Septic Tank Chemistry

[dmccarty]

...
1 - How do you know you need to pump?
2 - Is pumping expensive?
3 - All I have to "mark" the septic at my house is some bricks on a muddy spot behoind the house. The rental has a 4" PVC Pipe sticking up with a plug. Do I need to dig this thing up and install some sort of a pipe access?

4 - What am I forgetting to ask because I'm a n00b?

Thanks,
David

NC has a table recommending that the tank be pumped every X number of years depending on the size of the tank and number of people in the house.

We pump the septic tank every four years. We pump around November on the presidential election cycles. Make it easy to remember.

To get our tanked pump was around $250.

Our tank, an many/most, newer ones in NC is one physical tank with two compartments. NC regulations requires a riser from the top of the septic tank to near grade level for the compartment with the filter covering the outflow to the septic field. Dishonest pumpers will only pump this compartment because it is the easiest to get too. The problem is this compartment does not have solids. The solids are in the other compartment which is where the line from the house first enters the tank.

We put a riser on the first compartment to make it faster to access and pump out.

I assume the 4 inch PVC is a clean out. We have one between the house and the tank. The PVC should mark one end of the septic tank.

Later,
Dan

 

[Artisan]

Just use Boraxo in your laundry. Boraxo will kill tree roots. When the roots in one area die, the tree will just grow roots elsewhere. Plus, your laundry will get cleaner.

We ran into Boraxo about 4 months ago. Now our home is very clean, the washer machine is a nice Maytag, it is old and moisture was causing some order issues from within the washer where I can't get at it to clean it, that was dissing me off big time, we hate filth, I was preparing to get a new washer. So we started using Boraxo for another reason and Viola!, the smell completely disappeared. . .
Gone, zilch, zip, nada. Amazing.

I didn't know it killed tree roots.

 

[Artisan]

Poke Rod =

 

[Soundguy]

a nice poke rod too!.. i normall use some 3/8 dowel rod witht he top bent over as a handle..

 

[MossflowerWoods]

We pump the septic tank every four years. We pump around November on the presidential election cycles. Make it easy to remember.

Later,
Dan

Dan,

You are BRILLIANT!

:laughing:

David

 

[dmccarty]

Dan,

You are BRILLIANT!

:laughing:

David

I just told the wifey that a TBNer said I was BRILLIANT. :laughing:

She said, and I quote, "They do not know you very well."

She might be right. :laughing: To be honest the septic tank pumping schedule we use was suggested by another TBNer. :thumbsup:

Later,
Dan

 

[Soundguy]

pumping every 4ys in nov might clog up the entire system.. too much BS going out..

 

[GGB]

I've had a recent experience with our septic system. Because of the terrain, we have a transfer pump to move the liquids up to the lateral field, and the pump died last spring. I assume it was the original pump, probably was about 4-5 years old when we bought the house 4 years ago, so from what I understand, that's not bad for this type of system.

The holding tank had been required to be pumped before closiing on the house. The inspection cover is constucted of heavy plastic, and sits on a matching flange which sits on top of the tank. At some point, someone had probably backed over a corner of the lid and the flange had a crack but was still servicable. There were no problems noted at that time, other than the cracked flange for the lid.

Four years later when the pump failed, we had to have the holding tank pumped again to replace the pump. The gentleman who came to pump out the tank was not from the same company as was used at closing, and after he pumped the holding tank, he asked where the other tank was. What other tank, I asked? I didn't no till then that the first pumper only pumped the liquids tank! Good Grief!

So my new pumper found the solids tank fairly quickly, but we had to dig out a foot of dirt to get to the concrete cover. Why the heck didn't they put an inspection cover on the solids tank? I don't want to tell you what I thought about the outfit that built the system and didnt' put a riser and inspection cover on the solids tank.

I determined that I didn't want to have to cover it back up and dig out again everytime it needed to be pumped, so while I had the cover exposed I bought
18' of risers and an inspection cover which can easily be taken off to pump in the future. Then while I was at it, I replaced the liquids tank riser and lid to match the solids tank riser and lid. Then to disguise the risers/lids, I piled hardwood mulch on the sides and top, and planted some small mugo pines and grasses to further hide it. Actually looks pretty good, a lot better than the old green lid.

At least it will be a lot easier to pump correctly the next time. But why wouldn't someone have done it right the first time????

 

[Egon]

But why wouldn't someone have done it right the first time????​

Cost.

 

[Soundguy]

or ineptness...