Septic woes

[kpinnc 16,191]

I've lived at my current address for 7 and a half years. Never had any issues with my system whatsoever. 

 

About 3AM my wife flushed a toilet, and water backed up into the bath tub. Then my kid's toilet began leaking above and below the floor around the wax seal. Last night it was about 12 degrees, so of course my wife thought something had frozen, but I had already closed off the crawl space and it was 50 degrees under the house. 

 

As it turns out, 3 women in the same house generate alot of toilet paper waste. Who knew? 

 

My septic line had plugged solid right at the tank itself, so we had to dig down to the tank and have it pumped. The soil here is solid red clay and rocks, and some doofus had set the tank lid 2 feet down. Supposed to be 6 inches per building code. 

 

Added two 18 inch diameter risers for the future, so no more digging ever. Just remove the cap and pump it out. Not to mention they allow for an inspection port as needed. 

 

Needless to say, a very crappy  and expensive day. Oh well, should be less worrisome in the future. 

 

 

 

 

Edited 10 hours ago by kpinnc

[WHX?? 53,333]

No sympathy here KP... tree roots were my issue till the saw came out. 

7 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

3 women in the same house

Oh you poor sob... I only got one and took stock in a TP company. 

In WI we are required to have them inspected and pumped by a pro every three years. 

Did you use the nifty green plastic extensions with the domed lid? ? Jungle sells them and quite proud of them. One of these days I need to pull the trigger when I get over the price. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IEC9QU6/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Edited 10 hours ago by WHX??

[kpinnc 16,191]

6 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Oh you poor sob... I only got one and took stock in a TP company. 

In WI we are required to have them inspected and pumped by a pro every three years. 

 

I took a picture of the solids side of the tank, but I think it's a little gross for here. 

 

The TP was 4 feet deep in this 1000 gallon tank! It was easy to see the difference between "septic safe" paper and other types. Septic safe breaks down, many other common name brands do not. And no, we have never used any wipes or similar in our system. 

 

I'm not a fan of broad stroke regulations- but I can certainly understand the 3 year requirement. It's recommended every 5 years here, but occupancy creates wild fluctuations with that. 

Edited 10 hours ago by kpinnc

[kpinnc 16,191]

18 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Did you use the nifty green plastic extensions with the domed lid? ? Jungle sells them and quite proud of them. One of these days I need to pull the trigger when I get over the price. 

 

The septic company sells them. They are very heavy duty as far as I can see. They come already set up in the reinforced concrete covers so they drop right into the square access holes of the tank. 

 

The outsides of mine are smooth, with the ribs inside so a little different than the jungle site- but basically the same. 

 

Yeah, about $130 each installed. But the way my arms and back feel right now? Worth every penny... 

No more digging!  

Edited 10 hours ago by kpinnc

[Handy Don 15,186]

10 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

so we had to dig down to the tank

Be thankful you knew where to dig!

When my Dad built our house in the late 50’s he put a detailed map of the septic system in a well-labeled envelope attached to a cupboard door in the garage. During the final walkthrough he pointed it out (I was there). Years after we’d moved away, the new owner called angry and in a panic. Big backup and “where the **** is the septic tank?” The contractors are digging up all over the yard and they can’t find it.

Through questioning, the new owner finally admitted he had “cleaned up” the garage and discarded the envelope not realizing its importance. 

My Dad gave them what he could remember and after a few hours, they did find the tank. 

[kpinnc 16,191]

1 minute ago, Handy Don said:

Be thankful you knew where to dig!

 

I had a general idea. The grass dies early August there in a perfect square. Still had to dig around a bit since all the grass is brown right now. I was very happy to finally hit concrete! 

[Andy N. 2,603]

I have our 500 gallon tank pumped every 2 years by the same guy.  They had a business card staple to a beam at the entrance to the crawl space when we bought the house. The first time we called, he walked right up the tank with his poker and hit the lid right on. I was amazed that he was that good. Then he told us that his dad had actually installed the system when the house was built in ‘79 and they’ve been servicing it ever since. Best $200 I spend every 2 years in my opinion. 

[WHX?? 53,333]

Since my lid is only 6" down the heat from the tank keeps the snow melted off. Digging it up every three keeps it in my memory but

15 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

arms and back feel right now

yeah I need to get it above grade! 

[lynnmor 8,257]

After having a tank pumped I always add RidX to get the bugs working again.  Keep bleach use to a minimum so the bacteria aren’t harmed.

[rmaynard 16,692]

8 hours ago, WHX?? said:

In WI we are required to have them inspected and pumped by a pro every three years. 

 

Wow, that's nuts. I have lived in the same house here in Maryland for 47 years. I have a standard concrete septic tank. In that time I have only had the tank pumped once, and that was for a root from an oak tree that partially block the exit of the tank. My father installed a steel septic tank in 1959. He never had it pumped, and did not have to replace it until 1999 when it rusted out and caved under the weight of his tractor. My point is that if a septic tank is treated properly (only human waste, standard toilet tissue, no anti-bacteria hand soap, laundry water with septic-safe detergent, and only kitchen waste that is digestible), you should never need to have it pumped. I add one container of Rid-X (bacteria) every 6 months to aid in the digestion of solids. 

 

I know that I may get some kickback on these comments, but as they say "the proof is in the pudding".

[Racinbob 12,427]

1 hour ago, rmaynard said:

. He never had it pumped, and did not have to replace it until 1999 when it rusted out and caved under the weight of his tractor.

 

Did he say "OH.............................crap!" as he was going down? 

[JoeM 9,317]

5 hours ago, lynnmor said:

Keep bleach use to a minimum so the bacteria aren’t harmed.

This is a biggie. When we first moved in I had to calm my wife down on commode cleaning. 

 

We lost a drain field to a maple tree, the tree is gone but I put copper-sulfide in the leach field once a year. I use the calendar on the phone for re treatment reminders. 

 

Sewage came through 3 or so years ago. Stopped just beyond one house to my left and seven to the right. 10 homes here can't tap in. They said it would require another pump unit. I think it was piss poor engineering. 

 

[WHX?? 53,333]

1 hour ago, rmaynard said:

some kickback on these comments,

Not really Bob ... I been crapping in mine for 40 years now and the first 30 years never did anything except removing roots. Then they came out with the mandatory inspection thing. Probably a good thing as the first time I had it pumped he discovered the concrete baffle had dropped down to the bottom. I asked him how much he would charge to go down and fix it. $100 he says. He showed me how to fix it and down I went. I was mush more frugal back then ... and younger.... 

 

10 hours ago, kpinnc said:

took a picture of the solids side of the tank, but I think it's a little gross for here. 

Ok no solids ... 

Edited 38 minutes ago by WHX??

[953 nut 63,005]

Our house in Florida had three beautiful mature palm trees in the front yard that the previous owner had planted. Unfortunately he had planted them directly over the drain field and their roots were attracted to the nutrient rich moist soil around and under the pipes. Needless to say this created a problem.  The rooter remover guy ran his whirling knife device down the pipe and cleared the blockage. They installed a port where I could add the Copper Sulfate a couple times a year, problem solved.