Roots in the septic tank

[handirifle]

Just had our tank pumped for the first time since building in 2010. Probably could have gone longer, but a number of things started working against us. First there are tree roots growing through, where the PVC lines enter the tank. There also appears to be some actually coming through where the main tank cap (not the removable clean out caps) seals against the tank sides.

At the entry to the primary tank we cut 2 roots about 1 1/4" thick. Those roots are also allowing some water to seep, not so slowly, back into the tank. It seeps cause the ground is saturated here. Everything is on a slope downhill from the tank, but even after pumping, about a 1/4" stream was coming back in through the 4" line that exits the secondary tank. We live kinda in the bottom of a bowl, and hydraulic pressure causes water to seep to the surface in quite a few areas.

Not a LOT I can do about it coming back from the leech lines, except a backflow valve in that line.

I know I need to dig out around the entry line to the tank, and cut away those roots, and most likely remove them around the PVC and reseal that area. We just came off a 5 yr drought, so the trees have been going crazy for water sources.

The line exits the secondary tank (concrete tank) then about 25-30ft to a distribution tank (also concrete) then to 2, 100ft leech lines that were at least 4ft deep.

I may have to rent small excavator to clear around the tank, but are there any suggestions to TRY and keep the roots from coming back?

 

[TractorGuy]

I had a drain field put in once and the old timer dug around my tank and poured salt around it. The tank is 10-15 ft from a huge live oak. Still using that system for my washing machine and it hasn't been opened back up since 88.

 

[CalG]

I had a drain field put in once and the old timer dug around my tank and poured salt around it. The tank is 10-15 ft from a huge live oak. Still using that system for my washing machine and it hasn't been opened back up since 88.

If you have water flowing INTO the tank from the distribution lines, your concern for the presence of tree roots is wasted attention.

A "system" can not function in a flooded condition. Seek professional help !

 

[handirifle]

JD855

How much salt did he use?

CalG

It WAS a professional that pumped it. They also install and service systems. As I explained the distribution line can most likely be solved by a backwater valve ( I may have called it backflow valve) at his suggestion. But the water seeping in from where the roots come in is what I want to solve as well. I realize the backwater valve COULD close off the flow out of the tank, IF the water is filling up the distribution line, but at least I will not have water coming in from openings that should NOT be openings.

I can do what they suggest, but I cannot prevent the excess water. My house and property is in a kinda of bowl and underground hydraulic pressure causes a lot of water to come to the surface in various places. NOTHING can be done about this. Any excavation near the leech lines would only loosen the dirt and cause it to seep more.

He mentioned there might be roots in the dist tank as well, but I do not know that as yet. I need to dig it up to tell. Other than that their is a POSSIBILITY that engineered leech lines that went vertical to about 30ft MIGHT do something, but I am nowhere near that point yet. We have had a deluge of rain these past few weeks and it's simply a matter of too much water, too quickly. They see it all the time in this area.

 

[handirifle]

I have a huge eucalyptus tree about 40-50ft from my tank, and I think it might be the root source, but can't tell until I dig around the tank, so see where they are coming from.

 

[CADplans]

I have a huge eucalyptus tree about 40-50ft from my tank, and I think it might be the root source, but can't tell until I dig around the tank, so see where they are coming from.

Any chance you could use a trencher,, rather than a wide bucket?
If you could dig a nice trench,, you could pour concrete,, a wall might work,,,

 

[handirifle]

Personally, I would be afraid to use a trencher that close to my tank. I have used them before, when we built, and they can be hard to control if something shifts. I'd be afraid of it grabbing the tank. With an excavator I could ease it along until I found the sides, and then I think I can dig a trench about a foot below the cap seal and apply what ever method to seal I decide on. Concrete does sound like a real possible solution.

If I excavate, I could build form for the concrete, about 4-6" from the sides so it would use less concrete that way. I could rent one of those 1/2yd towable buckets and save that way too.

 

[handirifle]

Do they make wood pressure treated with something similar to Roundup? Maybe I could put that against the sides of the tank?

 

[RNeumann]

Second the rock salt. We used to do that when we were trying to "fix" a section of orangeburg pipe with fernco couplings. How much? I'd say about a 3"x3" swath around the joint between the lid and side walls and the same around the inlet and outlet pipes.
Depending on tank size I'd say 3-5 bags.

 

[not2old]

I used to replace condo driveways that were badly cracked or settled. Any that had been damaged by tree roots had a piece of aluminum flashing (about 12" or 16") installed vertically in the ground to prevent more roots from growing under the new concrete. Seemed to work.

 

[woody]

Thursday I dug up a hickory tree that was growing with in six feet of my tank, I should of removed it years ago the roots were everywhere.

 

[gghb]

spent the last 40 years installing and repairing septic systems. I would dig around the areas with root growth and spread copper sulfate crystels [root remover at hardware store]. get the roots out of the seams pack seam with oakum and cover with jet set morter mix or equal carefully smooth it when done. cutting off the ground water from entering the tank should over time dry out the system. if not wait till ground drys out and proceed with with repair

 

[MacLawn]

If I ever buy land again, I want pasture with NO trees! Limbs, roots, leaves, whew, plain grass looks mighty good to me now!

 

[oosik]

If your drain field is in a low area and water is coming back into the septic tank from the drain field - you have problems beyond roots. You do need to seek professional help to alleviate this situation.

 

[Travelover]

I just had a new septic field installed and on the one end, near a large tree, they installed a 4" perforated pipe barrier with an elbow and cap above ground to periodically pour in copper sulfate to keep the roots at bay.

 

[handirifle]

I just had a new septic field installed and on the one end, near a large tree, they installed a 4" perforated pipe barrier with an elbow and cap above ground to periodically pour in copper sulfate to keep the roots at bay.

I assume this was OUTSIDE the tank?

oosik

Not sure how a psychiatrist would help my septic :laughing: but I guess a few hours on a couch would feel pretty good, especially after digging all day. Seriously, the septic guy did say there COULD be a collapsed line, of even something wrong with the diverter tank. All of whick I plan on checking out Tuesday. I will try to rent an excavator and open it all up, at least to the diverter.

As for the drain area, I am HOPING the drain back is from the diverter tank being full and draining because of pumping the tank. I will check tomorrow to see if it still is draining.

gghb

What is oakum? Around here, they seal the lines to the tank with spray foam. They claim mortar does not do it, too porous. What I am concerned with was the roots on the side of the tank. Those are possibly coming in where the top meets the tank sides. That was supposed to be sealed at the factory with a mastic gasket, which they ALSO claim kept roots out. They claim that if the water does not leak out, the roots do not try to go in.

Hydraulic pressure around here shows up all over the place. We went from a 5yr drought, to the most rain in one month over a 20yr period. One local lake that is 7 miles long, was at 13% capacity in Oct, but is not at 72%. Local ponds were flat out dry, and are now full. I am talking 1.5 acre ponds 20-25ft deep.

Have any of you guys used Root X before? Any good? Is it harmful to anything but roots, like does it mess up the septic action?

 

[handirifle]

Second the rock salt. We used to do that when we were trying to "fix" a section of orangeburg pipe with fernco couplings. How much? I'd say about a 3"x3" swath around the joint between the lid and side walls and the same around the inlet and outlet pipes.
Depending on tank size I'd say 3-5 bags.

That sounds like a decent solution. I wonder how long it would last?

 

[handirifle]

I just had a new septic field installed and on the one end, near a large tree, they installed a 4" perforated pipe barrier with an elbow and cap above ground to periodically pour in copper sulfate to keep the roots at bay.

Does the CS get poured in full strength or diluted? How much does it take?

 

[RNeumann]

That sounds like a decent solution. I wonder how long it would last?

Years to decades! Once salty, roots will stay away. I don't know about the CS but based on the quality info from the post it prob works well- rock salt was an easy grab at the wholesaler since softeners are common in our area.

If you have the top of the tank and diverter exposed it may be worth having a plumber run a camera down the 3 lines (tank to diverter and diverter to two leach lines). Probably take an hour or so and if they found an issue they would locate it right then.

I have all my leach lines daylight like the post above stated. The plumber could locate the ends while using the camera and the rental mini ex could expose the ends.

 

[handirifle]

OK thanks It looks like I will have to wait to dig more, since I will be most likely creating another pond, right by my septic tank. The ground is saturated, and I am not sure how deep it goes, so I don't want to dig below the possible "bottom" of the surface water table, and make it now deeper.

This will take a while, especially since we have more storms coming in Wed night.

Here's a couple pics of the system when it was installed, during construction of the house. The first one shows one of the leech lines and you can see it steps down from the diverter box. The diverter box is down hill from the tank discharge as well. Once I do rent the excavator, I will open to the diverter and inspect that. Hopefully a couple more weeks.