OT - Septic Tank

There isn't any warranties, just seems wrong. Am I getting the run-around or is that normal.

Hopefully it isn't contaminating my well. I will need to get that tested too.

Also, a lot of tanks are two pieces, the tank is one piece, the lid another (with the access hatches a part of this). If you have to access it, sometimes it"s in your best interest to have the tank uncovered, and the lid lifted off. One big advantage of this is the fact that it gives you a much bigger hole, better ventilation, easier access, and a lot more light to see/room to work.

I"m curious though, in our area there is a minimum distance for the tank, not just the bed, to be from the well. In the case of a drilled well, it"s 50", a dug well it"s 100".

Let us know what you find and how you make out, this is one fo the few instances I"ve heard of where the tank has leaked.

Depending on what I see I may go with the "repair kit" of filling the crack. If I replace the tank I will look into the plastic one as an option. The cement tank replacement is $1,800.

Thanks again for all your insight.

The better choice is plastic - there are several manufacturers, but some have better technology than others - one offers a lifetime warranty. Not to start anything here, but you can't use concrete in Europe because they all leak, most sooner than later.

I would do my research and go buy a good HDPE tank - around $1500 in the NE and never worry about it again.

Tip

In the septic tanks I have been around, the level of the floating solids only came up about 3/4 of the height of the tank, and stayed at that level as more liquid and solids were added, since the effluent drained from below the floating solids. Most modern tanks have a second chamber that should not have any floating solids and very little muck settled to the bottom. The effluent in the second chamber should be almost clear and as sewage is added to the main tank, more effluent flows into the second chamber and from there flows out to the drainfield. If you have a 2 chamber tank, you should be able to see effluent flowing out from the second chamber when a bunch of liquid is added to the main tank.

If it was my situation, I would have the tank pumped ASAP. Since there is some possibility of the empty tank starting to float and coming out of the ground, I would refill it with water as soon as I had looked it over as well as possible looking down the manholes. I would not even consider going into the tank without an air supply and several people outside that could pull me out, using a safety harness and good line. It is terribly dangerous and could kill you.....and they don't call them septic tanks for nothing.

As you put the clean water in the tank, you should be able to see where it is leaking. If the leak is at the bottom of the tank, I would try putting a couple of bags of bentonite clay powder in the tank to see if that will seal a crack or hole. If you see that it is leaking from a hole in the caulking of the joint between the top and bottom of the tank, you might want to have a professional fix that. It might be expensive, but probably lots less than $3000 and, probably worth the money considering the danger and ick factor!

I heard a guy say onetime that small leaks in a sewer system were more or less self-sealing over time--the solids fill the opening. Hopefully your septic problem will not be too bad. Don't these problems ALWAYS raise their ugly heads in Winter??? Good luck!

Unless it is a basket case/ all crumbled or a bad mix in the tank when built it should last for a long time. I would first guess a conection at the tank unless you know different. Perhaps the lid was not sealed if it is that style tank. Could it be a plugged line? You will probably only know when you dig it up.

Like I said before we have fixed a very limited number of septic tanks, but you can dig around the tank if the leak is on the side and just pour redimix concrete around the side using the side of the tank as one side and the dirt bank on the other side. Check with the government book educated well paid officials. Be prepaired to explain what the words like leak, septic tank, bathroom and crap mean. We have to in our area.

It is very unfortunate that not all escavators/ plumbers etc are not on the up and up. But if I was you I would sure want to see the leak before making any purchases. It probably is wise to have a tank lined up if needed once you tear it up, especialy if in cold weather.

Dave NE IA

I wonder how many people working with cement products today know even a few of the things you brought up: 1.Home improvement store/lumber yard premix isn't bad if you think of it as a product that you use by adding water and cement. 2.A slurry of cement and water mixed to the consistency of paint makes a high quality bonding compound. 3.Building inspectors and code enforcement people are starting to seem the same as most "experts" nowadays---as if they were appointed by friends in office.

And I'm shocked SHOCKED to hear that not all contractors are on the up and up. I just got bids on roof repairs on a number of the buildings in the apartment complex where I work. The first bid was $3,900 and the second was $51,900.

I'm just glad to know that when Haliburton gets a $1,000,000 no-bid contract to repair something in Iraq, and the sub- sub-contractor who finally does the work gets $50,000, my tax dollar is helping someone right here in the US of A; someone who would never stoop to anything as petty as appointing an unqualified friend as a building inspector.

Gee, ranting usually makes me feel better, but that didn't. I must actually be getting tired of this nonsense.

Stan

I've got a suggestion that you might think is one of the worst things you've ever heard; just try to think of it as an alternative to spending $3K. Why don't you have the tank pumped and then go in and repair the leak? Or pay someone else to do it. They could charge you a lot for how awful a job it is, but it's only a day's work, and they couldn't charge you $3K for it.

About 10 years ago I bought a summer place that had a septic system I considered iffy. I had the tank pumped---the pumping includes rinsing out the tank completely and vacuuming out that water, too---then went into it to repair a broken concrete outflow pipe. The thought of it was more disgusting than the reality. Frankly, I've done lots of jobs which were worse in every other way than that. You will want to have a respirator, or even an outside air source---the fumes in a septic tank are poisonous.

Repairing a concrete container on the side the water pressure comes from is relatively easy. Basement foundation wall leaks are usually not easy to fix simply because you have to work from the wrong side. When you dig down on the outside of the foundation, the leak is easy to fix, but the digging wasn't. When you're working on a pumped out septic tank, you're on the right side relative to the leak, at least. Of course, most people consider the right side of a septic tank to be the outside under all circumstances, and I wouldn't go so far as to say they're wrong.

Good luck, Stan

Boy you nailed it when you said your speach on Hell a burnin. A dude on TV this morning said that to put things into a understandable mode. A billion munites ago Christ walked this earth. I'm not sure of the accuracy so I tried to calculate it on my fingers but lost track. We can only hope our country can survive all this, I'm not fond of either party anymore. I think spending is totaly out of control as well as the balance of power and money. And to think how many of our buddies died and came back without limbs, for this kind of corruption.

Politicians never want me around as they usualy answer a question with ( WELL FIRST OF ALL..... .. In real short order I simply say did you not hear my question or are you avoiding it?

When they ask how things are going I answer with OH MY God ---I forgot this was election year---ah well last year I was here waiting for you but I didn't see ya. They seem to ignore me after that. I heard a politician say this morning also that The government should make it manditory for everyone to have health insurance like automobile insurance in most states--Then another suggested that we should make the employers furnish full health care coverage--that way it doesn't cost anyone anything. WOW you know perhaps they realy don't get it.

Sorry guys if you think I have wondered from the main issue of septic tanks, but think about our government and septic tanks, as well as the need for repair.

Probably now I will be classified as a terrorist and they will be monitoring my every move.

Dave NE IA

You are right it is probably a rock underneath. The original excavation company said that a way that they fix a hole/crack is to put in a yard of concrete. A septic installer said that it would change the dynamics (holding capacity) and the county wouldn't go for it and it would only be a temporary fix.

As a side note... Are you (Gordy) from Faribault, MN?