Septic pumping Question??

james dilley · #1 04/03/07, 05:33 PM

O K I think the septic needs pumped, Its full to the top of the pipe. My question is Do I need to dig out the acess ports or does the person who pumps do that part too?? The cost is $55.00 A tank By 2 so that sounds decent.Any insites???

logbuilder · #2 04/03/07, 05:47 PM

Seeing liquid near the top of the tank, in and of itself, does not indicate it needs to be pumped.

Read this thread:
http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=166561

james dilley · #3 04/03/07, 06:26 PM

What makes me think it needs pumped is it takes A long time for the toleit to flush, And The tanks have not been pumped in 8-10 years from what I have been told.

logbuilder · #4 04/03/07, 06:31 PM

Did you read the thread I provided? There is quality info there from Cabin Fever.

farminghandyman · #5 04/03/07, 06:42 PM

if it is a septic tank and not a cesspool if does not necessarily need to be pumped,

the purpose of the septic tank is to remove the solids, some float (the scum) and some sinks, (the sludge), and separates the solids from the liquids, so the solids do not plug up the drainage field, if the tank fills and solids start to go down the drainage field then you will more than likely end up replacing the drainage field,

many of the solids are ate up by bacteria, but after a while there comes a time when there is no more reduction of the solids and they will need to be removed,

so pumping a tank will depend on
1st, when was it last done,
2ed how many gallon is the tank, or how big it is,
3ed, how many use it.
4th, do you have a garbage disposal, add at lest one to two persons to the list, in the use area.

simply it is the size and the use it gets, as to how often it needs to be pumped (or cleaned out),

IF it is a cesspool, then you more than likely need a new one or in reality a new septic tank and drain field,

a cesspool is a pit that is made to leak and is the septic tank and drain field all in one,

very good information below (pictures too) also guide as to size, use, and how often to pump
Septic Tank and Drainfield Operation and Maintenance
http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/pubs/mt9401.html
Septic Tank Inspection and Trouble-shooting
http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/pubs/mt9403.html

in the second url, it will tell you how you can measure the scum depth and see how full the tank is, and how close it is to discharging solids in to the drain field,

some tanks are one, two, and there are a few three compartment units so one should check all chambers,

be careful when digging up the lids, have a helper if it is an unknown system,
the tops of some older tanks have been know to collapse. especially if it is an old steel lid or tank, (have a ladder and a rope handy if the need would arise), concrete and re-bar rot out too.

farminghandyman · #6 04/03/07, 06:47 PM

the toilet flushing may be the tank but easily could be that the main line is in need of a good cleaning as well, roots could be a problem, a settled line,
a collapsed line,

if it has been 10+ years on the tank it would be a good idea to have it pumped, see the chart on the above url, the first one.

james dilley · #7 04/03/07, 07:24 PM

The pipe leading to the tank is NOT level. It was bootlegged into the tank. There was A 3 bedroom mobile home and this unit both on the tank for 2 years b-4 I bought the property. And the tennets flushed anything and everything down the toleits including the kid flushing his Underwear. and anything else he wanted. I think it may be for the best to rethink and evaluated the tanks for A week or 2 before I pay to have them pumped..I Do know where both tanks are, The leach feild and tanks are less than 15 years old.

Tater'sPa · #8 04/03/07, 07:52 PM

Around here they charge to dig the access port.

Kevingr · #9 04/03/07, 08:15 PM

My guy charges me $150 to dig out the access port and pump it out and then put the lid and sod back. I get mine done every other year, been in for 21 years and still works!

#10 04/03/07, 08:50 PM

I'm having the same problem. My toilet flush got real slow. I had the septic drained and found out the tee had fallen off. Replaced with a new one and hope this will solve the problem. Works fine so far but I know the tank hasn't filled up yet. If it fills up and starts flushing slow again then I might have to replace the leech lines.

rambler · #11 04/03/07, 09:38 PM

Typically a slow toilet points to other problems - like the Tee falling off, or a near-clogged line, or some such.

A tank full or overfull tends to show up with issues downstream from the tank. You don't want those troubles, they tend to be very $$$$ in a regulated state more-so.

A pipe with a wrong slope to it will for sure cause you problems. They need a very gentle slope. Steep & the water will wash by, the solids will hang up & start a clog. Think you have problems with what you describe.

If it's been 10 years, get the tank pumped. You will find out where you stand with it. A good idea to pump it. Typically average use you should get it pumped every 3-7 years, pending size & people using it & all. So, I'd sure do the pupmping.

It would not surprise me if that turned up a problem, with the pipe clogging or other issues.

Of course, I am way over here, what do I know, there can be a 100 different things. Heck, your tank might work without pumping another 20 years if you are careful - no one knows.

Best guess tho - pump the tank, likely have a pipe issue as well?

I would have the dirt dug down to the lid if it were me. Makes their job a whole lot easier than wondering where it is, and typically will show up in the billing - for me anyhow. When I had problems this fall, I got my tile probe & my shovel, they did help dig. I didn't know they were coming with the tank truck; I had a clog in the pipe. Was easier for them to work it out with the pumping, and about needed it anyhow in this regulated state.

--->Paul

**Cabin Fever** · #12 04/04/07, 08:31 AM

You’ve received a lot of good information in this thread and I’ll probably just end up repeating some of it. You say that your tank is full up to the top of the pipe. A septic tank should be full to the bottom of the outlet baffle (which is often a tee-pipe). To an uniformed person looking down one of the inspection pipes into their septic tank may be shocked to see that “it is full.” If your tank is actually full to the top of the outlet baffle....you have a problem downstream of the septic tank.

I am going to take a different slant on your question since you did not define what you meant by “full.” I’m going to assume that you meant that your septic tank is full of sludge. If that is the case, get it pumped ASAP! The sludge in such a tank will be moving to the drainfield. Before long the drainfield will be full of sludge. Guess what, a drainfield that is full of sludge will cause the house drains and toilets to drain slowly.

When the pumper is there, have him look into your pumping tank (if you have one) and into your distribution box or drop boxes. If there is sludge in any of these devices, you may be in a heap of trouble. The appearance of sludge downstream of the septic tank is evidence that you’ve waited too long to have the tank pumped. There may be non-repairable damage done to the drainfield. In other words, once sludge is in the drainfield the soil becomes clogged. In this situation, wastewater does not infiltrate and the entire sewage system can back up into the house. Let’s hope this is not your situation.

To answer your other question, yes uncover the manhole in the septic tank for the pumper. Make sure the pumper services the tank through the manhole and not one of the 4-inch inspection pipes! The pumper should slurry and mix the contents of the tank as he is pumping. The only way to get all the sludge, scum and grit out of a septic tank is to get the contents moving around. Make sure you provide him with a garden hose and water. Don’t let him simply “pump and run.”

james dilley · #13 04/04/07, 06:48 PM

When I said full to the top ,I meant that the cap on the pip;e was leaking. The previous tennet, who is the former owners SiL hooked A park model into the Tank when there was A 3 bedroom trl there. After the trailer was Sold I put A cap on the pipe that ran to the 3 bedroom. The pipe from the smaller one is Not level it has high spots and low spots in the run. And It may just be the pipe was full due to solids. I went and dug under the pipe and lowered the end of the run An inch and the pipe was draining into the tank.. I beleive I will be getting it pumped in 2-4 weeks anyway. My main thought was about uncover the lid. Thank you to everybody for your thoughts on this.. Of course this line of thought might make A sticky ,Just for others to refernce..

rambler · #14 04/04/07, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by james dilley

Of course this line of thought might make A sticky ,Just for others to refernce..

I am smiling now.

--->Paul

**Cabin Fever** · #15 04/05/07, 07:08 AM

Did he mean a sticky or a stinky?

**fordson major** · #16 04/05/07, 07:20 AM

a sticky of waste water potable water issues would be great! one of the most used and abused homestead resources! stinky, well one mans smell is anothers money!

idahodave · #17 04/05/07, 01:21 PM

Just like you to know that this thread motivated me to get my tank pumped today. Spent a couple of hours with a shovel and pick-axe yesterday to dig down to the access cover. It's about 20 years old and I don't think it's ever been pumped. This was a seasonal use only cabin before we bought it, so it didn't get too much use. I found about 3 inches of floating scum and 8-10 inches of sludge on the bottom.

Thanks to all for the motivation.

Dave