Septic Tank - To empty or not??
Discussion
We moved to a rural property with a septic tank about a year ago. The tank is halfway down the garden (on a slope) and I belive it has a runoff/overflow that extends further down into the meadow beyond.
The previous owner said she got the tank emptied every year. Over the past year the outlet has been a bit wiffy now and again, particularly when the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. We try not to put bleach etc down the drains and minimize any chemicals that go down pan/plugs.
The wife tells me the smell is worse today.
Question is do we get the tank emptied?
- Some research I've done says that if it's working well it shouldn't need emptying at all.
- Also there are all sorts of 'agents' you can add to help the thing work - are these just snake oil?
ANy advice on the best way to proceed?
The previous owner said she got the tank emptied every year. Over the past year the outlet has been a bit wiffy now and again, particularly when the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. We try not to put bleach etc down the drains and minimize any chemicals that go down pan/plugs.
The wife tells me the smell is worse today.
Question is do we get the tank emptied?
- Some research I've done says that if it's working well it shouldn't need emptying at all.
- Also there are all sorts of 'agents' you can add to help the thing work - are these just snake oil?
ANy advice on the best way to proceed?
ramblo93 said:
We moved to a rural property with a septic tank about a year ago. The tank is halfway down the garden (on a slope) and I belive it has a runoff/overflow that extends further down into the meadow beyond.
The previous owner said she got the tank emptied every year. Over the past year the outlet has been a bit wiffy now and again, particularly when the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. We try not to put bleach etc down the drains and minimize any chemicals that go down pan/plugs.
The wife tells me the smell is worse today.
Question is do we get the tank emptied?
- Some research I've done says that if it's working well it shouldn't need emptying at all.
- Also there are all sorts of 'agents' you can add to help the thing work - are these just snake oil?
ANy advice on the best way to proceed?
If it is a septic tank, then it shouldn't need emptying or any other routine maintenance.The previous owner said she got the tank emptied every year. Over the past year the outlet has been a bit wiffy now and again, particularly when the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. We try not to put bleach etc down the drains and minimize any chemicals that go down pan/plugs.
The wife tells me the smell is worse today.
Question is do we get the tank emptied?
- Some research I've done says that if it's working well it shouldn't need emptying at all.
- Also there are all sorts of 'agents' you can add to help the thing work - are these just snake oil?
ANy advice on the best way to proceed?
If it is a cess pit, it may well require regular emptying and/or other routine maintenance.
However, circumstances alter cases.
The Mad Monk said:
ramblo93 said:
We moved to a rural property with a septic tank about a year ago. The tank is halfway down the garden (on a slope) and I belive it has a runoff/overflow that extends further down into the meadow beyond.
The previous owner said she got the tank emptied every year. Over the past year the outlet has been a bit wiffy now and again, particularly when the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. We try not to put bleach etc down the drains and minimize any chemicals that go down pan/plugs.
The wife tells me the smell is worse today.
Question is do we get the tank emptied?
- Some research I've done says that if it's working well it shouldn't need emptying at all.
- Also there are all sorts of 'agents' you can add to help the thing work - are these just snake oil?
ANy advice on the best way to proceed?
If it is a septic tank, then it shouldn't need emptying or any other routine maintenance.The previous owner said she got the tank emptied every year. Over the past year the outlet has been a bit wiffy now and again, particularly when the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. We try not to put bleach etc down the drains and minimize any chemicals that go down pan/plugs.
The wife tells me the smell is worse today.
Question is do we get the tank emptied?
- Some research I've done says that if it's working well it shouldn't need emptying at all.
- Also there are all sorts of 'agents' you can add to help the thing work - are these just snake oil?
ANy advice on the best way to proceed?
If it is a cess pit, it may well require regular emptying and/or other routine maintenance.
However, circumstances alter cases.
If it is a septic tank, then the level will be to the top. They sit full. The gunge falls to the bottom, the clean liquid runs off the top down the soakaway into the ground. The "empty or not" depends on the level of the gunge, and you can't see that. It should never rise, because it should be being broken down by your friendly poomunchies.
It's far more likely to be blocked/damaged soakaway or a lack of poomunchies. At this time of year, the ground can be a tad waterlogged, making soakaway issues a bit more obvious.
It's far more likely to be blocked/damaged soakaway or a lack of poomunchies. At this time of year, the ground can be a tad waterlogged, making soakaway issues a bit more obvious.
Find the bacteria you chuck down the toilet is essential.
We used to use Septico, but got relatively pricey. The mrs found something else on the bay of fleas that we now use, one sachet/month, stops it whiffing too much.
We've got a 1950s brick built 3 chamber jobby, more cesspit than septic tank. We did get it emptied last year, probably needs doing again soon. Wasn't nearly as pricey as I thought it would be; 90 or a hundred quid I think.
Guys that emptied it last year said use whatever you want to clean bathrooms, bleach etc..., don't worry too much about how much using, just regularly chuck down some conditioning bacteria.
We used to use Septico, but got relatively pricey. The mrs found something else on the bay of fleas that we now use, one sachet/month, stops it whiffing too much.
We've got a 1950s brick built 3 chamber jobby, more cesspit than septic tank. We did get it emptied last year, probably needs doing again soon. Wasn't nearly as pricey as I thought it would be; 90 or a hundred quid I think.
Guys that emptied it last year said use whatever you want to clean bathrooms, bleach etc..., don't worry too much about how much using, just regularly chuck down some conditioning bacteria.
Working correctly it should never need to be emptied out. But all modern cleaners are anti bacteria etc so every time you send your cleaners down the drain you are killing the very thing that keeps the tank working correctly.
They used to throw a dead rabbit in a new one to start it off
They used to throw a dead rabbit in a new one to start it off
I'd get the inspections lids off and get someone in the house to flush the toilets and make sure its getting into the tank. That rules out any blockages near the house (which could be the cause of the smell).
As said above it shouldn't really need emptying. Ours has been going 25 years without being emptied, but does have a huge soakaway network across the field and seems to work really well. We had a bad smell last year and I thought it needed emptying, but in the end it was a blockage in the main pipe to the tank which was causing it to back up near the house.
As said above it shouldn't really need emptying. Ours has been going 25 years without being emptied, but does have a huge soakaway network across the field and seems to work really well. We had a bad smell last year and I thought it needed emptying, but in the end it was a blockage in the main pipe to the tank which was causing it to back up near the house.
Beat me to the link!alfabeat said:
I'd get the inspections lids off and get someone in the house to flush the toilets and make sure its getting into the tank. That rules out any blockages near the house (which could be the cause of the smell).
As said above it shouldn't really need emptying. Ours has been going 25 years without being emptied, but does have a huge soakaway network across the field and seems to work really well. We had a bad smell last year and I thought it needed emptying, but in the end it was a blockage in the main pipe to the tank which was causing it to back up near the house.
Yep, check your drains to the tank. Ours smells if it gets blocked and backs up, especially in warm weather.As said above it shouldn't really need emptying. Ours has been going 25 years without being emptied, but does have a huge soakaway network across the field and seems to work really well. We had a bad smell last year and I thought it needed emptying, but in the end it was a blockage in the main pipe to the tank which was causing it to back up near the house.
You should have quite a few manholes along the drain for clearing purposes.
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