Septic questions

[Code54]

One of my friends had a county approved septic system installed in a new build home about 2 months ago and is having some problems. It is the normal (simple) system that the waste exits the house to a septic tank, then runs to a distribution box which then sends everything out to the large leach field. What is happening is the distribution box (Dist Box) is filling with water and it does not appear the system is draining to the leach field. He said when he pulled the Dist. box lid the other day he could hear pressure releasing as he took the screws out. He also noticed that around the box is very saturated and will even push water up when he walks near it. He is pretty certain the leach field pipes are getting water to them because he pumped the Dist box out before and water came back to it from the field. He also noted the very end of the leach field is damp and appears to be getting at least some water. He has 1000 gallons capacity in his septic tank and has 2 adults and 2 children living at the residence. He is a conservative guy and not pumping water and stuff out there at an abnormal rate or anything.
Now to the question..... What is going on? Why would he get pressure at the Dist box? He obviously spent a lot of cash putting this system in and really cant afford to tear it out and has not received any help from the contractor that installed the system. One of his main concerns is the leach field is not leaching but the pressure at the box has us baffled?
Thanks for the assistance in advance!

 

[Midniteoyl]

Most likely a plugged leach field.. Either from a failed field, or bad practices (see below). The pressure escaping is also most likely from either no vent or plugged vent. Have the guy who put it in come back and show where the vent is, and if its plugged..If it is, that would also cause the field to not drain quickly. He might have to dig the field up, but thats a last resort.


Did your friend add bacteria? You gotta add some (SEPTIC STARTER) before you use it, and every 2 weeks for 6-8 weeks, then some normal maintenance doses maybe every month or three for awhile. I add some every month and havent yet needed to pump in 9 years..

Also, remember it IS a bacteria system, so little to NO bleach or bleach cleaners should go in. People rely on bleach cleaners waayy too much and it will kill the bacteria. That old 'one cup of bleach for whites' is a load of it and only causes problems with sewer and septic systems and eats your socks.. I barely use 1/8th cup in my 2x a month white loads and they come out nice and white just fine.

 

[PILOON]

Bleach=NO-NO
Toilet bowl Sanitizers also = NO-NO (contain bleach)
For septic 'starters' a pound of ground liver usually will suffice, other than that no additives should ever be used.

If they were from a non septic environment in all probability items 1 and 2 were practiced.

Other than that maybe some landscaper equipment drove over a line and collapsed it if it is a conventional field.
Chemical dyes are sold that will help trace where it leaks. Do a web search. (very efficient)

 

[SPIKER]

Sounds like could be a couple issues, NEW HOME and NEW FIELD should be great. Maybe they are running too much water (kids girls wife & all taking too many & long showers lots of clothing etc?) Other chance someone left test plugs in (causing air buildup.)

Tank settling could have separated a line or as mentioned someone may have drove over field crushing a line.
Other possibility is the ground is not porous enough (bad should have had a Perc Test done) have him ask contractor to see the perc test. If that is the case then a Sand Mound system would probably have to go in or a above ground composting system.

In any case contractor needs to be back ASAP to get it diagnosed and repaired...

No need to flush ANYTHING to start bacteria growing just the stuff coming out of ya works. NEVER use a Garbage Disposal for a septic that will toss more LOAD into the tank causing bacteria to have to try and eat it up when it should only be after the human waste. Tell them that the ladies need to learn to use less paper and NOT to flush female products...

Mark

 

[jerrybob]

Did they open the plug holes on the distribution box???

 

[Midniteoyl]

Funny .. people say do not add anything to tank to help start it, but 2x I have done that, the field clogged in 2 months. Every septic/septic cleaning service around here tells you to add something. Most even give you the starter..

 

[mikehaugen]

Could there possibly be a leaky toilet? I know it's all new, but these days I don't trust new anything to always be problem free.

 

[Coyote machine]

A new system should have a standing above grade vent to allow air behind the water. If there isn't one there needs to be a vent installed. Why is the contractor not coming back to address the problem? Depending on the reason, he may know what is going on and not want to 'share' what the problem is with you. That does not bode well for the system, unless you can get him to spill the beans.

 

[Egon]

Pressure should indicate that some bacterial action is going on.

 

[Egon]

Pressure should indicate that some bacterial action is going on.

Do the indoor plumbing fixtures back up?

Any weeping tile tied in to the system?

Are there filters and are they clean?

 

[homedad]

Call the installer. It sounds like a failed field.

 

[farmer2009]

Also if leaching field wasn't installed level. You can get an over flow at box. The pressure sounds like it is working. Is he in a wet area? My ground doesn't drain well and during winter or after lots of rain gets really wet around drain field. Takes time to dry it all out.

 

[gwdixon]

Sounds like a saturated leach field to me. Leach fields work by evaporation rather than the water sinking into the ground as some think. The ground along each leach line should be damp, not just the ends. Try digging some test holes...12" should be enough.

At the least, the installation company should offer to pump the tank and let you start over.

If the family washes a lot or has an older washing machine that uses a lot of water there can be immediate water problems. If possible, you can attach the washer drain line to a hose and water plants or simply spread the water on top of the soil.

There are other things you can do if all else fails but the one that was necessary at my place is completely illegal so unless you can't find another solution it won't be shared.

 

[buickanddeere]

Septic system here never worked right here until running a grey water drain from the water softener and washing machine. Plus we ran a French drain in the yard to catch and divert surface water runoff.

 

[LD1]

First and foremost I would get ahold of the contractor by any means. He needs to fix the issue.

Second, I dont know the code in your area and therefore dont know the type of system installed, so I can only comment on what is in my area.

No one has mentioned this yet, but septics in my area have a sand filter BEFORE the leech field. And the entrance to the sand filter is what is called the distribution box. It has 1 inlet coming from the tank, and two outlets, cause you have two sand filters. One of them normally has just an elbow on it pointing up, which forces the water/waste into the other filter. Twice a year (when clocks change) it is reccomended to switch filter beds.

These two filter beds converge back together and drain into one leech field/trench. Which should also have a permiter drain around it (tile laid in stone) and connected to a known good tile to prevent rainwater/runoff from saturating the leech field. There is also an inspection cover over the "exit of the sandfilter"/"entrance of the leech field".

So, for further clarification, does this sound like the type of system he has? And are you sure it is backing up in the distribution box?? or is it backing up at the entrance to the leech? A typical system here will have 3 or 4 "covers". Either one or two for the tank, then the distribution box, then the entrance to the leech.

If it is indeed backing up at the distribution box, perhaps try swapping to the other sand filter (move the elbow or plug to the other pipe).

If it is backing up at the leach field AFTER the sand filter, then either there is a collapsed/broken tile in the leech field, or it is saturated. Did they install a perimeter drain?

The pressure build up could be nothing. Could just be the grade, and having water pressure uphill of the cover creating small amount of pressure. You didnt indicate just how much pressure there was?

The type of system I just described doesnt have a vent either. Other than the vent at the house. The tank is not airtight. (concrete with concrete lid).

 

[Dr Dave]

New systems here require a vent at the end of each drain feild run, a pre drainfeild filter, 2 stage tank, with 2 access covers and an intake and exit inspection cover. Also old systems just be upgrade at the time of property sale.

Dave

 

[tractorshopper]

Need to add yeast once a month to help promote the bacterial growth. They also make a product called Rid-X, but yeast is much cheaper and my septic guy says it actually works better.

 

[PRF]

Installed a new system here 25 years ago and never added anything, seems there's plenty of bacteria in what comes out of people... I have it pumped every other year so the leach fields don't get much, if any, solids out to them.. Never heard of vents for leach fields in these parts either for what its worth..

 

[Midniteoyl]

Installed a new system here 25 years ago and never added anything, seems there's plenty of bacteria in what comes out of people... I have it pumped every other year so the leach fields don't get much, if any, solids out to them.. Never heard of vents for leach fields in these parts either for what its worth..

Your vent is prolly the same as your house vent/sewage stack as mine is.. On my duplex, there is a separate vent for each system right where the sewage line leaves the building. My BIL has his at the entrance to the tank. In any case, there must be a vent

 

[PRF]

Your vent is prolly the same as your house vent/sewage stack as mine is.. On my duplex, there is a separate vent for each system right where the sewage line leaves the building. My BIL has his at the entrance to the tank. In any case, there must be a vent

Oh, ok sure, there's a vent stack in the roof..