How To Locate Septic Tank In House Built In 1960S In Texas? (Perfect answer)

How to find a septic tank near your house?

As you follow the pipes leaving your house, you can use a thin probe which is also known as a soil probe. You can keep probing every two feet in search of the septic tank. Usually, the septic tanks are constructed between 10 to 25 feet from your house. The tank will not be located very close to your property.

How do you find a septic tank in an old house?

Look for the 4-inch sewer that exits the crawl space or basement, and locate the same spot outside the home. Septic tanks are usually located between ten to 25 feet away from the home. Insert a thin metal probe into the ground every few feet, until you strike polyethylene, fiberglass or flat concrete.

How do I find out where my septic tank is located?

Follow the Main Sewer Line Look for a pipe that’s roughly four inches in diameter that leads away from your house. Remember the location of the sewer pipe and where the pipe leaves your home so you can find it outside. The sewer pipes will lead to where your septic tank is located.

Are septic tank locations public record?

Contact your local health department for public records. These permits should come with a diagram of the location where the septic system is buried. Depending on the age of your septic system, you may be able to find information regarding the location of your septic system by making a public records request.

What were septic tanks made of in the 1960s?

In the 1960s, precast concrete tanks became more prevalent as the standard of practice improved. Most tanks were still single compartment 750, 1,000 or 1,200-gallon tanks, usually depending on the size of the house.

Can a metal detector find a septic tank?

If it’s Concrete or Steel, Use a Metal Detector. Based on your conclusions in Step 3, if your septic tank is likely made from concrete or steel, a metal detector can make the task of locating it much easier. But not just any metal detector will do.

How far is septic tank from house?

Septic tanks are required to be at least 5 feet from the house, although most are between 10 and 25 feet away.

How do I figure out the size of my septic tank?

One way to find out the size of your septic tank is through records kept from when the tank was installed. These records could be with the previous owner of your home. Another way to identify the tank size is to talk with the last company that serviced/pumped your tank.

What are the signs that your septic tank is full?

Here are some of the most common warning signs that you have a full septic tank:

Your Drains Are Taking Forever.

Standing Water Over Your Septic Tank.
Bad Smells Coming From Your Yard.
You Hear Gurgling Water.

You Have A Sewage Backup.
How often should you empty your septic tank?

How do I find out if my septic tank is registered?

Check if your septic tank is already registered You can check if your tank has already been registered by contacting your environmental regulator. If you are unsure then it is best to check and avoid making an unnecessary payment. The NIEA and SEPA have records of all registered septic tanks.

How do I find my septic lateral lines?

Call your local electric utility provider or gas company to locate buried gas or utility lines before digging. A septic tank probe can also help you find the location. Stick the long, thin metal probe into the ground until you feel it hit the tank and feel the edges of the tank.

What is OWTS?

An Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) is a privately owned and maintained sewage disposal system. They are commonly referred to as septic systems. All OWTS have two basic components: a two-compartment septic tank and a disposal field.

What were old septic tanks called?

This treatment chamber became known as the septic tank. Note that the septic tank has a baffle at each end to help keep waste in the tank. The original pit remained as the part of the system that returned “clarified” wastewater to the ground. It now became known as a drywell.

When were septic tanks developed?

This leads us to the very first septic tank, designed by French inventor Jean-louis Mouras in 1860, who believed that storing sewage before discharging it would be better than allowing it to seep into the surrounding land straight away.

When did septic tanks become plastic?

By the 1940s, septic systems were common from coast to coast, and by the 1960s, when these systems began failing, significant improvements to the overall design were developed. Today, most modern septic systems feature more advanced materials, including fiberglass, precast concrete, polyurethane, and other plastics.

How to Find Your Septic Tank

Over time, all septic tanks become clogged with sediments and must be pumped out in order to continue functioning properly. Septic tank lids are frequently located at ground level. The majority of the time, they have been buried anywhere between four inches and four feet underground. In the event that you have recently purchased a property and are unsure as to where your septic tank is located, this article will give instructions on how to identify your septic tank. Noteworthy: While every property is unique, septic tanks are usually typically huge and difficult to build.

5 Ways to Find Your Septic Tank

1. Check with the municipal records. The most straightforward method of locating your septic tank is to consult the building plans for your property that were approved by the local municipality. The company that installed the septic tank should have filed an application, which should contain diagrams and dimensions which will allow you to find the exact spot where the septic tank is installed. 2. Search for Highs and Lows. Most septic tanks are installed in such a way that they are unobtrusive.

Your septic tank will most certainly be installed along the main sewer line that runs out of your home.

Septic tanks are usually located between ten to 25 feet away from the home.
When you do, that’s your septic tank!
Find the Lid.

If your septic tank was installed after 1975, it will probably have two polyethylene or fiberglass lids centered at opposite sides of the perimeter.
Excavate in those locations to reveal the lids.
Call the Pros.

Concrete lids will require special lifting tools.
A fall into an open septic tank can be fatal.
Create your own diagram of your yard, which you can keep with your other house documents.

There you have it! If you’ve been wondering how to find your septic tank, you now have five options, which should make it easier than ever. Contact us todayto schedule a plumbing service in Bastrop County!

How to Find My Septic Tank Lines

Credit: Petegar/E+/Getty Images for the image

Are you curious about the location of your septic lines? It is critical to know where the septic tank is located on a property in order to properly manage and preserve the system. For example, you don’t want to pave over the ground or grow trees too close together in a forest. It is possible to obtain a copy of the septic tank diagram of the drain field, which will give you a fair sense of where the pipes will go. If this is not the case, you may need to attempt some other methods of locating septic drain lines.

The solids and liquids are separated within the tank by a baffle or wall that is built inside the tank.

When pipes get clogged or when drain fields become too saturated with fluids, problems arise.

Locating a Septic Tank on Your Property

Begin your search for the septic tank lines at the residence first. Drain lines from the home’s plumbing should be traced to the septic tank, which is typically located 10 to 20 feet from the home’s exterior. The drain line connects the tank’s end, which is located opposite the house, to the leach field. Check the natural slope of the ground to see whether the leach field may be found there. It is never a good idea to look for drain lines using heavy gear, wrecking bars, or jackhammers. Before excavating, contact your local electric utility provider or gas company to determine the location of underground gas or utility lines.

Plunge the long, thin metal probe into the earth until you can feel it strike the tank and feel the tank’s edges.

Perform Regular Inspection

According to industry experts, you should examine your septic tanks and, if required, pump them out once every three years. If you are experiencing gurgling sounds in your house or water backing up after your system has been repaired, a saturated drain field might be the source of the problem. Drain fields that have been clogged or damaged are unable to be rectified. In order for the septic system to function properly again, you’ll need to have a new drain field installed. Find capped clean-outs that are a few inches vertically above the ground in the leach field itself, or check behind a wall or in a closet in the basement for capped clean-outs.

You can visually trace the orientation of the pipe from the clean-out if there is no other information available.
Credit: Kyryl Gorlov/iStock/Getty Images for the image.

When you are looking for the lines, look for grass or vegetation that greens in stripes when the grass surrounding it browns.
Putting hot water into your system might cause snow or ice to melt above the drain pipes if the system is not properly insulated.
If you have a deep system, as is the case for homes with basements, you will most likely not be able to observe natural signs since the drain field is too deep to be seen from above.

Unless the system was built without a permit, the blueprints or designs for septic system installations are kept on file with the local health authority until the system is operational.
If your search does not provide any relevant results, you can request a record search based on your street address or the tax account number associated with the property.
If the agency has a copy of the record, they will mail it to you.

If you don’t have a drawing of the septic system, you need enlist the assistance of a disposal system contractor or a certified liquid waste transporter to find it.

Another option is to purchase a flushable transmitter from a plumbing or rental business, or you may contract with a tank cleaning firm. The signal from the transmitter is picked up by a hand-held receiver after it has been flushed down the toilet.

Check the Distribution Box

There are certain septic tanks that feature an extra distribution box that is located a few feet from the tank on the tank’s downstream side. Water is channeled into the trenches by ports and pipes in the box. It is recommended that, if your system includes a distribution box, the box’s top be designed to expose the orientation of the ports that connect to the drain field lines. It is feasible to locate the box with a probe, but extreme caution should be exercised. Avoid applying excessive force to the probe, since this may result in damage to the box.

In most cases, individual drain lines run perpendicular to the intake line, but they may also branch into an H-pattern or other patterns that are appropriate for the terrain.

Find the location of your septic drain lines so that you can safeguard the area in and around them with a little detective work.

How to Find the Lid on a Septic System

All septic tanks eventually fill with sediments and must be pumped out on a regular basis in order to remain in excellent functioning order. If the tank’s lid is not on a riser at ground level and you are not the home’s original owner, you may be unable to determine where the lid is located. A typical septic tank is 4 inches to 4 feet underground, with all of its components, including the cover, buried between 4 inches and 4 feet underneath. This is true regardless of whether the septic tank is equipped with special risers that keep the lid flush with the surface of the ground.

Consult A Map

First, choose with the most straightforward choice. The installation of septic tanks at all locations is recorded in most counties’ permission records, which are kept on file for future reference. Typically, this will include a schematic indicating the placement of the tank on the land, as well as certain dimensions that will allow you to measure to the precise site of the tank. If your tank was placed before your county made it a requirement to record the location of such tanks, you may find yourself with nothing to show for your efforts.

Search For A Sign

Septic tanks are placed in such a way that they are as unnoticeable as possible on the land. After the grass has grown back after installation and some time has passed, it is possible that just a few visual indications will remain. Pay particular attention to the contours of your yard for any inexplicable high or low points that might suggest the presence of an underground storage tank.

Follow The Pipe

Installation of the septic tank takes place along the sewage line that runs from the house into the front yard. Locate the 4-inch sewage pipe at the point where it exits the home in the basement or crawl space, if it is there. Locate the same spot outside and make a note of it. Insert a thin metal probe into the earth, identify the 4-inch sewage line, and follow it across the yard, probing every 2 feet, until you reach the end of the property.

Septic tanks are required to be at least 5 feet apart from the home in all states except Alaska. The majority of them are between 10 and 25 feet distant. Whenever the probe makes contact with flat concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene it indicates that the tank has been located.

Locate The Lid

The majority of septic tanks are rectangular in shape and measure around 5 feet by 8 feet. Investigate the tank’s circumference to determine its boundaries and outline the rectangle’s boundary using a pencil. A septic tank that was built before 1975 will have a single concrete lid that is 24 inches in diameter in the center of the rectangle. If the tank was built after 1975, it will have two covers made of fiberglass or polyethylene, centered at the ends of the rectangle and centered at the ends of the rectangle.

Call A Professional

Opening a septic tank is a job best left to the pros once the lid has been discovered. Concrete septic tank lids are extremely heavy, and many require the use of lifting tools to remove them completely. An open tank has the potential to release toxic gases. Anyone going around on the property who comes into contact with an exposed septic tank might be in risk. Because of the noxious vapors present in an open tank, falling into one can be lethal.

Mark The Spot

Make a note on the ground near where the tank was pumped by a professional and the lid was buried to serve as a reference in the future. In order to keep track of where you are, you should choose a hefty circular patio tile that is embedded in the ground. Additionally, draw your own map of the area and store it with your other important papers.

Identifying the Main Sewer Clean-Out in Your House

Clogged drains in a single plumbing device, such as a tub or sink, are one thing; they are an issue that is typically pretty simple to resolve. When you have a major drain line blockage, on the other hand, it is a whole other story. This is a clog in the massive, main drainline that serves your entire house and transports all wastewater to the municipal sewage system or to a septic drain field. An obstruction in your primary sewer line causes raw sewage to no longer flow as it should, resulting in backups throughout your whole home, which may be extremely dangerous and even fatal.

A situation that is unpleasant and might be extremely costly to solve.

The Main Clean-Out

Clearing a main sewage line blockage is best accomplished through the use of a fitting known as the mainclean-out valve. Every home should have one, but regrettably, some don’t, despite the fact that they should. Using a drain snake or a motorized auger to clear the blockage in your main drain line and restore normal operation to your home’s drainage system is the best option for you or your plumber in this situation. Finding the major clean-out, on the other hand, is not always straightforward.

Here are some pointers on how to locate your main drain.

Outdoor Clean-Outs

It is common for the primary clean-out fitting to be located outdoors in warm areas when residences are built on slab foundations, generally towards the external walls of the home. Look behind shrubs or inside a metal or plastic box that has been sunk into the earth.

Large-diameter pipes with threaded plugs at the top are commonly used as the primary clean-out fitting. Depending on where it is located, it may be elevated above ground near an exterior wall or confined within a ground box with a metal cover.

In a Bathroom or Utility Area

Another option for homes built on slab foundations is to position the main drain in a bathroom, often on the floor near the toilet, or in a garage or utility area, typically in close proximity to a floor drain. Depending on the location, the threaded plug may be flush-mounted into the floor or it may be threaded into a short piece of large-diameter pipe that extends up from the ground level. It may be opened with a big pipe wrench in order to provide access for drain-clearing instruments to be placed within it.

In a Basement

The major clean-out is commonly found on the basement floor, usually along the foundation wall, in buildings built in colder areas where it is standard construction practice to construct dwellings over basements. It will be possible to insert a threaded plug into a short section of large-diameter pipe that reaches up from the floor. If you are having difficulty locating the clean-out, make a direct line from the vertical soil stack to the foundation wall, following the shortest path possible—the main clean-out will most likely be located along this line.

A Y-fitting may be present at the bottom of the main drain dirt stack, where it sinks beneath the concrete slab, if this type of fitting is not there already.

Routine Maintenance

Most plumbers are capable of performing main drain line cleaning, but there are other firms who specialize in this type of job. An yearly examination and cleaning by a sewer professional is recommended, especially if you have a landscape that includes huge trees. Tree roots may quickly infiltrate sewage lines, and maintaining a regular practice of sewer drain line cleaning will help to avoid a devastating obstruction in the pipelines. Homeowners can clear a clogged main drain, but they may need to use specific instruments, such as a motorized drain auger, which can be rented from tool rental companies and big home improvement stores to do so.

Basics for Septic Systems

On-site sewage facilities, also known as OSSFs, must be developed on the basis of a site evaluation that takes into consideration the specific requirements of the location. The system of choice for around 20% of new homes being built in Texas is the radon mitigation system. An On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF), sometimes known as a “septic system,” is a sewage treatment system that is located on a property. As a result of the unexpected surge in new housing construction in suburban and rural regions, more Texas families are reliant on an OSSF for the treatment and disposal of their domestic sewage.

Systems that accomplish their jobs well while also protecting the environment are made possible by new methods to design and oversight of OSSFs.

A number of soil tests are ruling out traditional systems, which separate liquids from solid waste in a holding tank and then distribute them throughout a drainfield using underground pipes or other proprietary items in many regions of the state.

However, because the majority of Texas soils are incapable of adequately absorbing contaminants, different treatment procedures are necessary.

Any work on an OSSF must be done by a licensed installer or, in the case of a single-family property, by the homeowner himself or herself. If someone is compensated for any portion of the procedure, that person must be licensed by the state in which the process is taking place.

Who checks to make sure the requirements are followed?

Local governments in most parts of the state have taken on the obligation of ensuring that OSSFs in their jurisdictions comply with all applicable state regulations and procedures. There are several local governments that serve as “authorized agents” (AA) of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which is in charge of managing the OSSF Program. A “designated representative” (DR) assists the AA in carrying out their tasks, which include examining plans for constructing, changing, extending, or repairing each OSSF; granting permits; and checking the system’s installation, among others.

The OSSF’s authorized agents and representatives also investigate and respond to complaints to verify that the OSSF is in compliance with minimal requirements.

After that, the agent can file a criminal complaint with the local judge of the peace, who will then investigate the matter.

Industrial or hazardous waste cannot be introduced into an OSSF; instead, this waste will be handled in the soil, destroying the OSSF by actually killing the microorganisms that break down the biosolids and causing it to fail.

Maintenance

All OSSFs will require maintenance at some point in their lives. Conventional anaerobic systems require the septic tank to be pumped out on a regular basis in order to remove sediments and prevent the system from backing up. It is advised that you pump your septic tank once every three to five years in order to avoid short circuiting the treatment process and causing damage. To acquire a list of registered sludge transporters in your region, go to theSludge Transporter Queryonline. Aerobic systems are more complicated and require more upkeep than anaerobic ones do.

A number of regulatory authorities have enacted more strict rules, which may include homeowner training or even prohibiting homeowners from performing upkeep on their properties.

In order to guarantee that the system runs appropriately, it is recommended that you contract with a licensed maintenance provider to verify, debug, and test the system as required by 30 TAC 285.91(4).
Once every six months if the system employs an electronic monitor, automated radio, or telephone to alert the maintenance provider of system or component failure as well as to monitor the quantity of disinfection remaining in the system, reporting might be lowered to once every six months.
If any needed repairs are not completed, the permitting authority will be notified of the failure.

The pills are extremely reactive, and within 10 minutes, they will have killed 99 percent of the germs present in the effluent.
AVOID USING TABLETS DESIGNED FOR SWIMMING POOL USE DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY MAY RELEASE A HIGHLY EXPLOSIVE GAS KNOWN AS NITROGEN CHLORIDE.

Please contact us at (800) 447-2827. For further information, please see the following website:

Where can I find more information and assistance?

The Small Business and Local Government Assistance Section of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) provides free, confidential assistance to small enterprises and local governments seeking to comply with state environmental requirements. Call us at (800) 447-2827 or visit our website at TexasEnviroHelp.org for more information.

Types of Septic Systems

Septic system design and size can differ significantly from one neighborhood to the next, as well as throughout the country, due to a variety of variables. Household size, soil type, slope of the site, lot size, closeness to sensitive water bodies, weather conditions, and even municipal ordinances are all considerations to take into consideration. The following are 10 of the most often encountered septic system configurations. It should be noted that this is not an exhaustive list; there are several additional types of septic systems.

Septic Tank, Conventional System, Chamber System, Drip Distribution System, Aerobic Treatment Unit, Mound Systems, Recirculating Sand Filter System, Evapotranspiration System, Constructed Wetland System, Cluster / Community System, etc.

Septic Tank

This tank is underground and waterproof, and it was designed and built specifically for receiving and partially treating raw home sanitary wastewater. Generally speaking, heavy materials settle at or near the bottom of the tank, whereas greases and lighter solids float to the surface. The sediments are retained in the tank, while the wastewater is sent to the drainfield for further treatment and dispersion once it has been treated.

Conventional System

Septic tanks and trench or bed subsurface wastewater infiltration systems are two types of decentralized wastewater treatment systems (drainfield). When it comes to single-family homes and small businesses, a traditional septic system is the most common type of system. For decades, people have used a gravel/stone drainfield as a method of water drainage. The term is derived from the process of constructing the drainfield. A short underground trench made of stone or gravel collects wastewater from the septic tank in this configuration, which is commonly used.

Effluent filters through the stone and is further cleaned by microorganisms once it reaches the soil below the gravel/stone trench, which is located below the trench.

Chamber System

Gravelless drainfields have been regularly utilized in various states for more than 30 years and have evolved into a standard technology that has mostly replaced gravel systems. Various configurations are possible, including open-bottom chambers, pipe that has been clothed, and synthetic materials such as expanded polystyrene media. Gravelless systems can be constructed entirely of recycled materials, resulting in considerable reductions in carbon dioxide emissions during their lifetime. The chamber system is a type of gravelless system that can be used as an example.

The key advantage of the chamber system is the enhanced simplicity with which it can be delivered and built.

This sort of system is made up of a number of chambers that are connected to one another.

Wastewater is transported from the septic tank to the chambers through pipes. The wastewater comes into touch with the earth when it is contained within the chambers. The wastewater is treated by microbes that live on or near the soil.

Drip Distribution System

An effluent dispersal system such as the drip distribution system may be employed in a variety of drainfield configurations and is very versatile. In comparison to other distribution systems, the drip distribution system does not require a vast mound of dirt because the drip laterals are only placed into the top 6 to 12 inches of soil. In addition to requiring a big dosage tank after the sewage treatment plant to handle scheduled dose delivery of wastewater to drip absorption areas, the drip distribution system has one major disadvantage: it is more expensive.

Aerobic Treatment Unit

Aerobic Treatment Units (ATUs) are small-scale wastewater treatment facilities that employ many of the same procedures as a municipal sewage plant. An aerobic system adds oxygen to the treatment tank using a pump. When there is an increase in oxygen in the system, there is an increase in natural bacterial activity, which then offers extra treatment for nutrients in the effluent. It is possible that certain aerobic systems may additionally include a pretreatment tank as well as a final treatment tank that will include disinfection in order to further lower pathogen levels.

ATUs should be maintained on a regular basis during their service life.

Mound Systems

Using mound systems in regions with short soil depth, high groundwater levels, or shallow bedrock might be a good alternative. A drainfield trench has been dug through the sand mound that was erected. The effluent from the septic tank runs into a pump chamber, where it is pumped to the mound in the amounts recommended. During its release to the trench, the effluent filters through the sand and is dispersed into the native soil, where it continues to be treated. However, while mound systems can be an effective solution for some soil conditions, they demand a significant amount of land and require regular care.

Recirculating Sand Filter System

Sand filter systems can be built either above or below ground, depending on the use. The effluent is discharged from the septic tank into a pump compartment. Afterwards, it is pushed into the sand filter. The sand filter is often made of PVC or a concrete box that is filled with a sand-like substance. The effluent is pushed through the pipes at the top of the filter under low pressure to the drain. As the effluent exits the pipelines, it is treated as it passes through the sand filtering system.

However, sand filters are more costly than a standard septic system because they provide a higher level of nutrient treatment and are thus better suited for areas with high water tables or that are adjacent to bodies of water.

Evapotranspiration System

Evaporative cooling systems feature drainfields that are one-of-a-kind. It is necessary to line the drainfield at the base of the evapotranspiration system with a waterproof material. Following the entry of the effluent into the drainfield, it evaporates into the atmosphere. At the same time, the sewage never filters into the soil and never enters groundwater, unlike other septic system designs. It is only in particular climatic circumstances that evapotranspiration systems are effective. The environment must be desert, with plenty of heat and sunshine, and no precipitation.

Constructed Wetland System

Construction of a manufactured wetland is intended to simulate the treatment processes that occur in natural wetland areas. Wastewater goes from the septic tank and into the wetland cell, where it is treated. Afterwards, the wastewater goes into the media, where it is cleaned by microorganisms, plants, and other media that eliminate pathogens and nutrients. Typically, a wetland cell is constructed with an impermeable liner, gravel and sand fill, and the necessary wetland plants, all of which must be capable of withstanding the constant saturation of the surrounding environment.

As wastewater travels through the wetland, it may escape the wetland and flow onto a drainfield, where it will undergo more wastewater treatment before being absorbed into the soil by bacteria.

Cluster / Community System

In certain cases, a decentralized wastewater treatment system is owned by a group of people and is responsible for collecting wastewater from two or more residences or buildings and transporting it to a treatment and dispersal system placed on a suitable location near the dwellings or buildings. Cluster systems are widespread in settings like rural subdivisions, where they may be found in large numbers.

5 Signs it’s Time to Replace Your Septic System — BL3 Plumbing & Drain Cleaning

Nobody wants sewage backing up into their yard, and there are a number of things you can do to keep your septic system from malfunctioning in the first place. But there are times when it is necessary to throw up the towel on an old system and make the investment in a new one. Because it is a costly option, you will want to be certain that it is absolutely essential. In an ideal world, efficient maintenance would preclude the need for replacement for decades, if not generations. However, years of poor maintenance may lead to the conclusion that a replacement is the best solution.

1. Age of the System

If you buy a new house, it’s possible that your septic system may endure for 40 years or longer, meaning you won’t have to replace it for a lengthy period of time. You may, on the other hand, have an older home with a septic system that has been in place for more than half a century. If you begin to notice difficulties with the system, and if you find yourself pumping it more regularly in order to maintain it operating correctly, it may be time to start planning for a new septic system installation.

If you don’t already know how old your septic system is, it’s a good idea to find out how old it is approximately.

2. You’ve Outgrown the System

Septic systems are designed to have a limited carrying capacity. In most cases, the size of a house is determined by the number of rooms and square footage it has. However, if you’ve increased the size of your home or your water usage, you may find that you’ve outgrown the capacity of your septic tank. If your tank is inadequate for your needs, it may be necessary to improve the system in order to better serve your family and your way of life.

3. Slow Drains

Having a septic problem might be indicated by the fact that your sinks or bathtub take an unusually lengthy time to empty. Because this is a tiny sign, it is possible that you are only suffering from a blockage. If, on the other hand, all of your sinks are draining slowly, it is possible that you have a more major problem. Due to sludge accumulation at the bottom of the septic tank, it is possible that the water is going more slowly through the septic tank.

4. Standing Water in the Yard

Any standing water in your yard due to a clogged septic system is a bad omen. However, it is possible that you are only in need of a repair and not a complete replacement. It’s possible that there is a problem with your drain field. It is critical that you do not disregard standing water since the problem will not go away; rather, it will only worsen. It’s possible that your septic tank isn’t the source of your difficulties. Standing water can be caused by a clogged drain field in some cases.

It is desirable to have grass and plants growing over your drain field because organisms aid in the breakdown of the liquid and prevent it from accumulating.

Aeration through mechanical means is the second option.

It is possible to repair the drain field without having to replace the septic tank in some situations.

5. Nearby Contaminated Water Sources

If nitrate, nitrite, or coliform bacteria are detected in neighboring water sources, this is a strong indication that there is a problem with your septic system. If you notice contamination in water sources, it is critical that you analyze the situation as soon as possible.

Other Septic Systems Issues

The replacement of the septic tank is the most extreme circumstance. A number of these indicators might be symptomatic of simpler problems that only require little correction. If you have obstructions in your septic tank, you may need to have it pumped or have the system cleaned. If you’re concerned about a septic tank problem, the best course of action is to contact a professional for assistance. At BL3, we provide a wide range of sewage line-related services. In order to speak with a plumber, please call (405) 895-6640 in North OKC or (405) 237-1414 in South OKC.

HOW TO SAFELY ABANDON AN OLD SEPTIC TANK ON YOUR PROPERTY

If you’ve recently purchased an older house, it’s possible that a septic tank is located on the property. This is true even if your home is currently linked to the municipal water and sewer systems. A prior owner may have abandoned the ancient septic system and connected to the city sewage system when it became accessible at some time in the past. Despite the fact that there are standards in place today for properly leaving a septic tank, it was typical practice years ago to just leave the tanks in place and forget about them.

The old tank may either be demolished or filled with water to solve the problem.
It is possible that permits and inspections will be required.
They are dangerous because curious children may pry open the lid and fall into the container.

Falls into a septic tank can be lethal owing to the toxicity of the contents and the fact that concrete can collapse on top of you while falling into a tank.
Eventually, this approach was phased out due to the fact that the steel would corrode and leave the tank susceptible to collapse.
When it comes to ancient septic tanks, they are similar to little caves with a lid that might collapse at any time.

The old tank is crushed and buried, or it is removed from the site.

If it is built of steel, it will very certainly be crushed and buried in its current location.

After that, the tank can be completely filled with sand, gravel, or any other form of rubble and buried.

Tanks can either be entirely dismantled or destroyed and buried in their original location.

The abandonment has been documented and plotted on a map.

It’s possible that you’ll forget about the tank once it’s been abandoned.

As a result, you might wish to sketch a map of the area where the old tank used to stand.

If you can demonstrate that an old septic tank was properly decommissioned, you may be able to increase the value of your property, and the new owners will enjoy knowing that large chunks of concrete are buried underground before they start digging in the yard to put something in it.

It may take some detective work to discover about the history of your land and what may be lying beneath the surface of the earth.

Upon discovering an old septic tank on your property that is no longer in service, contact Total Enviro Services for propertank abandonment procedures that meet with local standards and protect your family, pets, and farm animals from harm or death.

How Long Will A Septic System Last?

Q:We recently purchased a home that had a septic system that was 20 years old. It’s a simple gravity system with a leach field at its heart. We had the system evaluated before purchasing it, and the inspectors stated that everything “appeared to be in good working order.” The vendors did not keep track of how many times they pumped the tank, although they claimed to have done it “a few times.” How long do you think we’ll be able to get out of this system before it needs maintenance or replacement?

— John et al.
Typical life spans in the business are 20 to 30 years for systems that have been adequately planned and built, have been well-maintained, and have not been overburdened with data.

I just had a conversation about this with a sanitary engineer who has been designing septic systems for more than four decades.
He has also encountered systems that have lasted 40 or more years, although they are the exception rather than the rule.
There are just too many factors to consider.

Don’t Forget Maintenance

Typically, the leach field is the first component to fail in a septic system system (drain field). The drain field is calculated based on the number of bedrooms in the house, with two persons sharing each bedroom. As a result, a three-bedroom drain field may accommodate up to six people. All else being equal, a drain field that receives little traffic will outlive one that receives a lot of traffic. In the case of a three-bedroom system, if only two people use it, low-flow fixtures and appliances are used, and the system is pumped on a regular basis, it should last for many years.

Chemicals, grease, and food scraps that are flushed down the toilet will reduce the life of the system.
The septic tank is the other main component of the system.

Steel tanks often fail after 20 to 30 years, however high-quality plastic tanks can endure for 30 to 40 years with proper care.
The lifespan of a system is influenced by a variety of factors.
Others, like as proper care and upkeep, are completely within the hands of the homeowner.

Routine pumping, household water conservation, and paying attention to what they flush down the drain — no harsh chemicals, paints, grease, food scraps, or other solids — are the most critical aspects that the homeowner can manage.
Drainage of yard and roof water away from the drain field is necessary to prevent the soil from becoming saturated.

Drive or park over the field, or use it in any way that may crush the earth, is strictly prohibited! Maintain a safe distance between trees and big bushes, as the roots of these plants might block the perforated drain pipes. Grass provides the most effective ground cover.

Replacement Cost

Drain field failure occurs gradually in the majority of cases when the soil around the leaching trenches becomes clogged with sediments and grease from the septic tank and becomes blocked by the naturally occurring “biomat.” In other circumstances, the drain field may collapse completely (due to high-volume water usage and inadequate pumping). Slow drainage, backups on the lower levels of the home, or moist regions over the leach field with a strong odor of sewage are all indicators of a clogged drain.

If the tank is in good condition and you have a designated area for a replacement drain field, as required in some jurisdictions, the cost of a new drain field will typically range from $3,000 to $10,000.

If you want a fully new system, the cost can easily approach $15,000, and if you require an alternate septic system, the cost can potentially reach double that amount.

New Perc Test?

The majority of municipalities will require that you perform a fresh perc test and an in-hole test before they will issue a permit to replace your present leach field or full septic system. If a site has already passed the perc test, it is likely that it will pass again in the future. The opposite is sometimes true because site circumstances (for example, a higher water table) may have altered, or the town’s test processes and requirements may have changed. It’s possible that you’ll need to upgrade to a more expensive form of “alternative” septic system than the one you started with.

– BuildingAdvisor.com’s Steve Bliss says Continue reading about Septic System Maintenance.
Drainage Slopes for Septic Lines System Inspection of a Septic Tank The minimum lot size for a septic system is one acre.
How much does a perc test cost?
After a failed perc test, should you retest?
Examination of the WellSEPTIC SYSTEMView allSEPTIC SYSTEMarticles

10 Rules for Buying a Home with a Well and Septic System

Wells and septic systems are only mechanical components of a house’s overall structure. In contrast to other types of house inspections, they are deliberately omitted from home inspections since they are extremely expensive to replace and absolutely necessary. Occasionally, there are situations in which a well or septic system does not have a suitable alternative site, and the homeowner is left with a major problem on their hands that will cost tens of thousands of dollars to rectify. Avoid the temptation to adopt someone else’s problem and make it your own by following these guidelines: The presence of some “fatal defects” in a property may be detected immediately and readily while looking for one.

Use this list to quickly eliminate properties that are likely to have major problems, require further investigation, or to factor the cost of repair or replacement into an offer on a house.
The residence must be situated on a plot of land of at least 2-3 acres.
Avoid purchasing a house that has a dug or bored well.
It is not permissible for water to drain into the well from the road, driveway, or downspouts.
Rainwater should be directed away from the wellhead rather than toward it.
If the well was drilled prior to 1992, do not purchase the residence.
The well head must be at least 100 feet away from the nearest border of the septic drainfield, as well as any backyard chicken or poultry yards or coops, among other things.

9. If you are making an offer on a property, make sure that you include an acceptable water test and a professional septic inspection in your contingencies. If you are not, you should not make an offer on a house at all.

The location of the well and septic system should be clearly marked and labeled. A well should be a 6 inch diameter pipe with a fastened cover that protrudes at least a foot above the ground surface. A drilled well is what I have described; but, excavated and bored wells are also available. Purchase a home that does not have a dug or bored well. Due they are shallow (less than 40 feet deep), these wells fail more frequently, are more prone to going dry during droughts, and are more susceptible to contamination because of their short depth.

Since 1992, well drillers in Virginia have been obliged to submit a drilling log with the county and to adhere to all applicable drilling laws.
You should also consider the costs and possibilities of well replacement before purchasing the house.
Well pumps that are older are more prone to leaking lubricating oil or failing altogether.
Septic drainfields have a limited useful life as well.
It is not recommended to purchase a property with a well and septic system but only has 2-3 acres in size.
The most common source of contamination for a well is an adjacent septic system, and research conducted in Duchess County, New York, discovered that the density of septic systems was a simple indicator of nitrate contamination of groundwater in that area.
The preservation of water quality, rather than groundwater recharge, appears to be the primary determinant of minimum lot size requirements in the northeast United States.
It is typically startling to discover how near the recharging zone is to a private well.

Failed drainfield. Picture from NC Health Department

To ensure that the well head is at least 100 feet from the nearest edge of the septic drainfield and 50 feet from the nearest corner of the home, take a walk around outdoors while you’re doing so. When wandering around the yard, it might be difficult to distinguish a septic drainfield from other structures. The distribution valve on newer systems is frequently protected by plastic covers, however the distribution valve on older systems is frequently not protected by plastic caps since the distribution valve is underground.

Moving on to the next house in your search if the well is too close to the drainfield is a good idea since the well might be negatively affected by the septic drainfield.

Solvent sewage treatment is accomplished by using soil organisms, soil filtration, and adsorption as the primary methods.

The well head should be at least 100 feet away from the nearest edge of the drainfield, and the drainfield should be downhill and downward in gradient for the well to function properly.

The land on which my house is built has a predominant southeast slope that leads down to the river at the foot of the property’s slope. It is a reasonably safe bet that groundwater will flow in the direction of the river in accordance with the land topography.

Two septic tank lids and filter for alternative septic system.

Locate the septic tank if you can. The tank should not be completely submerged, and at least one of the ports should be visible from the outside of the building. You should not buy the house if the tank is completely buried since it is a sure bet that the tank has never been drained and the entire septic system will need to be replaced. Once every couple of years, the septic tank must be dug up and pumped out, after which the waste is dumped into the surrounding environment. Without removal, these solids will overflow the septic tank, build up in the drain field, and block the pores in soil and apertures in pipes, causing them to overflow.

When this happens, the sewage effluent will either back up into the home, flow over ground surface and over the drain field, or find another point of release in the septic system.

It is possible that a black residue will remain at the bottom of the toilet.

If there is a moist part of the yard on a dry day, it is possible that the drainfield is already collapsing.

Other ways to termite management exist, but they are not commonly used by house owners.

These compounds range in toxicity from mildly poisonous to extremely toxic, and they differ in terms of solubility and soil affinity.

All of this implies that they dissolve more quickly and do not survive as long, but it also means that their breakdown products may be able to travel into shallow groundwater as a result.