Septic backup and leakage on top

[pwj21090]

Hi everyone! I have a 1000 gallon concrete septic tank that has recently been having issues. For the past year, I have been having slow flushing and minor backup into our basement bath tub. as far as I know, my septic tank only has 1 compartment, then drains into our chamber type drain field. I dug up the lid to our septic tank (a giant 2 piece concrete slab) and knocked off the almost deteriorated concrete baffle. I installed a new PVC baffle based on some research I've done, now my problems have gotten worse! If my kids take 2 10 minute showers at the same time, I have backup, as well as a puddle right on top of the septic tank. I have one of those 'popper' lids on the inspection pipe that sits right outside the home, and it is popped nearly daily.

Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? I've attached a sketch from when the prior homeowner replaced the drain field in 2001, in case that helps

 

[Twowaxhack]

You need to have the outlet checked, hopefully it’s clogged and it’s not your drain field failing.

 

[pwj21090]

You need to have the outlet checked, hopefully it’s clogged and it’s not your drain field failing.

Hi thanks for the reply! I actually had attached the drain field sketch of the old system before it was replaced in 2001, and I guess I didn't look closely. It does looks like I have a distribution box I didn't know about. I've attached the correct one now in case that changes anything.

 

[Twowaxhack]

You just need to find out if it’s the D-box, the tank or the pipe leading to the field.

If it’s not one of those three then it’s the drain field/field lines failing.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

I had a similar tank and similar problems. Luckily I caught it before it got bad. Had my septic guy out and there were cracks in the PVC as the inflow to the tank, minor but they were there. This allowed a tangled mess of roots to clog the line. Had the same thing on the exit, though there wasn't a D-Box per se, the outflow went to what was basically a manifold and there was a crack there. That too was clogged with a nest of roots. They were able to pull most of the roots out.

Those roots will find any source of water.

 

[cgilley]

"Those roots will find any source of water."

And they have infinite fertilizer. These issues unfortunately require a backhoe typically, but maybe your septic guy can do a video inspection. I've lived on a septic system for the past 30 years raising a giant family. Things I have learned/encountered:

• popups - these are your friends and should pop off allowing the backup into your backyard and not your house. Where they are located clearly means the pipe going into the tank cannot deliver the water (for whatever reason). You may have a blockage from the house into the tank. I have experienced tooth brushes blocking the path as well as excessive amounts of TP. Kids.... Also, if women are in your household, no feminine products.
• Is your line from your house to the tank properly sloped? One day in December when the ground was wet and soggy, I had a load of firewood delivered. The truck stopped with its rear wheels just before the tank but right over the inlet line to the tank. This caused (soggy ground) the inlet pipe to be pushed down such that it began to collect debris - like grease. 8 months later, the entire pipe was packed full of white grease. This was just normal stuff - we do not put grease down our drains ever.
• Stupid question - the tank is empty right? I assume so since you've pulled the cover off.
• The baffles exist for a reason. You want no solid material going into your drain lines. If the tank is full of liquid (sounds like it) seems the issue is past the tank.
• See if you can track down whoever installed the system in 2001. Long shot.

I'm just slinging ideas. I have 550' feet of drain field for the past 23 years, and so far except for the above issues it's been solid.

 

[Twowaxhack]

"Those roots will find any source of water."

And they have infinite fertilizer. These issues unfortunately require a backhoe typically, but maybe your septic guy can do a video inspection. I've lived on a septic system for the past 30 years raising a giant family. Things I have learned/encountered:

• popups - these are your friends and should pop off allowing the backup into your backyard and not your house. Where they are located clearly means the pipe going into the tank cannot deliver the water (for whatever reason). You may have a blockage from the house into the tank. I have experienced tooth brushes blocking the path as well as excessive amounts of TP. Kids.... Also, if women are in your household, no feminine products.
• Is your line from your house to the tank properly sloped? One day in December when the ground was wet and soggy, I had a load of firewood delivered. The truck stopped with its rear wheels just before the tank but right over the inlet line to the tank. This caused (soggy ground) the inlet pipe to be pushed down such that it began to collect debris - like grease. 8 months later, the entire pipe was packed full of white grease. This was just normal stuff - we do not put grease down our drains ever.
• Stupid question - the tank is empty right? I assume so since you've pulled the cover off.
• The baffles exist for a reason. You want no solid material going into your drain lines. If the tank is full of liquid (sounds like it) seems the issue is past the tank.
• See if you can track down whoever installed the system in 2001. Long shot.

I'm just slinging ideas. I have 550' feet of drain field for the past 23 years, and so far except for the above issues it's been solid.

I assure you this…..someone at your house was putting grease down the drain if the pipe was “ packed with white grease “. That’s never “ normal “.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

At a former weekend home, my rather simple septic system, a 500 gallon concrete tank, buried just a few inches below grade, with a simple inflow and a below the top level outflow to a simple drain field in sandy soil (just four laterals, maybe no more than 30' each), was OK in 1996 when my home was built, but some years later newer homes in the county had to have a more complicated system with multiple tanks, alarms, and above grade drain fields. I called them "Indian Burial Mounds". The tank was always supposed to be somewhat full, if it wasn't it was just collecting effluent until it reached the top and would drain. Every few years we'd have it pumped. Curiously my next door neighbor's cottage was the first structure built on the lake, circa 1963. They have never had the system pumped and have no idea where the tank is. They never seemed to be the slightest bit concerned. Sometimes they had dozens of people staying in that tiny one bath shack on weekends. No idea how things worked that long considering others in the community had issues now and then with much newer septic systems.

Based upon what I've been reading here in the past few years, boy did I ever change my habits with drains, regardless of whether septic or city sewer. Nothing goes down the drain except what remains on plates, pots and pans after scraping the bulk into the trash. No eggshells, certainly no bones, no fats. All in the trash. I do not want to hire a plumber to snake my drains and carefully maintaining your drain system is the best way to do this.

 

[cgilley]

I assure you this…..someone at your house was putting grease down the drain if the pipe was “ packed with white grease “. That’s never “ normal “.

Not so, but then again, I'm taking my adult children at their word. If we were dumping large quantities of grease down the drain, I'd have known it a lot sooner. That said, the pipe was definitely shifted. Even with just a little basic "grease" - think waste food, dishwashers, etc. it can build up. Thankfully, I no longer have toys in the plumbing, though my grandson is pushing me

 

[Twowaxhack]

Not so, but then again, I'm taking my adult children at their word. If we were dumping large quantities of grease down the drain, I'd have known it a lot sooner. That said, the pipe was definitely shifted. Even with just a little basic "grease" - think waste food, dishwashers, etc. it can build up. Thankfully, I no longer have toys in the plumbing, though my grandson is pushing me

I don’t think you were pouring large quantities of grease down the drain. I just think someone in your house is a grease dumper when no one’s looking.

 

[cgilley]

I don’t think you were pouring large quantities of grease down the drain. I just think someone in your house is a grease dumper when no one’s looking.

Well I'm an EE (fair warning) and part time plumber by necessity. But I'll tango with you (while I am online with support or the lack there of for my oven). The only thing worse than your oven dying are the toilets . I'm assuming you are a plumber, and my conversation was with a septic guy, so maybe he was a "final" plumber?

Define "grease dumper" please.

I'm trying to relate your comment as to how we cook. I've raised a large family in this house (11 children, some rentals, had a few come home, still have some here, etc.), and since we've lived here, cooking styles are pretty much as they are as the last few years. We rarely do deep fat frying, and when we do, we either keep the oil, or it goes in the trash. We have no disposal. If we cook bacon, the grease is collected and retained or trashed. If we do anything in the oven (when it works) that creates juices/grease - it goes in the trash. The only thing that could be considered grease is residual or food born (rinsing plates, dishwasher).

So, when I saw the pipe clogged it was a real surprise to me. We're talking 10' solid of a 4" pipe. Don't get me wrong, my children are not saints, but this happened 10+ years after the last cleanout and only after the wood delivery. When clearing the pipe, the septic guy said the tank looked fine.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I’ve worked on and replaced thousands of sewers and drains. The only time I’ve found them packed with solid white grease is when someone had been pouring grease down the drain.

This includes damaged and flat laid sewers.

Someone’s pouring grease. It’s not mandatory that you disagree, in fact, it’s quite common people deny it but the fact remains you found the pipe packed with white grease. While it’s common to find some grease, it’s not typical to find it packed even in damaged and flat laid sewers. I hope this helps

Same with tampons and wipes. I find them on the drain and the people deny having used them……but yet I’m pulling them out of the drain.

 

[cgilley]

Appreciate your response, and you have the experience. I'm not disagreeing in any way. But for that much grease to accumulate equates to enemy action . Like buckets of it. I may be delusional. I'll see what I can sniff out. I have a few culprits in mind.