Hey all,
We have 2 adults and 2 small children using toilets, bathing, doing wash, etc. Just normal use. Any way that a family like ours might fill a septic tank in just 10 months?
I've had ongoing septic concerns since moving in 3 years ago. My saga revolves around the basement toilet "burping". And it always does it right around Thanksgiving when the temp starts to cool in Atlanta. It burps when you flush it, it flushes slow, and bubbles when other water is used in the house - but still works. The problem goes away in about February or March.
Year one - I had some guys out and didn't like what they had to say. I did nothing. Problem went away. Used system with no issue for a year.
Year two - repeat. I had different guys out, didn't like what they had to say either. Problem went away. Used system with no issue for a year again.
10 months ago - decided it was time to have the tank emptied since it's unknown when the previous owner did. Tank was full. Filter fine, fields fine. Glad I didn't listen to the first two guys in previous years who wanted me to replace the fields, etc.
But there was a missing T-valve/pipe where the main drain enters the tank. It's just a L-shaped 8-inch piece of PVC that makes a right turn down into the tank about a foot. It wasn't there. So the main drain just came out horizontally into the tank about 2 inches. When the tank was emptied - it wasn't in the bottom. The septic guy had no clue why/how it was missing. So they added one on.
They also said that a patio the previous owner added over the main drain line had pushed it down a bit. So waste wasn't flowing strongly downhill into the tank - that line was nearly flat, so sewage could get stuck in that run of drain line.
Guy said to tear up the patio, or use a hose to blow out that section when needed. And double flushing and running water would help "push" the stuck waste through into the tank.
15 feet from the tank in the patio is a washout. I open it, and can see waste inside. So that main line must in fact be full or backed up.
I'm again experiencing the same bubbling basement toilet and burping from it. But again, in past years, I did nothing and it just went away.
1. I wonder if enough weight of waste backs up in the line and finally blasts that one section clear eventually.
2. Or, the tank is so full it's backing up into the main drain (when emptied just 10 months ago?)
3. Most of you might suggest the field may be defective or bad so the tank can't purge. However - I have TWO separate fields. Previous owner added the basement bathroom so somebody talked him into adding a much larger field, even though that might not make sense - he did it. So I have a diverter valve and switch the fields about once a year. The previous septic guys said I'm super lucky - my fields were fine (filter was also perfect) - plus I have two totally separate fields just in case.
Using common sense, it just seems like that main line is a bit backed up under the patio (since I can see waste in the washout), and perhaps trickles into the tank vs. flowing. Like I need a giant plunger or something.
Anybody have any thoughts here? Should I rig some sort of 8 inch round pusher on the end of a flexible rod, and jam it down the overflow to see if I can push the waste through and solve the problem?
We have 2 adults and 2 small children using toilets, bathing, doing wash, etc. Just normal use. Any way that a family like ours might fill a septic tank in just 10 months?
I've had ongoing septic concerns since moving in 3 years ago. My saga revolves around the basement toilet "burping". And it always does it right around Thanksgiving when the temp starts to cool in Atlanta. It burps when you flush it, it flushes slow, and bubbles when other water is used in the house - but still works. The problem goes away in about February or March.
Year one - I had some guys out and didn't like what they had to say. I did nothing. Problem went away. Used system with no issue for a year.
Year two - repeat. I had different guys out, didn't like what they had to say either. Problem went away. Used system with no issue for a year again.
10 months ago - decided it was time to have the tank emptied since it's unknown when the previous owner did. Tank was full. Filter fine, fields fine. Glad I didn't listen to the first two guys in previous years who wanted me to replace the fields, etc.
But there was a missing T-valve/pipe where the main drain enters the tank. It's just a L-shaped 8-inch piece of PVC that makes a right turn down into the tank about a foot. It wasn't there. So the main drain just came out horizontally into the tank about 2 inches. When the tank was emptied - it wasn't in the bottom. The septic guy had no clue why/how it was missing. So they added one on.
They also said that a patio the previous owner added over the main drain line had pushed it down a bit. So waste wasn't flowing strongly downhill into the tank - that line was nearly flat, so sewage could get stuck in that run of drain line.
Guy said to tear up the patio, or use a hose to blow out that section when needed. And double flushing and running water would help "push" the stuck waste through into the tank.
15 feet from the tank in the patio is a washout. I open it, and can see waste inside. So that main line must in fact be full or backed up.
I'm again experiencing the same bubbling basement toilet and burping from it. But again, in past years, I did nothing and it just went away.
1. I wonder if enough weight of waste backs up in the line and finally blasts that one section clear eventually.
2. Or, the tank is so full it's backing up into the main drain (when emptied just 10 months ago?)
3. Most of you might suggest the field may be defective or bad so the tank can't purge. However - I have TWO separate fields. Previous owner added the basement bathroom so somebody talked him into adding a much larger field, even though that might not make sense - he did it. So I have a diverter valve and switch the fields about once a year. The previous septic guys said I'm super lucky - my fields were fine (filter was also perfect) - plus I have two totally separate fields just in case.
Using common sense, it just seems like that main line is a bit backed up under the patio (since I can see waste in the washout), and perhaps trickles into the tank vs. flowing. Like I need a giant plunger or something.
Anybody have any thoughts here? Should I rig some sort of 8 inch round pusher on the end of a flexible rod, and jam it down the overflow to see if I can push the waste through and solve the problem?