Did I get scammed?

[bwharper78]

I just had my septic tank pumped and I'm thinking I got taken for a ride. The guys came out and dug up the outlet side. They pumped out that chamber, then climbed down into it and removed a PVC pipe (with a sawzall) that they said was the "baffle" so that they could pump the inlet side. They never dug up the inlet side.

The tank is about 5 years old. Here are my questions:
-Is it possible that they actually pumped both sides through the baffle hole without opening the inlet side?
-Since they did cut out the PVC pipe, how in the world did they repair it without opening the inlet?

I am feeling like I need to stop the check I gave them and get them back out to finish the job.

Before I start something, I just want to see what you guys think?

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

My one "conventional" septic tank was a single tank with an inlet and outlet. It was precast concrete, 1000 gallon. It cost $175 to pump. I had it done for the 3rd time in 22 years back in December.

Here was the procedure: they opened the top of the tank, stuck the giant vacuum hose from the truck down in the hole, and sucked it all out. They had a hose with them and sprayed off the outlet to the drain field, and a little bit on the walls of the tank to eliminate as much muck as they could. No climbing into the tank, certainly no cutting of pipe. My tank was a single tank (no internal baffle) and the inlet side and outlet side looked much like you see in the stock diagram below.

There are more modern tank designs out there with baffles, multiple tanks systems, etc. So it would be wise to figure out what your folks did and why.

 

[Jamesplumbing06]

The baffle is code only. After the inspector leaves. We usually knock them off. They are a clog location. I don’t know how he got to it since now days Your tank is one large tank with a concrete divider. That divider has an oval opening near bottom. That opening allows liquid to flow freely and the floatables to float and sinkers to sink. They did pump it. And your better off without that baffle if your tank is a newer tank with divider.

now if you have a old single basin septic. Then he can get down in there knock off baffle from inlet side. But in a tank with no divider. You want a baffle on the outlet. The inlet baffle is arguably not needed. I don’t like them. But for inspectors sake. They are the best thing since sliced bread. Then my apprentice slices them off. I am I service tech that puts warranties on a clogged drain line. If it’s ran correctly. You’ll never have a problem. So I run them correctly and those god forsaken baffles get me every time. 6months in a new house and that tee has collected so much floaters. Those floaters won’t let the sinkers sink. So u end up with a lot of gurgling.

 

[Clydaho]

We moved into our new house May 15, 2022. In October, the septic backed up into the shower. The builder and septic installer rushed right out and saved the day. I had put a cap on the only clean out so the backed up solids from the baffle came flying out when the cap was removed. Leave the cap off. OK. And a riser was installed. Two months later I slid the top off to make sure we weren't backing up. Solids were clogging the inlet baffle. Hmmm. I work out of town and am gone half the time and I'm sure my wife isn't overusing the paper.

The builder came out and cut back the inlet pipe to make more room between it and the baffle. 4 weeks later, same story.

Builder said to cut out the baffle. Septic installer said DO NOT remove the baffle because it will mess up the drain field.

Maybe the slope is incorrect. Hand dug the area between the house and tank. I'm attaching a picture. The slope was checked and was right on the 1/4"/foot, as recommended. Flow into the tank seemed adequate when watching after a flush.

The tank was installed in 2020 before the house was built. Plumber ran the drain pipe so it does NOT go straight into the tank. The plumbing is in the mono-slab that the house is on, so there is no moving either the pipe or the tank. There are 2 45° elbows between the house and tank. Could this cause the solids to slow down just enough as it enters the tank so the solids stay in the baffle?
Has anyone ever dealt with an inlet line coming out of the house that doesn't go straight?

My installer has been doing this for 40 years, hasn't seen a line that doesn't go straight into the tank and hasn't seen this problem of backing up in the baffle when everything seems to be correct.

We are thinking of moving the piping back towards the house so the 45 by the tank is further from the tank and allows a 6-12" straight shot at the tank.

Thoughts???