mallardsx2
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Pump ours every 5 and I pour a half gallon of buttermilk down the toilet every month.
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Septic Tank Pumped
- Thread starter hiawassee1
- Start date
lonewolf247
Senior Member
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Spend your money elsewhere!
Most problems I have seen with septic tanks are related to the tail line plugged, or field bed issues. Other than that, inlet line plugged preventing waste from entering the tank. Usually it’s not that the tank is full.
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Geno67
Senior Member
It really depends. I've designed and installed on site systems in the distant past. For me - no pumping needed. No grease/food/non-degradable material goes down the drain and grey water goes into it's own set of lines.
For a household that dumps grease/food down the drain the grease will often turn into a solid that will have to be cleaned out when it gets thick enough to block the tee(s). The outlets going to the field lines will get clogged with this stuff too and require cleaning. Worst case - grease gets in the lines and slowly clogs them from the top down (it floats so it coats the top first). Then new lines in an alternate area will need to be installed.
For a household that dumps grease/food down the drain the grease will often turn into a solid that will have to be cleaned out when it gets thick enough to block the tee(s). The outlets going to the field lines will get clogged with this stuff too and require cleaning. Worst case - grease gets in the lines and slowly clogs them from the top down (it floats so it coats the top first). Then new lines in an alternate area will need to be installed.
LTZ25
Senior Member
Agree 100 percent .
swamp hunter
Senior Member
Bunch of Nervous Nancys here.
Take 2 ..at the most Hours and find the Lid for your tank , Clean off the top of grass and sand , Get a big bar and slide it hru the 2 Hoops on the lid and lift it up.
Look inside and see what's going on. Ain't hard.
I scooped out 6 inches of Crust and fertilized part pf my yard. Been using the Tank and Field for 25 years and all I've got is free Fertilizer..
Take 2 ..at the most Hours and find the Lid for your tank , Clean off the top of grass and sand , Get a big bar and slide it hru the 2 Hoops on the lid and lift it up.
Look inside and see what's going on. Ain't hard.
I scooped out 6 inches of Crust and fertilized part pf my yard. Been using the Tank and Field for 25 years and all I've got is free Fertilizer..
Lukikus2
Senior Member
Yeah. That would be considered good maintenance. I may consider doing that right before the next hurricane.
LTZ25
Senior Member
You also have ticked off neighbors , unless you live in the sticks .
swamp hunter
Senior Member
What Neighbors..Don,t have any , I don,t like Neighbors
bany
Senior Member
My moms backed up around New Years. Had it pumped and “checked”.
waiting for a guy to dig up the line from exit to gravel pit or less to clear the line. The gravel pit was dry. and once upon a time a big old magnolia tree was 10’? from the line and it was pumped twice before ma and pa got the place. I’m betting the line was never repaired just the tree cut down and probably no exit baffle, And just maybe mom is afraid to use much water!
waiting for a guy to dig up the line from exit to gravel pit or less to clear the line. The gravel pit was dry. and once upon a time a big old magnolia tree was 10’? from the line and it was pumped twice before ma and pa got the place. I’m betting the line was never repaired just the tree cut down and probably no exit baffle, And just maybe mom is afraid to use much water!
westcobbdog
Senior Member
just took a 3hr CE class on this topic. For everyone critical of being pro active, well you are lucky your tank has not acted up yet. When there are problems it seems the drain field is typically more of a problem than the tank itself. Make sure your gutters and down spouts are not directing water towards the drain field. Overall septic tanks are your own little sewage treatment plant and work well. According to the class presenter, don't put any sort of man wipes down the drain and really no over the counter products needed to keep your tank working, either. Few people in the class commented they had been told that certain kinds of super duty TP can cause issues,too. So dont use 12 ply TP.
Lukikus2
Senior Member
If the drain field was dry water is not making it there. Some tanks have filters on the outlet that can stop up. Sometimes a whole house stoppage could be the problem. Sometimes the septic guy didn't clean out both sides of the tank because he was lazy.
One of the worst things on a septic tank is leaking faucets. The tank or field drain can't handle the water load forever.
And flushable wipes. Yep. They will flush ?
Lukikus2
Senior Member
Just found my cleanout a year ago. All the neighbors are having their field drains replaced. Mine runs down hill. Fingers crossed.
Did fill up a trash can with a mat of stuff the septic guy left behind that was blocking the outlet. I bet he got his money back.
Did fill up a trash can with a mat of stuff the septic guy left behind that was blocking the outlet. I bet he got his money back.
Hillbilly stalker
Senior Member
Powdered laundry soap will clog your lines over time if you have your washing machine going to your tank. Looks like lumps of cottage cheese. We use liquid only. Found out the hard way.
westcobbdog
Senior Member
And a running toilet can cause issues, too.
swamp hunter
Senior Member
Not enough water can cause problems as well.
You need a Flow..
You need a Flow..
My tank has 2 lids. The back lid accesses a removable filter. The filter is in the tank where waste flows into drain field.
I have to remove lid, remove filter, clean it (spray it out) & then reinsert it about every 2 years.
Good times.......
I have to remove lid, remove filter, clean it (spray it out) & then reinsert it about every 2 years.
Good times.......
westcobbdog
Senior Member
Circa 2000 and newer tanks have 2 chambers, anything older is a single chamber, like mine.
bany
Senior Member
The fellas got there Monday before our weekly 2-4” of rain. The 10’ clay or cement exit pipe and baffle were disintegrated. The cover on that side was cracked too. All clear after that! $900.00 and done
