Septic Tank Problems

Posts Tagged ‘house’

Question Asked by randn2000: Is it a house tenant’s responsibility to pump the septic tank?
We have leased a house for 2 1/2 years and recently the landlord suggested we get the septic tank pumped (on our own dime). I don’t want to be unreasonable, but that seems more like the home-owner’s responsibility; what is your opinion? Thanks.

Best answer:

Answer by josh
its the owners of the house job to get anything fixed on there dime ask anybody

Answer by Spam
If there is no problem with it I don’t see the need for you to pump it.
If you have not been careful and have put things down that would make it overflow then yes you should pay for the pumping

Answer by fifieldrichard
that depends on how your contract is made out, if you are responsible for all up keep in yard and utility’s yes, but if just for utility’s no.

Answer by Jim W
I think it’s the property owners responsibility, Ask an attorney for their opinion, if the owner does not want to do it and you do have it done and billed to the owner, be prepared for problems, a rent increase or lease termination. Maybe you could have it done with a lease freeze for 2 more years and a cap on any future lease raises. for the next 5 years.

Answer by Karen L
Unless it was written into your rental agreement that you’re responsible for it, it’s the landlord’s responsibility. If no written agreement was made, the landlord should pay. You might check with whatever authority deals with landlord/tenant stuff where you live in case there’s a rule about it.

Answer by Rick J
I am a landlord. I would never expect my tenant to do this. Your landlord is responsible for it. It probably don’t even need to be pumped. People get them pumped way more than needed. I would ignore him or tell him to pack sand.

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Question Asked by hearty: How do I gauage the flow rate of sewage from house to septic tank?
The septic tank has been installed for about 10 years. I am having trouble with it and one cause could be that the ‘house to tank’ pipe has a deficient gradient and therefore has insufficient force in the flow.

Best answer:

Answer by smokey
the only thing you can do is have the grade changed, EXPENSIVE.

Answer by Hydroace
The likelihood that a section of the pipe from the house to the septic tank has settled is extremely small. Typically the pipe will be placed in undisturbed ground. To have a section of the pipe sag suggests that it crosses a trench with loose fill in it, and the fill settled over time. It’s far more likely that you have roots invading the line or that you have a clogged vent.
Before spending money for testing / replacing, I’d suggest you check out the plumbing vents. A drain operates by gravity, and water in a drain pipe can’t move very fast if there’s a clogged vent for the drain. For example, put a straw into a glass of water and pull it out. I’m stating the obvious when I say it drains quickly – the water inside the straw is gone the instant the straw leaves the water in the glass! Now put the straw back in the water and put your finger over the end of the straw as you pull the straw out. Notice any difference?
The same holds true for any plumbing fixture. Plumbing code (speaking from the US here) requires all fixtures to be vented through the roof, so air can get to the back side of the draining water and let it move freely. If your vent is plugged (leaves, bird nest, etc) – your fixtures will drain slowly. Use a snake or hose to verify the vent is open. This requires that you go on the roof to check it out – but do so cautiously.
Next simplest solution is to evaluate whether roots blocking your line are likely or not. If you have trees in the area, consider using a foaming root killer like Roebic FRK-12. Beyond these solutions, the cost is going to go up significantly – hope you’re able to dodge that bullet.

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Question Asked by BP: Is it necessary to have a septic tank if a house is going to be connected to a small public lagoon system?
On an individual home septic system (drain-field, lagoon) a septic tank is placed inline to intercept the solids. If the house is connected to a public sewer system septic tanks are generally not used.

Best answer:

Answer by billrussell42
your last sentence seems to have answered your question.

But check with your local codes, at city hall.

.

Answer by Jordan A
yes unless that lagoon is full of clean pure water so you need a septic tank to get rid of junk

Answer by Roger L
it is unlawful to dispose of waste other than in septic tanks or public surage systems. It causes health hazards and can potentially cause severe damage to the environment.

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Question Asked by happydawg: Can a mouse swim out of the septic tank back into the house?
My friend caught a mouse today in the kitchen. He flushed it down the stool.
My daughter said the mouse was trying to swim out of the toilet as he was going down.
Of course, I was gone to work during the fiasco, so I didnt get the opportunity to stop it.
My question is……what are the chances of the mouse swimming out of the septic tank and back into the toilet into the house? Have you ever heard of a mouse swimming into a toilet from a septic?

Best answer:

Answer by polly
yea a mouse can swim up from ur septic tank around all those pipes and bends into ur toilet an bite u on da balls went ur sitting watching the world go by LOL

Silly man

Answer by Stephen E
Only if the mouse is properly trained in the use of and equiped with Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA)

Answer by wolfatrest2000
Mice and rats have been known to come up into toilets from sewers, so as long as the mouse didn’t drown then it is possible. The biggest obstacle would probably be the bend in your toilet itself, but a mouse wouldn’t have any problem fitting through there.

Answer by Ronald P
Yes they can and they will keep your toilet seat closed. This does not happen often, but it does ha pen

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Question Asked by mendantic: adding on to a house with a septic system in the backyard?
The house we want to buy has a septic system. It is located in the backyard, right behind the middle of the house. We only want to buy the house if we can add on, but how can you add an addition on to the back of the house if the septic system is right there? The house is set on 1.5 acres by the way.

Best answer:

Answer by rock.soldier@yahoo.com
if you cover the tank ..unless you build on piers high enough to walk under you will loose access to your septic.however it is yous field lines that let the bad water evaporate.solids usualy break down.a good way to help the process is to use bakers yeast to ur septic from time to time.unless you are positive you will have no tank problems i would not build over it

Answer by Just me
Here in Denver you can however inspections and permit required.The only catch is the line leaving the house,under the addition.It must be connected to PVC under new structure.

It is normal that there is a cast iron stub that protrudes about 4′ to 5′ out of foundation.This needs to be completed by a licensed plumber hence plumbing insp on permit.

Check with your local bldg dept for your code.I have had jobs red tagged because owner failed to get proper permits.There is also a min distance between house and tank,for obvious health reasons.

Good Luck

EDIT: It is located in the backyard, right behind the middle of the house.Now in case those didn’t pay attention the first time.How far is right behind house?.There is a min dist between house and tank.If after planning addition is still within code addition is allowed.I had nothing to do with the UBC but they specify absolute min acceptable.Yeah,I’m a contractor too.

Answer by rocksister
It is not allowed in any state to block access to septic tank due to possibilities of water table being compromised if there is a problem. You will have to have the tank moved further back on the property, or add on to the house upward, as in a second story. That is actually cheaper anyway, since you don’t need a foundation.

Answer by bigg_dogg44
u cant build over a tank….nor the lines and must stay back with any structure 5ft from any part of the system…..only thing u can do here is have another area of the and perked and see if u can relocate the septic system and then have the old one removed..

lic. gen. contractor

Answer by Karen L
Maybe you could move the septic system, it probably wouldn’t cost an awful lot. If you’re adding bedrooms, you may have to upgrade the septic system anyway, regardless of where the addition is. Many jurisdictions base the size of the septic field on how many bedrooms the house has. I’d call the local building inspector/health department and ask a few questions before deciding. They may also be able to tell you exactly where the septic system is which might help your decision. And if the house has 1.5 acres, how come the addition has to go there and nowhere else? Sounds like there’s lots of room available.

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Question Asked by Caitlin: If a house doesn’t have a septic system, what has to be hooked up to it to get rid of the waste?
I’ve been using search engines and stuff to try to answer this question, but all that keeps coming up is different types of septic systems. Does anybody know an alternative to using a septic system?

Best answer:

Answer by Lauren P
public sewer. Do you live in/near a city? You’re probably in a public sewer system.

Answer by anthony b
If you live in a city generally the city provides city sewage removal. They pump it elsewhere.

Answer by chuck t
If the house is in a neighborhood there may be a sewer system. In the street there will be manhole covers if you see those a septic system can not be used because you cant get a permit for one. You could have a tank outside the house but at $ 800 a pop to have it pumped that would be a high priced option. Any house that was built had to have some kind of waste disposal system in order to get an occupancy permit signed (the original permit that allowed the owners to move in.) The only 2 options I am aware of is a sewer system or septic system.

Answer by buttercup
There is no other way. You need to have either a septic system or connected to town/city sewer system. It is illegal to allow waste to flow out and not connected to an approved type septic system. You can and will be fined like crazy and sued by the EPA.

Answer by Just Me
in the country you have a septic system.
in the city you have a public sewer.

Answer by locksmith
If you have no septic system, you must install a holding tank , [ usually fiberglass or pre-cast concrete ]and hire the local ” honey wagon ” to vacuum it empty, when full. Try to locate it where it is easy to back a big truck to, but not where it can be driven over by any vehicles, if possible.

Answer by cronos51101
1. public sewage system
2.septic tank with field
3.septic holding tank
4.cess pool(a large pit in the ground)
5.crazy hill-billy rig

I think cess pools are illegal in the US, but I could be wrong. the reason I say crazy hill-billy rig is because you just know that there is some backwoods guy who figured something out. annother option may include one of those cess pool systems that recover the methane gas to use as fuel.

Answer by rratherbeflying
ok…. Cronos spelled out all your options….. (nice job, cronos!)…..

what are you trying to accomplish? if you can tell us what you are trying to do, i think we all (good answers, all above me…..) get you where you want to go……

did you just buy some land out in the country and want to build a house where there is no sewage connections?

did you inherit an old house with no sewage system?

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Question Asked by john r: septic tank odor in the house when it is very cold outside?
My house in Vermont gets a septic tank odor when it is very cold outside. It happens on only one side of the house. (There are 2 septic stacks one on each side of the house) The odor is paricularly bad after a bunch of showers but does not always happen. Plumbers don’t seem to have the patience to figure it out. The problem has gotten worse since the house froze and burst a couple of water pipes which have been repaired.
It is wide open. I am concerned that part of the vent piping might be open. Is there a way to test for open joints without ripping the walls open?
I am sorry but what does it mean to pressure wash the vent stack and how is it done.

Best answer:

Answer by Larry D
Check the vent stack on the roof sometimes thy can get completely plugged up with moisture freezing inside the pipe. this can cause the sewer gases to not vent correctly

Answer by champ2785
The only way to test the system is to cap all the fixtures and pressurise the stacks, most likely you need to pressure wash the vent stack. Edit; Call a reputable, preferably referenced, large drain cleaner, they use power flushing for problem jobs like this, ask if they can power flush the vents, and get the price before work starts. Never call a plumber for drain cleaning, the drain cleaner will tell you if you need a plumber.

Answer by Dennis
I have read that here in canada septic tanks some times need a heater and there are special heaters for this pourpose……I am guessin that you have a partial freeze….or a full freeze up and you get gas where the system is weakest or does not have a sufficent pee trap(what stops the backflow of gas. there are meters you can get to tell you where the gas is coming from…..most like ly instead of renting the meter you could get a profesional to look at it….for a minimal price….

Answer by AARDVARK S
You do Indeed Have a frozen vent pipe on the roof top, Where condensation has collected. You may have debris in your vent pipe or birds nests allowing this to trap there,. You can get a plumber to snake the stack of debris and a google search yields dozens of inexpensive systems to keep your stack thawed. This is the best I can tell you without more info. Im a septic contractor in your region of the us. I would be glad to answer any questions to help. You can email me if you are stuck. aardvarkseptic@yahoo.com

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Question Asked by af: Rural water and septic tank sewer vs city. What do we need to know before we buy a house in the country?
Is there any downside or benefits to rural water and septic tank sewer? We’re looking at a house in the country that has these features.

Best answer:

Answer by finance_coder
I grew up in the country and always had a septic tank and a well for water.

Well water may taste better or worse. Try the water in the house you’re looking at. One place I lived had an extremely deep (400 ft) well; it never dried up, but the water smelled awful. Another house had great water, but the well was too shallow and occasionally we had to ration water.

The upside is that you don’t pay for the water, only the electricity to pump it into your house.

The same goes for a septic tank: you don’t have to pay the city’s sewer fees. If the septic tank is reasonably new, you probably won’t have to worry about it. However, if it’s old or if something goes wrong, it can be very costly to remedy.

If you can trust the seller/realtor, ask them how deep the well is and if they’ve ever had problems with it going dry. Also ask them about the age and condition of the septic tank.

Answer by vickie m
Well, most house you find in rural areas have a septic tank, I live in the country and I do, when buying a house find out when the septic was put in, because if you have to replace it, it’s not cheap. Then you should have them pumped out every few years, by the guy on Red-Green ha ha.

Answer by Sintori
You need to have the septic tank inspected to make sure it’s in running order. It may be a big price difference if it needs to be replaced.

Answer by Michael H
the ”down” side to ”wellwater” is heavy iron in the water making ”red stains” in your sinks,tub/shower,washer, have the water ”tested” before you buy any home that has wellwater and have the septic system checked out to see if it needs to be re-built(tank and drain field) If everything checks out good, than one good thing is no ”bill” for water/sewer service.

Answer by Jacki
I lived in the country once and the major problem we had was that whenever there was a power outage, we had no water (because of the pump that was powered by electricity.). Also, check the depth of your well, this is especially important if there is a dry spell, and have your septic tank checked and/or cleaned. Have an environmental agency do a water test (mine was contaminated when we went to sell, nothing big) and if needed, purify with bleach. They can give you the directions if you need it. Also, expect a bigger electric bill, but no water bill.

Answer by toldyouso
Check the taste of the water and see if you like it . Most counties check it for bacteria or you can require the seller to. Septic tanks need to be pumped out every few years, sewerage treatment plants not quite as often. Wells do not work without electricty, having a generator handy is a good thing if you think inclimate weather could affect your power. You can’t flush without water. I personally love well water and not getting a bill for water and sewerage.

Answer by sensible_man
You really want an inspection of the water and the septic system. As stated, no electricity equals no water. If you have always been a city dweller, you will need to change some bad habits to live with a septic. You cannot just dump anything you want down the drains. A septic works from bacteria eating the solids. If you dump lots of chemicals or grease/oil down the drain, you will kill the bacteria and have problems. Old saying is “if it didn’t go thorough you, it shouldn’t go through the septic”. This is overstatement but is true for basics. I have had septics for 15 years and have had no problems.

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Installing the septic system of the zero energy home in CT. Please visit our site at www.zeroenergyhomesct.com

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Setting the septic tank into the fields 1250 gallons delivered to the site and placed in the hole under contract. Slow but sure because it has to go in perfect.

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A hard rain coupled with power outage has left our sump pump clogged and could potentially burn out and back up our independent sewage treatment plant. I unclog the pump and reset it to its positing in the clarified water tank. I explain a little bit about septic, but I will go in depth with a later video. Also, yellow pollen had collected on the 06 Sentra all day so I gave it a quick econo-wash.

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2010_04_13 Our sewerage and waste water treatment plant is a Sand filtration system. The principal behind this system is effluent being collected in the primary green tank and seperated in a first spetic decomposition stage and transferred to a large sand filter where the effluent is aerobically broken down before seeping into the concrete well. By this stage the water is clean and suitable to use on the garden. Here a pump is triggerred by a float and pumps water out to a sub-surface irrigation area feeding plants with water. The aim is to not waste the water but rather to have it feed a fruit orchard or possibly a veggie garden.

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leech lines and septic tank . If you listen you can hear my neighbor’s basset hound . she is a cool dog !

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www.AskTheBuilder.com host Tim Carter explains the anatomy of a septic system and walks you through each part of septic systems.

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