Questions tagged [septic]
Questions related to septic systems
142
questions
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1answer
71 views
Brittle material flaking off in toilet
just moved into my first rural property which is on well and septic.
Today I noticed that the upstairs toilet had a weird flat object lying in the bowl that seemed to have come loose from flushing. I ...
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2answers
53 views
How do I troubleshoot my Septic Tank Alert and replace the float switch?
While tracing some errant electrical current, I ended up in the big concrete riser above the septic tank. The electrical is in there, rather than outside on a pedestal as is normal now. There, I ...
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0answers
24 views
Leach field absorption layer below trench
This is my first question here. I am in the process of designing a leach field. There is only a depth of 45cm (20") of soil (good perc test) after that another 20cm (8") of large stones in ...
1
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1answer
69 views
Water softener - safe to discharge into septic?
Is it okay to connect a water softener discharge so it goes to the regular drain which feeds to a septic system, or may it cause harm or impair the system?
It seems like online there are articles ...
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1answer
66 views
What should I do about accidentally penetrating a septic field line?
I'm buying a piece of property and recently did a perc test on it in order to find a suitable place for a septic system. The current owner of the property installed a septic system a few years back, ...
2
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1answer
49 views
Should I install a second septic tank or add a long run for an outbuilding?
We have a barn in which we want to install a flush toilet (for human use). It is 53' from the home's septic tank.
Would it be better to install a septic tank near the barn to service the toilet and ...
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2answers
87 views
Green grass streaks over septic tank field
I've noticed in my yard where the septic tank is that there are two rows of green streaks of grass going in a single direction for about 20 yards or so.
Is this a sign for concern or normal for a ...
0
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1answer
85 views
Septic system was designed for 3 bedrooms but we need 4, what are my options? [closed]
We're looking to build an in-law space and for it to be legal it has to have a bedroom, which means our septic is undersized. The town has our house listed as three bedrooms (It's actually already ...
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21 views
Propane and septic pipes
Is it safe to have a propane line (within a PVC conduit) cross a septic pipe (house to septic tank) underground?
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1answer
96 views
Septic tank pumped 6 months ago, filter cleaned 2 weeks ago, toilet backing up again. Plumbing or septic problem?
I have a septic tank that was pumped out 6 months ago. The toilets started backing up and one was leaking from the base. I had plumber out, they snaked line to septic tank but said the tank needed ...
2
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2answers
142 views
What is this pipe? It leaks when the sink runs
I have a pipe that is halfway under a door jamb and inside the concrete floor which when I run a the sink water is now coming out of it. This pipe is next to our AC blower unit inside the basement. I ...
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1answer
44 views
Stacking septic leach fields
I am getting ready to build a house and the state code is 100 ft of leach field per bedroom. Due to the size of the lot I am limited to where I can place the house due to the leach field length code. ...
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2answers
67 views
How to change waste pipe fitting with a small amount of male pipe to work with?
I'm adding a 4th bathroom to my home and need to update the waste pipe going to the septic tank from 3" to 4". The pipe coming out of the foundation immediately transitions from 4" to 3&...
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0answers
29 views
Unknown wire in septic tank pump installation
I have a septic lift pump station. When I open the outdoor control box I find one wire-nut connection connecting the 12V 14-2 wire from indoor low voltage alarm box with wire to high level float that ...
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0answers
40 views
Do I need an emergency septic pumping or to have pipes cleaned when toilets flood after cleaning filter?
I own a rental property with a septic tank built in 2010. There are about 5 people living there and it was last pumped out 18 months ago. Their toilets started flooding yesterday. I dug out the ...
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1answer
102 views
well pump will not fill pressure tank
Just installed a Wayne WLS150 water sprinkler pump in addition to a 20 gallon pressure tank on our boat dock. The tank has a 40-60 pressure switch on it. Pump works well and pumps an enormous amount ...
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2answers
3k views
Purpose of septic vents both in the yard and also through the roof?
My house has both septic venting that goes up through the roof and also a vent in the yard. What is the need for the yard vent? Is this vent a requirement (code or otherwise)? A "best practice&...
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0answers
24 views
Can a septic effluent filter be installed on a pumped system?
I have found only 4"+ and larger septic effluent filters, and they all are not rated for pressure or the flow rates of a pumped system. This leads me to believe that there are not effluent filters ...
1
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1answer
49 views
Septic/Dry Well Question
Our graywater drywell, which handles our washing machine and sinks, has come to the end of its life and no longer drains. Our options as presented to us are: dig and install a new drywell (~$5k); run ...
3
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1answer
569 views
Is it ok that the drain line for a septic system is above ground?
Looking to buy a property with mound septic. The pipe coming out of the house going into the mound is above ground. Is this ok? Would the pipe not freeze?
Thank you.
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2answers
322 views
Can open-bottom septic tanks get full?
Our house has one of those two-chambered standard (Philippines) open-bottom septic tanks. I think it's also called a cesspool.
I got into a discussion with someone on whether it can get full. Their ...
0
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1answer
197 views
Sink Smell and Slimy P-Trap
I have a sink which emits an odor from the drain. I checked the p-trap and there was a pretty nasty buildup of black slime in it. I'm cleaning that out, but find it strange that just this one drain ...
2
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2answers
372 views
Toilet clogged with paper cat litter
Here's a very related question but seems to be about clay litter: Flushed cat litter, maybe clogged?
I flushed paper cat litter down my toilet. I have been doing this for 5 years without any problems,...
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1answer
282 views
Washer and toilet water backing up into shower. Can't change plumbing. What can I do?
Renting a tear down, landlord does next to nothing, house will be torn down. Water drainage from house is not working, also not going to be redone.
So the problem is drainage for 3 showers 4 toilets ...
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0answers
231 views
My septic works fine, but I have wet spots
So, I have had 2 septic companies inspect our septic system. One pumped all the water out of the lines and dropped a camera in. Everything is working perfectly. We have saturation on our lawn. So, ...
0
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2answers
123 views
Are there ways to minimize the area of my septic leach field?
We have a working septic system that we have no complaints about.
However, we'd like to add a guesthouse and more bedrooms and that requires expanding the septic system.
I am happy to do this and ...
1
vote
2answers
86 views
Grey water tank issues
I just finished installing a new Grey Water Pit (4’deep, 4’wide & 32’long). 4” perforated PVC runs down the middle of pit to 8” off the bottom & tees out in both directions 16’. Then filled ...
1
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1answer
104 views
Did I flood my septic system?
New leach pit was put in 4 months ago. The system hasn’t been used at all since then due to renovation. Yesterday however, one of the faucets was accidentally left on for about 16 hours at full blast. ...
3
votes
2answers
162 views
Does anyone know what this material is in my septic system?
These photos are of my sewage system and were taken at an inspection point right outside my house.
I have had this issue for years and I don't know what the material is. I have tried changing ...
0
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1answer
224 views
Foundation flooding caused by new septic line
We've been living in our house for 10 years, and a few years after moving in our sewer line began backing up every 6 months or so. Each time, we'd have to pay a plumber to come in a "roto root" or ...
0
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1answer
157 views
Cool down wastewater from dishwasher
I am planning to install a high power dish washer. This dishwasher runs hot and the water is heated to 180 degrees during the wash cycle. One potential problem with this is that I have a septic system,...
0
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1answer
101 views
Ejector Tank Safe Cleaning Additives
Wondering if there are any suggestions for a safe additive that can be flushed into a sewage ejector tank that can help break down waste (even toilet paper). Getting some awful foul smells - going to ...
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3answers
278 views
Grout and/or thinset flushed in septic system
All.
My contractor is awful. If we weren't almost done with the project, I would kick him off my property and sue him.
Anyway, it appears that he dumped excess thinset or grout into my basement ...
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3answers
101 views
How do I stop water from building up in toilets and bathtubs?
Today, I awoke to water on my bathroom floor. What caused it?
My house has a septic tank and two bathrooms, a master bedroom and guest bathroom.
The guest bathroom had water on the floor, and the ...
0
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1answer
42 views
Toilet gurgling/ bubbling and backing up on septic
OK...had my cleanouts inspected and cleared and septic pumped....all fine. So, it has to be from the septic to the drain fields. Have a probe and know where my line is from the septic the fields and ...
2
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2answers
341 views
Replace septic system before failure?
We're looking at getting some landscaping work done in the front yard to remedy some drainage issues. Two years ago we got an inspection of a septic system that is underneath the front yard done, and ...
0
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0answers
34 views
Can a septic dispersal field be too big?
When designing a septic dispersal field (via sub-surface dripline), can it be harmful for the field to be much larger than required? E.g. not getting enough wastewater through to keep the drippers ...
2
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1answer
136 views
How can I remedy a septic system that is sometimes below the surrounding water level?
We have a septic tank. About two years ago, after a hurricane, we had additional drain lines placed because of excessive water. Well, we had another hurricane and the tank was pumped. We were told ...
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1answer
200 views
Plumbing venting into apartment
I am a renter and my house often smells overbearing of sewers gas. I guess this is a two part question. The smell cures up from all the drains and I’ve made the landlord aware of this, she has not ...
0
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1answer
79 views
What is a "washing machine filter"?
I read an article on leach fields that recommended that a "washing machine filter" be used to prevent lint from getting into the septic system.
What is that? The portal for my washing machine ...
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1answer
2k views
Can flies get in the house from the septic tank?
I recently bought a house which is completely empty, no food or anything, but a constant source of dead house flies is found on the floors. How can they be getting in?
I checked all the windows and ...
0
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1answer
1k views
Can a septic system leach field be installed over clean fill?
First off, this is my first post here, so I apologize in advance if this isn't the right place to ask this. Please feel free to move it around and/or re-tag it if you think it fits better somewhere ...
9
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3answers
15k views
Is Liquid Plumr or Drano safe to use with a septic system?
Just as the title asks, is it safe to use products like Liquid Plumr or Drano in a Septic system?
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0answers
40 views
Septic line drop requirements - 100' too long of a run?
I'm installing a modular building on a piece of land I've purchased. The land is only 60' wide with trees lining the sides. For me to set the modular building and still have the ability to get around ...
0
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1answer
205 views
Should this Grasslin UWZ48-L hour counter in my septic pump box be rolling or ticking over?
Should this counter be moving forward if it is working properly? Would it tick 1 hour at a time (tick at the hour) or slowly roll forward minute by minute (slow roll)?
Background: My septic alarmed ...
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0answers
108 views
Septic Inspection Pipe crooked in field
Hope you can help maybe. Our Septic ( built 2009 ) is a mound system, but installed in a depressed area of the property so it doesn't really look like one. After the recent torrent of rain we've ...
0
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1answer
119 views
Why is all the plumbing draining slowly in my old farmhouse?
I have just purchased an old farm house that has a septic tank. The tub drains slowly and the toilet will not flush toilet paper or waste. The toilet will flush if you pour about a quart of water in ...
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120 views
Adequacy test on a septic system to sell house
Does any one out there know how to figure the adequacy test on a 1000 gal septic system? It's required here to sell your house. It's an engineer question but I don't know any.
I know you add water, ...
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1answer
2k views
My toilet won't flush when it's windy
I have a septic tank. When it's windy it won't flush. The bowl fills up and will slowly go down, but no complete flush.
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0answers
1k views
septic pump trips new gfci on dedicated circut
Its 2/5/20118 now and my septic pump on a brand new gfci trips the gfci---the new float switch does not by itself trip the gfci--the pump by it self or in combo with the flooat switch does trip--I ...
