Septic question - Bail me out again! :)

[cc-rider]

Ok, bail me out again, HT’ers! I need advice.

I need to run a line from my house to my septic tank. I KNOW that the line has to drop only 1/4”-1/8” per foot. When I had the basement poured, I had the hole put in at the very bottom of the basement wall, because that would give it the proper slope by the time it reached the septic tank.

Now that I have to dig nearly 8’ down in the ground to find the opening (because they backfilled…duh), I’m wondering something. At some point, the septic line drops straight down. Either from the second floor, or whatever. And THEN it slopes. Is there a reason that I couldn’t drill another hole maybe only 4 foot underground (10” cement walls…sigh), and fill in the other hole, of course. Then, the septic line would drop straight down from the floors above, go through the wall and then make the proper slope, and then drop straight down before entering the side of the septic tank. Will this work? Is it better the other way?? The only bad thing that I see possibly happening is that a clog develops where it drops before entering the tank…..and if I go straight from the house to the septic with the proper slope – even going into the tank on that slope….there’s no chance of a “drop-clog”. (Hehehe…just made up that word).

What do you think???
CC

[Harry Chickpea]

You want as few changes of direction as possible. The reason is that eventually many sewer lines need to be snaked out. Running a snake around one bend is easy. By the time you have it run around three or four bends, it doesn't work very good (if at all.)

Standard rules apply. K.I.S.S.

[The Paw]

agreed. the second drop just before the tank sounds like bad news to me.

Your line is better off being deeper anyway, as it will be further below the frost line. It's only an issue in terms of digging for the initial installation, and if you are having it dug by backhoe, the difference between digging 8 feet deep and 4 feet deep is probably negligible.

[cfabe]

The best situation would have been to have the line put it when the excavators were still there doing the foundation.

If you do try to run the line shallow then drop it at the tank, be sure to put in a cleanout riser up to ground level so you can snake out the vertical line.

Are you going to do this yourself? Working in a trench 8 feet deep requires shoring & some other safety procedures you might not be familiar with. It might be easier to hire it out to a pro.

[Wis Bang]

I've seen city sewer lines that were very deep and the lateral run from the house had pitch out to the line and then there was a 'stack' dropping vertical into the top of the sewer main. That worked fine 'cept it doesn't need to bend 90 degrees to enter the septic tank baffle...

Even using sweeps, every 90 degree change in direction slows the flow...a sweep helps 'cause a tight 90 cuts the flow by 1/2...you would need the cleanout back up to the surface just b/4 entering the tank.

[Cabin Fever]

cc-rider, I am curious. How deep below ground is the top of your septic tank?

[cc-rider]

I don't think it is too deep (it isn't covered yet), but my house sits on a hill and it runs downhill to the septic tank. My basement is 4' out of ground in the back, and only about 1 foot in the front, and then it drops even more to the septic tank. The tank is about 40 foot from the house.

I'm not sure if this link will take you to a construction picture or not... http://www.flickr.com/photos/27287819@N05/2633877814/

[rambler]

The most likely place to clog is at those esweeps & underground to the tank.

Use the original hole, make it a straight shot to the tank, put a cleanout opening in the bottom where it exits the house, and all will be fine. You only need to dig down to the opening once, do it now, do it right, and be happy.

Can you imagine trying to snake out the multi-step line you are talking about? Bleh!!!

--->Paul

Originally Posted by cc-rider

Ok, bail me out again, HT’ers! I need advice.

I need to run a line from my house to my septic tank. I KNOW that the line has to drop only 1/4”-1/8” per foot. When I had the basement poured, I had the hole put in at the very bottom of the basement wall, because that would give it the proper slope by the time it reached the septic tank.

Now that I have to dig nearly 8’ down in the ground to find the opening (because they backfilled…duh), I’m wondering something. At some point, the septic line drops straight down. Either from the second floor, or whatever. And THEN it slopes. Is there a reason that I couldn’t drill another hole maybe only 4 foot underground (10” cement walls…sigh), and fill in the other hole, of course. Then, the septic line would drop straight down from the floors above, go through the wall and then make the proper slope, and then drop straight down before entering the side of the septic tank. Will this work? Is it better the other way?? The only bad thing that I see possibly happening is that a clog develops where it drops before entering the tank…..and if I go straight from the house to the septic with the proper slope – even going into the tank on that slope….there’s no chance of a “drop-clog”. (Hehehe…just made up that word).

What do you think???
CC