvc "vents" comming out of the ground in the drainfeild. A post or two here said the pipes in the drainfield are inspection ports and should be sealed. Mine are most definetly vents, They have a vent cap on them. No smell from these either. The idea that the smell is comming from the roof vents is getting more and more likely.

 

[Highbeam]

Maybe those odor filters might be the way to go then. It would be so nice to have sand, your system should last a good long time.

"To refine your point, effluent should not flow into the groundwater."
The effluent absolutely does flow into the groundwater. On the way to the groundwater it is receiving aerobic treatment so that by the time it gets there it is supposed to be clean enough. This is why, as you stated, there needs to be non-saturated soil between the drainfield and the water table. Gravity works, the water will flow down. Evaporation is an extremely minute part of the equation since the effluent would have to wick vertically through dry soil against gravity to even get to the surface.

 

[guyrj33]

I'm not trying to start an argument, but I think it's important to use the correct terms when it's an issue of public health.

Effluent should not be flowing into the ground water.
From meriam webster
effluent: noun
: something that flows out: as a : an outflowing branch of a main stream or lake b : waste material (as smoke, liquid industrial refuse, or sewage) discharged into the environment especially when serving as a pollutant

The leach field treats the effluent, the liquid left over should be water. If effluent is being put into the groundwater, the system has failed.

 

[rswyan]

Mike,

Thanks for the info on the sand filter aspect - yeah, we definitely have clay here, no doubt about that.

Actually the soil type at the surface changes just behind my house from one that is more dense (apparently) with a higher concentration of clay (Wooster silt loam, WuB) in the front, to one that is less dense (Canfield silt loam, CdB) in the back, where the leach field/sand filter is. Both soils have a a dense, compact subsoil layer (fragipan.)

I was alot younger when the leach field was redone the last time and wasn't paying that much attention at the time so I didn't actually observe it. I might have the paperwork though that would describe what was done ... be interesting to know exactly what is there.

 

[Highbeam]

"The leach field treats the effluent, the liquid left over should be water." Do you want to drink it?

The definition you provided seems to disagree with your comment. You have proven yourself wrong in that the discharge is always waste and is therefor always effluent.

The point at which the effluent becomes water is purely academic and of no matter to this thread. Effluent is the stuff leaving the tank and going into the ground as far as we need be concerned. I for one, never consider the effluent to be completely converted to water if for nothing but the "yuck factor". Some folks have proposed rerouting high quality effluent from municipal sewage treatment plants into our drinking water supply since this high quality effluent is held to higher standards than some of the drinking water sources.

Yes, the treated effluent does in fact flow into the groundwater. Dilution is the solution to the pollution, you'll never taste it coming out of the well.

 

[Gringo_Viejo]

Shortly after we moved into our new house last December we noticed a septic odor in the front yard. Since the septic tank was new, and there was no sign of a leak in the system we were very puzzled. We called our builder who brought his plumber out to the ranch. Their concensus was that the outlet of the roof vent pipe was too low and should be about 15' higher to assure dissipation of the gasses. We nixed that idea and told him to come up with another solution. The plumber then suggested that he install a trap just ahead of the inlet to the septic tank. That was done five months ago, and there has not been a whiff of an odor nor any problem with the septic system since.

 

[getut]

I've been reading this thread and have to disagree about house vents. Every plumbing system that I have ever seen has traps below every drain and below every vent. The traps hold water for that very reason, to prevent smells from coming up the pipe.

That is also coincidentally the reason why homes that sit on the market empty for quite a long time start stinking or smelling extremely musty. The water finally evaporates out the the traps because the drains haven't been used and smells start coming back up the pipes. Just run some water in every sink and shower and flush the toilets once a month or so and they'll stay smelling much better.

Also, I must live in an area with good drainage or something. Between my father, grandfather on both sides and uncles, between us all we have never had to have a septic system pumped. None us pay any attention at all about what goes in and none of us have ever had septic stink at all.

 

[Highbeam]

"The plumber then suggested that he install a trap just ahead of the inlet to the septic tank."

I'm glad it worked, but I worry about the trap filling with "sediment". Without ventilation, where does the gas go? The bubble of gas must stay in the tank or pressurize the tank and burp the sewage out of that trap.

 

[woodlot]

getut, Your understanding of a residential DWV system needs a little dusting off. You are correct that each dain requires a trap and the trap prevents gases from entering the house. However, each drain is also vented. The trap is BEFORE the vent. This leaves the vent pipe comming out the roof open to the sewer. The vent DOES NOT have a trap, only the drain has a trap.

As far a never pumping your septic tank, if that works for you. I know I will spend the 50 bucks every three years to avoid throwing solids into the drain field. Its the only way to ensure a long lasting system.

 

[getut]

My parents system has been going fine without a single pumping for 32 years now. No smells or water coming to the surface anywhere. My own house is going on 20 years old without a pumping. So I get the feeling the need to do that is based on the type of ground because it sure isn't needed here for a long lasting system.

As far as the vent that may be due to code differences also, but I have no doubt that it differs from area to area and definitely with age differences of the construction. Take for instance my current house.... The main waste line branches up to the laundry room. Immediately at the branch there is a 3" trap, then it breaks off and goes to the washer, the sink (with its own dedicated trap) and the vent itself. In this house everywhere there is a branch off to an area there is a large trap for that area... right off the main line that goes to the septic system, , then smaller dedicated traps for certain items such as sinks and toilets.

toilet -> dedicated toilet trap -> bathroom vent -> large trap for the whole area -> main line to septic system