Septic tank and leach field

[DIYOrangeDave]

There are cameras that go down drainpipes. The camera can be located by handheld sensor. This will trace drain to septic tank. Many plumbers have these cameras.
How are you emptying tank of solids

I have used a service like this and I’m impressed with how quickly and accurately it worked!

 

[tfuller]

There are cameras that go down drainpipes. The camera can be located by handheld sensor. This will trace drain to septic tank. Many plumbers have these cameras.
How are you emptying tank of solids

Any good septic company should be able to come out and locate everything for you. They will put the camera into the pipe and push it to the tank. They then use an above ground detector to locate the camera and this can tell them the location and depth of the camera. You may as well have them dig up the tank and pump it out while you have them there. Once they have the tank dug up they may be able to advise you of where the leach field is based of the info you have from the health dept and common sense based on the land or they can run the camera from the outlet of the tank and give you a more certain answer.

 

[Sigarms]

When I worked for the Health Dept - we located the septic tank and beginning of the drain field by triangulation off the corners of the house. The final approval included a diagram showing house - septic tank - drain field. Exact scale was not important - we showed the EXACT footage. I'm surprised that your local Health Dept doesn't have something like this.

Some reason having a hard time to download an image.

There is no house in the "drawing", and the only footage listed is from apparently the septic tank to the second leach field. Sch 40 3" PVC run 80' downhill to the second leach field.

After talking with the previous owner and looking at the diagram, I would have just expected a better drawing with the house included for a reference point.

I think I have a good idea, just not 100% certain.

 

[Sigarms]

Any good septic company should be able to come out and locate everything for you.

Honestly, that's what I figured.

I called the original company who at least did the work in 1998 as they are local in town. Apparently the owner (father) died in or around 2004, and I was told by the same company I was SOL and they wouldn't be able to do it for me.

May have to go further into the next county over in the "city".

 

[Sigarms]

Why the interest in finding the leach field? Most just get abandoned in place.

Honestly, ignorance on my end along with the fact that with taking down some trees and one proposal to take care of the bottom deck with a bobcat, just don't want to create more problems when taking care of something separate.

 

[ddbackhoe]

A good metal detector can find the tank. They use rebar hooks in the lids, You have an idea where the 2nd field is and where the pipe exits the house. Tank should be somewhere in the middle.
No metal detector, make a t-handled probe out of some 1/4” (or bigger if you want) rebar. Walk around the area probing the ground until you find the tank. Quite often the top of the tank is less than 24” below grade. Most of the ones weve installed are around 12”.
The first field is abandoned so not a big deal if you accidentally dig it.

Install a tank riser while you have it dug up and pumped out.

Check with the health dept., they may offer some reimbursements for tank pumping and riser purchase.

Cameras are great, not every septic/plumber will have one.

 

[ddbackhoe]

Some reason having a hard time to download an image.

There is no house in the "drawing", and the only footage listed is from apparently the septic tank to the second leach field. Sch 40 3" PVC run 80' downhill to the second leach field.

After talking with the previous owner and looking at the diagram, I would have just expected a better drawing with the house included for a reference point.

I think I have a good idea, just not 100% certain.

Health dept records are often useless. Sometimes not even on the correct side of the house. Look for the well, hopefully they put the septic on the opposite house side from that.

 

[oldnslo]

In my yard you can see the depressions and difference in grass color over the leach field. Around here they just use a metal probe to find tank and drain lines but then in this immediate area there are no rocks.

 

[EddieWalker]

I would call the a company to have it pumped. Cost to do this isn't extreme, and they are experts at finding the tank. Usually the lid is covered in an inch of grass that they find with a probe. I've never seen a guy spend more then half an hour looking, and usually it's just five or ten minutes.

If your house is brick, they sometimes put an odd, off color brick near ground level to show where the sewer line is. Usually it's close to one of the toilets in the house.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

As others have stated a simple probe rod will show you right where the tank is located and the drain field is usually pretty easy to figure out from there, many homes will also have a cleanout where the drain pipe leaves the house towards the septic tank to give you a reference or starting point.