F’ing Septic Tanks

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67/6barracuda

67/6barracuda

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Just venting, if you guys have any advice I’ll take it. Bought a house 18 months ago, been having problems ever since. Every time we get a good rain it floods the septic tank. Can’t shower, flush toilets, wash clothes etc. for days after. Had the tank pumped, then had a good rain a week later filled the whole tank just the same. Previous home owner had a new leaching system installed, but the bastards didn’t disclose they were still having problems. I spoke with the company that installed the system just 5yrs ago...yeah they suck, also the county inspector is coming out tomorrow he was the one who signed off on the inspection. I have the feeling I’m screwed on this deal. I’m also going to call the VA, seeing that it’s a VA loan to see if there’s some sort of homeowners protection for nondisclosure. Cheers!!!!
 
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You may be able to go after the po for non-disclosure, I expect the laws vary by state, but the costs of litigation may outweigh anything you may recover. Best suggestion I can make is look for a lawyer that will give you an informed opinion. Unless the rainwater is all feeding into the tank, it's located in a low spot on the property, and short of building up the area surrounding it, you may need to relocate it, no inexpensive solution IMO. Have you made any attempts to correct the situation in the 18 months you've been there? I can't imagine living in those conditions for any length of time.
 
Perhaps you need septic risers? I installed them here at my house, and they solved that problem.
I went with polylok brand.
 
Depending on design, up here the tanks may be of different design, but the collars are a common place to leak, or the lids themselves. I had issues but added a weeping tile to redirect some groundwater and it was solved.
My other tank is a holding tank, and it filled in the fall. There is definitely a leak at the collar or where pipe goes in. I have to dig around and reseal it.
 
Sounds like your drain field is plugging off, so things can't run down hill.

There is a catch point on the exit of septic tanks where they use a rubber coupler to connect the tank out line to the drain field line. Takes like a 75 foot electric snake to come up from the down below clean out at the drain field to reach the rubber coupler at the tank and clean it out so ut can flow properly.

Also most septic tanks have 2 stand pipes for servicing, that should be capped above grade. Some folks will cut and cap them below grade so they can mow right over them.

If not sealed properly this can create a funneling effect and can run water directly into your septic tank every time it rains. Not a good situation.
 
Have you checked all commodes or other places that may be running all the time? Just a commode that is leaking through will fill the tank up. If you have a water meter check the dial on it and see if the arrow is moving when everything is off. If that is not the problem see if drainage is good around the septic tank and field lines. With all the rain we have had this season the water table is way up. Maybe the county inspector can tell you what type system was installed. If it doesn't have chambers and you need to upgrade field lines that would be my suggestion
 
Also is there any trees close to the septic system because you wouldn't believe how far the roots will go seeking the moisture. I fixed one a few years ago that a pine tree that was 50-75 feet away roots went all the way to the tank then along side and mashed outlet closed then roots went inside tank.
 
Those Tank pump out services have those pump suction trucks. They can also put their section tube on the lower cleanout down by the Drainfield to pull the clog out of the line.

Hopefully you do not have one of those Mound Drainfields that has to evaporate out the top of the soil. I could see those backing up on you.
 
1969cuda said:
Perhaps you need septic risers? I installed them here at my house, and they solved that problem.
I went with polylok brand.
Click to expand...
I been looking at the septic rises like the polyloc and a few others. So did you have an issue with the tank absorbing water from the lids. My tank is in a low lying area. It doesn’t make any sense where they installed it. I’m assuming it saturates the ground by the tank. The one concern with risers, say I install two risers one one the solid side and the other on the gray water side. Will that cause even more cavity to fill with water if it is in fact the leach bed back filling the Tank and not the lids leaking. By installing the risers at grade they will be almost level with the slab of my house. I don’t want to cause any more back pressure to flood out my house.
 
Tooljunkie said:
Depending on design, up here the tanks may be of different design, but the collars are a common place to leak, or the lids themselves. I had issues but added a weeping tile to redirect some groundwater and it was solved.
My other tank is a holding tank, and it filled in the fall. There is definitely a leak at the collar or where pipe goes in. I have to dig around and reseal it.
Click to expand...
One of my collars on the discharge pipe was leaking when I dug it up. So I used hydraulic cement to try and plug it. I waited a few days and did not see any water leaking. So maybe my inlet and the lids are still letting in water. I filled any low spots on my hill with soil and added new sod. I may see the risers and maybe even a French drain all the rain rolls down hill and hits my walkway right where the septic tank is.
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Are you in the county? If you have pictures of the area it may help us determine what is causing your problem. Like I said in an earlier post the first thing I would check would be to see if you have a leak
 
missing linc said:
You may be able to go after the po for non-disclosure, I expect the laws vary by state, but the costs of litigation may outweigh anything you may recover. Best suggestion I can make is look for a lawyer that will give you an informed opinion. Unless the rainwater is all feeding into the tank, it's located in a low spot on the property, and short of building up the area surrounding it, you may need to relocate it, no inexpensive solution IMO. Have you made any attempts to correct the situation in the 18 months you've been there? I can't imagine living in those conditions for any length of time.
Click to expand...
Just filled around the discharge pipe that was leaking with hydraulic cement.
 
You did good patching those holes with hydraulic cement and that very well could have been a lot of your problem
 
Sorry to read, all good points above.
Cracked lid, cracked tank, plugged pipes downhill, improper pipe grading, running toilets, tank elevation wrong.
Frustrating but I would think the problem should be easily diagnosed.
Too late now but i would be careful calling inspector, you could be "shut down" and very costly.
Good luck and keep us posted
 
you know, whenever you work with a septic tank, its basically a crap shoot
 
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Yes, water was coming in through the lid. I am now going to pour a concrete slab and a trench drain to clean this mess up.
 
I just noticed the water in the toilet here was not going down when I flushed (well, super, super slow--as if I had plugged it up with you know what). I also noticed the bare ground was looking damp in the yard. This happened after I did a couple of loads of laundry one day. Now I wonder if the extra water dumped by the washing machine was taxing the already small septic system? I going away for ten days, so things should have time to dry up a little by the time I return.
 
Even if water is running into the septic tank (not sure it is), it should be able to flow out again down out though the Drainfield if it is not saturated or plugged off.

If it can't get out the drainfield it is going to come back into the house up through the basement floor drain, etc.

Simple plumbing rule: water and debris all runs down hill.

Just have to figure out what is stopping it.
 
I was also thinking my vents on the roof maybe clogged. spoke with the county and have my leach field drawing it’s just the bullshit corrugated perforated 4” black pipe three strands in 3’ trenches with 12” gravel, 12” sand, and another 12” gravel on top some **** like that. Probably cheapest system you can buy.
 
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Corrugated pipe is good, but it needs a sock on it or the dirt will plug it up.
If your vents are plugged your drains will "gurgle"
 
I will have to disagree with the sock because it doesn't take long for the slim to stop it up
 
A local guy that has been in septic business says the best thing to do to maintain a septic system is to go to Sam's and get the two pack of yeast and flush one down toilet then wait a month and flush the other. Guess he may be right because mine is 21 years old and hasn't had to be pumped yet.
 
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