3 year old pressure mound woes

[Dalem011]

Good evening,


We have been beating our heads against the wall for two weeks now trying to figure this out. Then it dawned on me. Find a plumbing/septic forum message borad full of professionals. Any thoughts are so much appreciated.

2 weeks ago, the alarm went off on our 3.5 year old mound septic system. A quick check at the breaker box revealed that the pump in the dosing tank was running. Out at the tanks, I could hear the pump running. I opened the cover and saw water all the way up to the discharge pipe in the pumping tank

I called the system installer. He suggested leaving the pump running and he'd try and get one of his people out that day or someone would be out Saturday morning.

I went over early and looked. It appeared overnight, that chamber pumped all the way down and pump shut itself off. The installer called me an hour later and said his guy stopped by and said all looks to be working normal, but he was going to get the tanks pumped as he needed to get a filter put in the 1st tank.

That 1st day of this issue, we called the pumper that pumped this tank out for our 1st 3 year pump and inspection. He said he pumped this last summer and cleaned the filter.

The next Tuesday or Wednesday, he came out and pumped it but did not remember any thing about having been there before. (It was the same pumper and he did not mention having another driver.)

So tank was pumped and what do we find,,, This system was installed 3.5 years ago but the installer never put a filter or bafflein that 1st tank. They sent out one of their guys and he installed a new filter. The filter installer asked if I could run a hose in and partially fill the pumping chamber so the next day, they'd come back out and flush/check the mound laterals.

I never heard anything back but that chamber appeared to have been pumped down manually. Out at the mound, I find no signs that the flushing ports were located, let alone flushed.

So, questions. I'm looking for some professional advice on what to do next and also, what kind of shape is our new mound is in. I've mentioned concern on the condition of the mound to this installer but installer never addresses that concern. By not even flushing the laterals he installed, it's seems apparent he does not care. It's been a week now and not one word.

One more question. This pumper filed with our county that he pumped and inspected this tank. Shouldn't he have seen that there was no filter or baffle?

Thank you,
Dale

 

[Twowaxhack]

Hire a different company to come check your system.

 

[Dalem011]

Great advice. $180 less in the bank account, pump pumping to mound, SEEMS OK.

I knew that. Won't commit to what may have happed to the mound pumping that which is supposed to be kept out by baffle or filter for the last 3 years.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Great advice. $180 less in the bank account, pump pumping to mound, SEEMS OK.

I knew that. Won't commit to what may have happed to the mound pumping that which is supposed to be kept out by baffle or filter for the last 3 years.

So what advice should I give you ?

Maybe a float hung up and the alarm sounded and then the float freed itself and the pump started pumping.

It happens. Wait until it happens again then find the cause. Check all your wiring and make sure connections are tight.

Obviously the pump didn’t come on when it was suppose to and then the alarm sounded. Might be an intermittently bad float switch or loose wires.

I’m sorry you don’t have any real professionals in your area, good luck.

 

[Dalem011]

I'm not knocking your advice. Since they banned the mercury floats in WI, I've heard they have problems and it is a possibility the pump did not come on when it was supposed to. It was running when I got there and ran at least 5 hours without lowering the level in the dosing/pump chamber. It did however pump down before the following morning.

It "apoears" to be workingvnormally now, but,,,

What happens to the mound with 3 years of the floating stuff that is supposed to be held back by baffle or filter from getting to the drainage field is the 1st thing that has been sent to the mound?

I just talked with a retired plumber friend of mine and told him what happened. He said the mound should be perhaps chemically reverse flushed back to the pumping chamber. A camera should also be run down ro see what can be observed. He also stated these costs should be on that installer. He's also baffled (no pun intended.) How the missing baffle(s) were missed when the county came out and inspected it after install.

Area professionals? I find it interesting. Installer forgets baffle(s), county inspcts it and misses it, pumper tells me he pumped and cleaned filter (which was never there) and 3 days later looses any knowledge of ever being here. Area professionals? Hate to think it, but I'm feeling more professional than the 3 just mentioned above.

Any additional thoughts on mound situation appreciated.

 

[Bobcatoh]

I'm a septic professional in southwest Ohio.
We do mounds, drip, all of the high end complicated type systems.
This applies to anyone having issues.
Your local Health Dept. will have a list of the licensed, registered installers, service providers and pumpers in your County.
You can start looking there.
Just because they are on the list doesn't mean they know what they are doing or how things work.
To your mound.
There should be valve boxes across the top of the mound.
Some are monitoring ports. Some are sweeps with a valve on them. They should have a pvc cap on top of the valve.
These are to flush and or jet the laterals.
You should have a service contract with a provider and they should be flushing this out on a yearly basis.
Talk to the Health Dept.
Although they aren't supposed to favor any contractor they will usually lead you in the right direction with a recommendation.
Don't assume that the "pro's" really know what they are doing.
Your installer didn't know what he was doing and he also knows the damage that was caused.
That's why he's not returning your calls.
The good news is the problem is fixable.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I'm a septic professional in southwest Ohio.
We do mounds, drip, all of the high end complicated type systems.
This applies to anyone having issues.
Your local Health Dept. will have a list of the licensed, registered installers, service providers and pumpers in your County.
You can start looking there.
Just because they are on the list doesn't mean they know what they are doing or how things work.
To your mound.
There should be valve boxes across the top of the mound.
Some are monitoring ports. Some are sweeps with a valve on them. They should have a pvc cap on top of the valve.
These are to flush and or jet the laterals.
You should have a service contract with a provider and they should be flushing this out on a yearly basis.
Talk to the Health Dept.
Although they aren't supposed to favor any contractor they will usually lead you in the right direction with a recommendation.
Don't assume that the "pro's" really know what they are doing.
Your installer didn't know what he was doing and he also knows the damage that was caused.
That's why he's not returning your calls.
The good news is the problem is fixable.

You being a pro should know that you can’t tell a person their mound is fixable from your computer chair, especially after questioning the competency of the original installers.

And that’s the truth…….

 

[Bobcatoh]

You being a pro should know that you can’t tell a person their mound is fixable from your computer chair, especially after questioning the competency of the original installers.

And that’s the truth…….

Tell me you know nothing about mounds without telling me.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Tell me you know nothing about mounds without telling me.

That’s the best you can come back with ? . Condemning others work without seeing is NOT professional.