Septic tank pumping...

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by DAB

when we bought, it was required that the seller pump out the tanks prior to closing (local practice). gives the buyer some piece of mind (short lived, the leach field failed 2 years later). i'd get it pumped, get a receipt, and pass along the contact to the new owners. system is good to go, your problem now.

When I sold my last house, the buyer's lender demanded it be pumped. I had already made enough concessions to the buyer so the realtor actually paid for it to keep the deal from falling through. It was almost empty and the house was 15 years old.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by Kerrmudgeon

I put a dead fish down the toilet at the lake ....accomplishes the same thing basically.
The other major problem with systems is the use of bacteria killers like anything with bleach, ammonia, any strong cleaners, etc. They stop all the good breakdown actions.

There are all kinds of precautions you need to take with a septic tank. Others are to severely limit use of the disposall, try to train the family that a roll of toilet paper isn't needed every time you use the toilet, and remember that it's theoretically possible for rats and snakes to enter you drains through a septic tank. That'll make you miss the toilet when you tinkle.

[Mike Mercury]

our tank is connected to a typical leach-field. YOU DO NOT want any solids to get into the leach field; or it's a gonner. Say hello to a backhoe and a torn up yard; and say goodbye to $$$$.

Ours is pumped every 4 years; $180 each time.

[DAB]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

our tank is connected to a typical leach-field. YOU DO NOT want any solids to get into the leach field; or it's a gonner. Say hello to a backhoe and a torn up yard; and say goodbye to $$$$.

Ours is pumped every 4 years; $180 each time.

new leach field ran 5,000.

[OldSarge]

We go about every 5 years at a cost of about $300.00. But now that all the kids are gone, we may be able to go even longer.

[RED-85-Z51]

House was built in 74, tank installed then, its about 1500gallons, full concrete with a 1/4 lid. Was fin until 2000, it started to backup into the house...and spencer you cn sucky, septic tanks do backup into the house. Remember that sinks, toilets, showers, tubs, etc are all higher than the tank, when the tank fills and blocks the inlet, it starts burping into the house by way of any weak wax toilet rings, tubs...

So, they pumped it...and all was well for about, eh...4 months, then it did it again. they determined the feild was DOA, so they dug it up, put in a new drainline off to the other side of the yard, plumbed into the 3 way distribution trap on the front of the tank...and from 2000 til about December of 2013...all was well, never had to do anything.

Until it backed up...shit coming up 6" in the tub. Snaked it, plunged, after an hour it would all eventually go down...and it would last a couple days, then do it again.

Pulled the lid, solid top layer of grease about 4" thick, had it pumped, they determined the drainline was dead/inactive. But we didnt have 3500 for a new line.

At the same time, my neghbors were having the exact same problems, backing up into their house. They dug up the distribution trap and found it was solid with grease. They hosed it out, dug it out...put the lid back on, and all has been well all year. We did the same, it was packed solid. We unhooked the washing machine from the tank..and rn a pipe out back off the sidewalk, unto a makeshift drainpit. So far, 11 months and knock on wood, no further problems.

I can tell you, if you do not have it pumped..and the shit and grease get into the drainline/trap, it will lock it right up, pumping runs around 155-200, we always dig up the lid and have the lid pulled back with one of the 4X4's using a chain and the center hoking point.

[09CTSV]

We went 8 years for getting our pumped. A few of our neighbors have gone 30 years without a pump.
I will have ours pumped again this spring and install a riser so I don't have to dig it up again. The septic guys said use the large risers so you can get the tank washed and pumped. It runs us $100 or $125 on a weekend.
We had some grease in our tank but overall it didn't look too bad.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by DAB

new leach field ran 5,000.

That is why wife's family just pumps when necessary, and leaves the rest to grow plants.....which provide privacy from neighbors all along that ditch it all drains into.....

[JRD77VET]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

There are all kinds of precautions you need to take with a septic tank. Others are to severely limit use of the disposall, try to train the family that a roll of toilet paper isn't needed every time you use the toilet, and remember that it's theoretically possible for rats and snakes to enter you drains through a septic tank. That'll make you miss the toilet when you tinkle.

No garbage disposal, no grease or any "foreign" objects flushed and a septic friendly toilet paper will help prolong the life of the septic field.

It's just my wife and I so ours gets pumped every three years. Cheap insurance

[DAB]

"You're a fine son Barney"

[wicked_c6]

We've owned our house since 2000. Previous owners were in it since 1991. We had it pumped when we moved in for $350 and the guy said it wasn't even half full. I figured just for GP I'd have it pumped about every 8 years. I'd rather do that than have it back up.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

Thank you. I think it's $300 wasted. Plus, you won't have to deal with crooked pumpers, either. There are some that charge you an additional $300-$400 to dig the lid off the tank, which is a rip-off. If it were one of those very old tank that's completely covered by a piece of 1/4" steel, maybe, but still too much.

I noticed that it's even written into some guidelines that 30 years may be often enough depending upon family size and tank size. The worst that can happen is the family moves in and the tank immediately needs pumping. Only then would I shell out the $300.

That's the worst that can happen?
So solid material can't fill the tank and overflow into the field, clogging it?
And on newer systems with a filter before liquid exits the tank, that filter can't get clogged?
And neither of those clogs can cause the system to back up into the house?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

our tank is connected to a typical leach-field. YOU DO NOT want any solids to get into the leach field; or it's a gonner. Say hello to a backhoe and a torn up yard; and say goodbye to $$$$.

Ours is pumped every 4 years; $180 each time.

Used to be under $200 here until they put in a pumping transfer station and forbid spraying on fields. Now it runs around $250, every 5 years.

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by Dave

That's the worst that can happen?
So solid material can't fill the tank and overflow into the field, clogging it?
And on newer systems with a filter before liquid exits the tank, that filter can't get clogged?
And neither of those clogs can cause the system to back up into the house?

Yes, clogged filters can be a problem. I pull my filter about once a year and hose it out. Easy to do once you know where it is.

[OddBall]

Tampons and cigarette butts are why tanks need to be pumped

[lspencer534]

[QUOTE=RED-85-Z51;1270058]and spencer you cn sucky, septic tanks do backup into the house. Remember that sinks, toilets, showers, tubs, etc are all higher than the tank, when the tank fills and blocks the inlet, it starts burping into the house by way of any weak wax toilet rings, tubs...

Backup from your septic tank only occurs if you keep adding water/waste to it by continued to use the toilets and/or drains. You are adding water/waste to a tank that is already full; certainly what you add will "backup" in your house.

In City sewage systems the backup can occur in your house because other people are dumping their water/waste in an already full system. The waste has no where else to go, so it relieves itself in your home and everyone else's homes. This is quite the opposite of you causing the backup by adding water/waste to your own closed system.

[uncle dan]

We built our house in 1998 and I just had it pumped out for the second time. Since there's only two of us generally in the house and the tank is 1500 gallons we find that works for us. The county here suggests every five years. The cost a few months ago was $300.

[Bill]

History of the World Part 1 Plumbing - YouTube

[...Whitepower...]

$400 for pump, inspection, and letter.

Did it Saturday. System was fine.