Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member
How often do you have your septic tank pumped?

The wood in the raised flower box over the septic tank was falling apart (second pic). I don't think the tank had been pumped in 20 years. So I decided if I'm going to rebuild the flower box, I should take advantage of nice weather have it pumped.

Only problem was removing the stuck lid. When I tried to lift the lid, the rear tires on my Terramite came up.

I got the sledge out, hit the lid many times while lifting, no luck.

So I punched a hole at one end of lid. Used a 1 inch metal rod. Put it through the hole. Attached the chain to the backside of bucket so I was pulling closer to the front wheels. Lifted the lid again and again the rear wheels came off the ground. About 5 seconds later the wheels returned to the ground, lid broke and it came off. I WON!
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No pumping in 20 years without a problem is amazing. I would have it pumped now. I let mine go too long probably 6 years or more. Solids carried over into my seepage pits. It still works, I am very careful what goes down the drain now. No washing machine water, it goes on my trees. no garbage disposal, it has it's own small pit. no bath water, it waters the flowers.
with the water shortage here,The city doesn't have a problem with grey water used for plants. Stan
 
There are places in the country if you don't have a receipt the tank has been pumped out periodically they will turn your water off. I can't remember the time frame but I know it's a lot less than 20 years.
 
We used to get ours pumped every 2-3 years when we stayed home more and the boys were living with us, now it's just 2 of us and were gone a lot. We have been in this house 8 years, had it pumped at 6, should of waited longer. I will probably let it go until we sell, maybe 10-12 years.
 
They will turn your well off?

This tank was installed in 1987. Have permit to prove it.

The man who pumped the tank asked if we had problems with toilet flushing. We didn't, just thought it was a good time to take advantage while removing the raised flower box.

I was surprised not to find a thick layer floating on top.

Never used rid ex or anything that wasn't ALL NATURAL.
 
If the board of health caught anyone not putting gray water in a septic tank they would be in big trouble.

We have a disposer which is needed for dishwasher. We have a washer. No water softener. Don't put food in disposer, that goes to the compost pile.

The man pumping tank was surprised the shape it was in. Said we have a good finger system. He was right. We have about 2 ft of topsoil, then yellow sand and gravel. We had an 80 ft well drilled. All that came out of well was sand and gravel. The top of the tank was 2 ft below grade. So fingers are in sand and gravel.
 
A lot depends on how it's used, how many people, what gets flushed...

What pumping does is remove the solids that settle to the bottom. If you wait until it backs up because of the solids, it's too late. The second tank and lateral lines are already packed with solids, talking a new system!

Many times roots will get in the lateral lines and stop the water flow. Getting the tank pumped will only last until it fills back up again.

That sure looks like a small clean out. I had to put a clean out in my moms several years ago, it had to be 6" to get their hose in.
 

I paid $9,000 for my whole system in 2001. That means just a new field would probably cost me $9,000 now, so I get it pumped every five years. Steve, you are close to right about the solids going out and plugging the field. It is almost always the floating solids that go out to the field if they accumulate to below the level of the baffle. When you get it pumped the driver can check with his mirror and tell you how much more baffle you had. A field sized for four bedrooms can hold a lot of solids and can take a number of years to plug with just two occupants. But once the drains get slow its time to take out the second mortgage.
 
Didn't know you were on well water. Don't know what a state like that would do under those circumstances. Maybe turn the electricity off so you couldn't run the well pump.
 
MY two houses have no leaching fields---the one on Long Island has 2 cesspools and no septic tank. The one in Ma has a septic tank and one cesspool Long Island has been pumped twice since it was built in 1970. and Ma has not been pumped at all since it was built in 1990
 
(quoted from post at 15:07:56 08/15/18) They will turn your well off?

This tank was installed in 1987. Have permit to prove it.

The man who pumped the tank asked if we had problems with toilet flushing. We didn't, just thought it was a good time to take advantage while removing the raised flower box.

I was surprised not to find a thick layer floating on top.

Never used rid ex or anything that wasn't ALL NATURAL.

I got my calculator out and figured your tank is 31 years old. Have you had it pumped before?

I installed my tank in 1985 and it plugged up in 2015, 30 years. I had it pumped out and it's working fine, no laterals plugged from the way the grass stays green in August. I use Rid-X one time upon filling the tank and food and detergent all goes in. I was pleased with 30 years.
 
(quoted from post at 00:21:27 08/16/18) In-laws had theirs pumped after 40 years and my folks had theirs done after 45-50 years. Neither put grey water thru it. Separate system for that.

30 years ago when I put mine in I put rock salt in the field line over the gravel. My trench has a lot of trees around it and haven’t had any trouble.
 
(quoted from post at 20:39:18 08/15/18)
(quoted from post at 15:07:56 08/15/18) They will turn your well off?

This tank was installed in 1987. Have permit to prove it.

The man who pumped the tank asked if we had problems with toilet flushing. We didn't, just thought it was a good time to take advantage while removing the raised flower box.

I was surprised not to find a thick layer floating on top.

Never used rid ex or anything that wasn't ALL NATURAL.

I got my calculator out and figured your tank is 31 years old. Have you had it pumped before?

I installed my tank in 1985 and it plugged up in 2015, 30 years. I had it pumped out and it's working fine, no laterals plugged from the way the grass stays green in August. I use Rid-X one time upon filling the tank and food and detergent all goes in. I was pleased with 30 years.

Andy, the green grass indicates plenty of moisture under it. Leach fields are not supposed to hold moisture, they are supposed to eliminate it. your field is still functioning at a reduced level, but if you are having a lot of company over you may want to rent a port-a-potty.
 

Another VERY important consideration with septic tanks is: Are your baffles even there? For a period of time from perhaps 1965 to 1980 baffles were held in place by heavy gage wire which would rust away in fifteen years or so, allowing the baffle to drop to the floor and allowing the floating solids to go out to your field. Good pumper guys will check them for you. Tanks are usually much cheaper than new fields!
 
I had this discussion with several plumbers/sewer guys once. Most recommended pumping about every four years- coordinate it with the National Presidential election cycle and you will have loads of BS to remind you. Some areas require it done as often as three years.

We have had ours pumped one time since remodeling in 2001, in 2016. The guy was very surprised we were not more full with five people here that whole time. Baffle was still in place and functioning, but the sludge was deep. Dwindling down to empty nesters soon, but the pump-out was under $200, cheap insurance versus a backup.
 

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