Septic stink

[woodlot]

All you with septic tanks I need advice. What gives with the stink out of my septic tank. If I'm working down wind of that thing.......whew.....I get a shot of odor! Now, I've read that the tank, if working properly, should not stink. Well, I get it pump out as I should and the septic guy says everything looks great with the tank. He says its working really good, but I still got that stink!

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue"> What gives with the stink out of my septic tank. </font>

Human waste?

 

[Freds]

Even when they are working properly they will still give off an unpleasant (to most) odor. One of my systems gives off a bit of an odor like it isn't working properly and it probably isn't. I put a lot of liquids in it, some of them chlorinated water which isn't good for bacteria, and not many solids, which is what produce the good bacteria. I sealed the lids and put one of the septic products down the toilet once in a while and that cures the odor problem.

Do you have a sump that might have been pumping a lot of liquids in it? This will dilute things. When my sump starts kicking on I close the valve that leads to the septic and open the one that leads outside. This is from a lot of rain or a snow melt, so the water I'm pumping outside is clean or gray water at the worse.

 

[Freds]

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Sometimes you crack me up, Dave.

 

[woodlot]

Well that sure seems obvious, I guess my question goes a bit deeper. Why does EVERY piece of published liturature on septic stanks say they should NOT stink and a stink indicates a problem! It seems to me that consitering what solids go in there it SHOULD stink. All I know is mine stinks and every expert on these systems is telling me it shouldn't.

 

[Freds]

If they didn't smell everyone wouold be driving a honeydipper truck /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif.
I guess it's what your perception or sensivity level to "stink" is, but then I suppose there are people out there that like the smell of cabbage cooking, too. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[woodlot]

Freds, nope no sump, no constant drain of any kind. I do have a step-son that takes longer showers than a step-daughter but that is a whole 'nother subject!

 

[Chuck52]

Is your tank vented? Mine isn't, and I was under the impression that most septic tanks are not, unless they have an aeration system. Last time I had mine pumped, which was also the first time, the guy dug down about two feet to expose the lid. When he opened it, it surely did stink, but I've never been accused of acting like mine didn't! Under two feet of dirt, there's no way you're gonna smell it. However, if you have a vent, you may need to put some kind of filter on it to absorb the smell, if it is in a place you can't avoid.

Chuck

 

[Egon]

The septic tank works by supporting anearobic bacteria to break down waste. It should not be vented.

The chemical reaction can be rendered ineffective by overloading the system with liquids or the addition of various household chemicals that can kill the bacteria. With no digestion raw sewage overflows into the secondary tank and into the drain system.

If this happens the field/mound area gets the raw sewage which is what you are smelling. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon

 

[woodlot]

I watch my dains like a hawk, My wife knows the drill, no bleach based cleaning products down the drain. We don't even put bleach in the clothes washer. The lid of my tank is exposed but has a very heavy concrete lid. There is no vent on the tank but is on the drain field runs. I'm 90% sure the tank is single compartment. I also don't think the tank is spilling raw sewge, again the septic guy said every thing looks good, its preforming properly. So why the stink? Is it me? too many burreto's?

Also, the tank has some kind of filter at the outlet prior to the distribution box that prevents indroduction of solids into the drainfield.