Finding septic tanks

bczoom · Apr 15, 2005

( What they were calling the third tank could have been the distribution box for the field lines. )

Jeff, I'm going to check with the guy that installed them. I have no idea but he did specifically mention 3 tanks.

bczoom · Apr 15, 2005

( Unless you plan to pump it yourself, why do you care where it is? Let the guy who pumps it find it... )

Mark,

When I was initially talking with them, I inquired if they had a way to find tanks. They said "no".

Like MossRoad mentioned, I'll bet they would have charged me a pretty penny to find it and dig it out even if they did have the capability (which I don't think they do as I didn't even see a shovel on the truck).

The hole needed was about 3'x5' around and 2' deep. Pretty much solid clay. It took me awhile to dig it out. I did take copious measurements on where everything is located for future use.

BTW - DO NOT go 15 years without having it pumped. I was on the edge of having some major problems. I won't go into detail as it wasn't a pretty sight but I won't be going more than 5 years anymore.

DaMadman · Apr 15, 2005

( ( Unless you plan to pump it yourself, why do you care where it is? Let the guy who pumps it find it... )

Mark,

When I was initially talking with them, I inquired if they had a way to find tanks. They said "no".

Like MossRoad mentioned, I'll bet they would have charged me a pretty penny to find it and dig it out even if they did have the capability (which I don't think they do as I didn't even see a shovel on the truck).

The hole needed was about 3'x5' around and 2' deep. Pretty much solid clay. It took me awhile to dig it out. I did take copious measurements on where everything is located for future use.

BTW - DO NOT go 15 years without having it pumped. I was on the edge of having some major problems. I won't go into detail as it wasn't a pretty sight but I won't be going more than 5 years anymore. )

When I moved into my house the people selling it told me the tank had been recently cleaned and I took their word. about 3 years living there, I had a backup in the basement. thought it was a clog and did everything from acid down the floor drain to snake with 100 foot snake. Finally dug the tank up and it was solid sludge from bottom to top of a 1500 gallon tank. Looked like clay. Man was the pump truck guy pissed. He told me had that mess been my fault he would have charged me extra. he told me the people that sold the house lied, because there was only two people (both worked during the day) living in the house and the tank was solid bottom to top. The pump truck guy said that the tank hadn't been pumped in probably 20 years. He told me since the people lied to me and I wasn't really the person that caused the problem he felt bad and wasn't going to charge me extra /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I use lots of Rid-X now and will have it pumped every 5 years or so. Especially since I have the BX now and can dig all day without getting near a shovel /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

ByronBob · Apr 15, 2005

In New York when you sell your house you have to provide a receipt that your tank was pumped and inspected within 90 days.

How is it that Maryland DOESN'T have this???

Varmintmist · Apr 15, 2005

BC, if you havent covered it up yet, and even if you have. Go to a tank place (Like Key Septic, example) that makes tanks and get a collar. about a 24 inch one. Put that over the hole and put your lid on top. Then go to Home Dumpster and get one of those wishing well flower pots and put it on the lid. Backfill around it.

And all these years you thought that those wishing wells were just for decoration /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Nope, after digging that out a few times you get the collar and you wish you got the well /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

thcri · Apr 15, 2005

( In New York when you sell your house you have to provide a receipt that your tank was pumped and inspected within 90 days.

How is it that Maryland DOESN'T have this??? )

I have a septic in Wisconsin and one in Minnesota. Wisconsin you have to certify every two years that you have pumped it. The guy that pumps it has to sign a document/form and then we have to send it in to the county. Now maybe this is a county thing not sure. However, if we don't pump it we will get a call from the county and they will scream up a storm. What uspets me it is for my cabin and we use the septic system about ten week-ends out of the year. Pumping it as much as we do without using it much isn't good either I am told but they won't budge on letting me pump it every three or 4 years.

murph

44trxfun · Apr 15, 2005

ByronBob, this is the first I've heard of this requirement for NY. Are you sure it's statewide, or is it county-by-county?

MarkLeininger · Apr 16, 2005

( When I was initially talking with them, I inquired if they had a way to find tanks. They said "no".
)

I wouldn't do business with a septic company that can't find the tank. That's like an auto mechanic telling you he'll fix the problem if you show him where it is, but he doesn't do diagnostics.

I've had 4 homes with septic systems and finding the tank has always been something that takes the guy about 10 seconds to do. They seem to be able to just stand in the yard and see where everything is just by looking at the lawn or whatever they look at. Even when they show me where things are I can't see what they're talking about. They're supposed to be a lot better at this than you and I. I'd shop around for a different company.

midlf · Apr 16, 2005

In WI it's county by county as far as periodic pumping. It has to be pumped and inspected at the time of sale. Well also has to be tested at time of sale.

ByronBob · Apr 18, 2005

Hmm......

My dad had to pump his system before he sold his house and I did too. Actually before I bought my place the previous owner had to also. It might be a bank loan requirement I suppose vs a state law.

bczoom · Apr 18, 2005

( BC, if you havent covered it up yet, and even if you have. Go to a tank place (Like Key Septic, example) that makes tanks and get a collar. about a 24 inch one. Put that over the hole and put your lid on top. Then go to Home Dumpster and get one of those wishing well flower pots and put it on the lid. Backfill around it. )

Varmintmist,
I would have liked to do that but the tank is in a high traffic area in the yard (cars, trucks...). Hate to have/see it collapse. Now that I know where it is (I took all kinds of measurements and stapled the sheet to the basement wall), I should be fine digging in the future.

( I have a septic in Wisconsin and one in Minnesota. Wisconsin you have to certify every two years that you have pumped it. The guy that pumps it has to sign a document/form and then we have to send it in to the county.)

Murph,

This may be based on the type of system. I know of no requirements like this for mine (sand mound) but my neighbor has to do what you're talking about (every 2 years). His is a system that after it's gone through everything, the liquid is dumped into the creek.

ByronBob,

I've never heard of that in NY either. When I sold my house in NY (I was in Erie county which is over-governed), I don't recall having to get it pumped. They did a dye test and if it passed, I was all set.

( I wouldn't do business with a septic company that can't find the tank.)

Mark,

Other than not being able to find tanks (I actually think it's a lazy factor) this company is supposed to be pretty good. My yard has been re-done including several hundred dump trucks of dirt. There was no depressions, humps, change in turf (green or dirt...) to identify where the tank was.

Brian

Junkman · Apr 18, 2005

(

I wouldn't do business with a septic company that can't find the tank. That's like an auto mechanic telling you he'll fix the problem if you show him where it is, but he doesn't do diagnostics. )

That is like saying that you wouldn't go to a doctor that couldn't figure out where it hurt unless you told him where it was on your body. They are septic pumping companies, not fortune tellers with crystal balls telling them where the tank is. All of them will locate the tank no matter how long it takes if you the customer are willing to pay the cost. They are there to pump the tank, not go on a mystery hunt.

edski · Apr 18, 2005

I was recently quoted $160 + for a septic company to locate my tank using one of those radio gizmos. At the time it sounded expensive. Considering the damage I'm likely to do otherwise, it might not be such a bad idea.

bczoom · Apr 18, 2005

Edski,

The metal detector followed by rebar for confirmation worked fine. The main problem I had was finding the other tank (which turned out to be non-existent).

There's a metal baffle that directs the flow from the incoming pipe downward. That's what I found. Tank is then on the far side of the house from where I found that baffle.

LBrown59 · Apr 18, 2005

( The piping going to your tank should be metal you can use a metal detector to follow the pipe and when it STOPS beeping you should be over the tank )

========Never heard of metal.Always used plastic.
Driving a steel rod into it could break the pipe.

LBrown59 · Apr 18, 2005

I would never consider burying the clean out lid
as that's an improper installation.

bczoom · Apr 18, 2005

( I would never consider burying the clean out lid
as that's an improper installation.)

Please elaborate as it is the primary installation in any system I've seen around here. There is normally 1 tank lid exposed but it's for maintenance purposes (electric pump or chlorine dump or whatever, based on the system) but the first tank from the house I've always seen completely buried.

Junkman · Apr 18, 2005

( I would never consider burying the clean out lid
as that's an improper installation.
)

Is this your opinion or just something that you thought up on the spare of the moment? Septic tank lids and clean out covers are routinely buried unless the tank is exceptionally deep. This is why so many people have problems finding them. The person that was there and drew the map and gave it to the owner didn't keep a copy and the owner lost his. There is no reason to have the clean out cover exposed under normal conditions. This must be one of your urban legends like the $5.00 license plate registration in Ohio that you mentioned a while back. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

LBrown59 · Apr 19, 2005

Is this your opinion or just something that you thought up on the spare of the moment?
Junk.
-----------------
I have owned my own housing company for 32 year so I guess I don't have any experience with septic systems so it would have to be something I thought up on the spare of the moment right.

Bird · Apr 19, 2005

( I would never consider burying the clean out lid as that's an improper installation. )

I don't think you can call it an "improper installation" since that's the way it's normally done. However, for me personally, I'm with you. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I had an aerobic system installed and the installer intended to bury the first tank, but instead I had him put a concrete collar and lid so it was real simple to open it when it needed service of any kind.