SEPTIC SYSTEM HELP

[frank_f15]

I HAD A new septic system installed 3 years ago 10/01 everything has been fine but late this afternoon the toilet would not flush right. this is an old home with a small vent and we always get some gurgle when draing sinks fast, sinks drain ok, with know back up in any other sinks, even filled the landry tubs and pumped them out, only thing i got was bubling in the toilet (which is normal) just me and the wife no kids around and grandkids have not been here for a week. dou think it is possible i need the tank pumped? seems kind of soon for 3 year old system. any idea's? i went out after dark and dug with shovel, top of tank is about 14 " below ground so wont' take long to scoop dirt off with tractor, but hate to have it pumped if not the problem. sorry for lengthy post.

 

[jamiec]

Well sure sounds like you need to get it pumped. Up here in maine all the pro's recomend getting the tanked pumped every 2-3 years so it sounds like it is about due anyway.

 

[Dargo]

After incorrectly assuming that by adding Rid-Ex or other addatives that my tank would never need to be pumped, I got some good responses on here as well as other independent research on the internet. It appears that the consensus was that the average system should be pumped about once every three years if working properly. I'd gone 13 years and apparently was very lucky that I had no sludge out in the leach lines. I've read that having such is the death of a system.
It cost me $105 to have it pumped, and the guy strongly suggsted that I have it pumped on a 3 year schedule as well as to continue to add the bacteria and yeast products I've been using. For the approx. $35 a year in cost, I'll go along with that program for a sound preventative maintenance program and piece of mind. Besides, when I dug up the clean out cap for them, it sure looked and smelled like, well, like crappy work. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[frank_f15]

yeh: i think tomorrow i will be on the kubota diging the dirt off, but seems funny that my old system went many years before needing pumping. i think the new systems require more frequent clean outs. this one has a filter on the outlet think it is calle a ZABEL filter. supposed to stop sludge from entering the leach field.. keep the ideas comming guys

 

[DKinWA]

Here's a couple of other possible problems. When installing tanks I try to limit the size of the whole to just a little bigger than the tank. If you don't, and the hole is significantly larger, as the dirt settles it will sometimes shear the inlet pipe off the tank. This can even happen to the outlet and stuff can't get in or out and you have a backup problem. I'd start first with running a snake upstream and downstream from the cleanout that should've been installed just outside your house. Hopefully it's just a simple plug and this takes care of it.

If not, dig out the inlet and outlet sides of the tank and see if either pipe sheared off. If it's neither of those, uncover the inspection covers and see what things look like inside. As someone else said, it's possible the outlet screen is plugged or it's time to pump the tank. Hopefully it's something simple that doesn't take a long time to figure out.

 

[rlk]

Frank, I had a similar problem last summer. Had the tank pumped, but within two months I was getting backups again when flushing the johns.

I knew the tank was o.k. since it had just been pumped. I rented a power snake and snaked the lines from under the bathroom cleanouts to the septic. This did not do any good at all, other than give me a sore back from lugging the power snake around.

Called the guy who pumped my tank and described the problem to him. He was in the area so stopped by. After a lot of searching, we finally we discovered a large clump of roots had plugged the distribution box. (My tank drains into a distribution box that has lines coming out of the distribution box into the leach field.) We pulled that clump out and everything has been working great since then.

When my tank was pumped in the past, the distribution box had never been uncovered or inspected since it is on the opposite end that is pumped. If you can't find anything else wrong, you may want to see if yours is clogged.

My system is over 30 years old and I'm afraid I'll have to replace it one of these days (I have no idea how long a system will last).

Bob

 

[frank_f15]

tHANKS FOR THE INFO, but i really don' think anything could be in distribution box. only 3 years old. i think i will just have it pumped and see what happens, but any other ideas are again mosy welcomed.

 

[Junkman]

You mentioned Rid X, so this information might just start the septic tank war of words, but I feel compelled to pass along this information. I have a friend that is a engineer in the field of septic systems. He designs both large systems for municipalities and smaller systems for places such as hotels, motels, etc. I had just asked him about Rid X this weekend and his reply was... DON'T USE IT!!!!!! I asked why and his response made a lot of sense. He said that it will help to break down the solids into a liquid, but the liquid will then flow into the leach field and clog the field. Then he followed up by saying that if you were to introduce Rid X into the leach field without putting it into the septic tank, that it can't hurt since it will help to break down any of the material that has migrated from the tank to the leach field. Also said that the best systems today have two leach fields. Use one for a year and then switch over to the other for a year while the first rests and recovers. That way, the leach fields will last forever. Also said that it is an expense that a lot of people just don't see a need for until the first field fails. Then they wish that they had done it correctly in the first place. When I built my home, I had to set aside a section of the back yard as a reserve septic field in the event that the original one failed. I only wish that the technology that is available today to do this was available then. I would have installed two fields, because today the cost is probably 5 times as much.

 

[Dargo]

No, your reply makes sense to me. I'm the fool who went 13 years without having my tank pumped, mistakenly thinking I never should have to. I started using the Rid X after about 8 years or so, figuring that my tank was likely getting somewhat full. We had a couple of kids then, and ended up with 5 kids! (7 of us using that septic system!) Apparently most of the Rid X I put in went straight into my leach lines. Perhaps that is the only reason that when the guy checked my leach lines he said that he was surprised, but they were just fine. By shear accident and ignorance I must have kept my leach lines clear. I won't argue with you at all, and still feel lucky! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[ByronBob]

I think your on the right track Frank. In any case to see if other issues are the problem you'll need to have the tank pumped. When you do that open the cleanout pipe in the house going to the tank and use a flashlight or snake to see if the pipe is indeed still together without a break. Once you know the pipe going to the tank is good then you can worry about what happens after the water leaves the tank and goes to the d-box and points further out.

 

[Will_C]

frank_f-15; I don't lnow if you have found your problem yet, but here is an idea. Have you pulled and cleaned the Zabel filter? I pull and clean mine twice a year, usually just some light waste on it. The Zabel filter will cause a system to act plugged more quickly, but they are good at keeping the solids out of the leach field or sand filter.
Pumpimg would be a good idea, but three years seems to be quick for just you and your wife.
Good Luck,
Will

 

[frank_f15]

septic fixed!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif started out early used the B2400 to dig off sod and 1st 6 or 8 " of soil , dug the rest by hand (this was at the cleanout on the inlet side of the tank) the water was 5 or 6 " BELOW THE INLET PIPE. TANK LOOKED GREAT. SO DUG OUT MY HEAVY DUTY SNAKE AND SNAKE THE DEVIL OUT OF THE LINE FROM HOUSE TO TANK, but there was nothing there and toilet still did not flush right. ended up pulling the toilet and that was the problem, obstruction at outlet of toilet, new wax seal and new toilet bolts, and worked like a champ. took an hour just to put all the tools, hoses, snakes, hand tools and shop vac away.. only thing not done is pushing the dirt back, but i might dig up the other cleanout to clean ZABEL filter and if i do that (weather permitting) as long as it is dug up and opened i might have it pumped. I talked to a septic guy today and he said that a new system with 1500 gal. tank and only two peiople in the house it shoud go 6 to 8 years without pumping, also got the same info from a few other sites with charts. i don't think i will stretch it that long. SORRY agin for the long post , but feel it is important to let all the helpful folks know of the final solution and it might help somone else. Took 7 hours, digging , working , fixing, running to store for parts, clean up and i am MOST CERTAINLY TO OLD FOR THIS CRAP (NO PUN INTENED)

 

[Junkman]

Invest in one of those J shaped toilet snakes. Saves a lot of time and effort to clear clogs. Insert it into the bottom of the toilet and then push the handle down about 3 feet. Crank a few times and it will dislodge and chew up any normal waste that is in the pipe. If you have kids that put toys, etc in the toilet, then the only way is to remove toilet and remove obstacle. I used to manage a 80 unit apartment complex 35 years ago and never once did I need to call the plumber. We didn't have children living in there, but we did have women that think a toilet can handle almost anything that they could put into it like a garbage disposal. The first clog was free, then after that, if they clogged the toilet in the next 3 months, it cost them $25 to have it cleared. Almost all learned after the second time.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The first clog was free, then after that, if they clogged the toilet in the next 3 months, it cost them $25 to have it cleared. Almost all learned after the second time.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

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That's the way ya gotta do it cause the only thing some tenants understand is their pocket book.

 

[LBrown59]

PS:
I had to start doing the same with water faucets.
Got tired of replacing new ones with in a month or two.

The first repair or replacement was free. Any thing after that was on their nickel for the next year.

 

[Junkman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

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That's the way ya gotta do it cause the only thing some tenants understand is their pocket book. )</font>

Too bad that we can't fine new members $25 each time they dredge up a old post and respond to it, but don't add anything meaningful to the post. Seems like you are just trying to bolster your posting number with worthless dribble. I would think by now, you would have learned how to use the forums properly and not to make meaningless posts./forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Also said that the best systems today have two leach fields. When I built my home, I had to set aside a section of the back yard as a reserve septic field in the event that the original one failed. I only wish that the technology that is available today to do this was available then. I would have installed two fields, because today the cost is probably 5 times as much. )</font>

The best system is no leach bead.
I don't have a leach field on mine and it works fine that way?
I don't want one on it and certainly not 2 of them to screw it up twice as much.