Septic Tank - baffled

[jreist]

I am having problems with my septic tank. The tank is 3 yrs old and there is just me and my wife living in a log home in New Brunswick. The tank is backing up into the tub.

The intake pipe is under water and thought I had a problem with the feild. Looking at the outlet pipe, I found it above the water. I used a board to feel down the sides of the baffles and could not find obstructions or the spot on the baffle for water flow.

I checked the water levels, intake 4" middle 3", outlet 3" below the inside. The inlet baffle is 8"X8" and seams to go down to the bottom.

I took a empty coffee container and scooped out the water at the outlet end and took 10 - 5 gal pails and pored them out 100 ft into the woods. This brought the water level down so it was intake 7" middle 6", outlet 5" below the inside. So it seems to be flowing through the baffles. How far would I have to bring it down so I could see the openings between the baffles.

The next question I have to ask is whether the tank was put in backwards? The inlet pipe is 5" below the inside while the outlet is only 1" below, should it be reversed? I put the level on the top and the inlet side is higher but the inlet pipe was below the water while the outlet was above the water.

 

[johnjh2o]

The tank is in backwards. The inlet should be above the outlet. With the inlet 4" below the outlet the line to the house has to be sitting full of water. This condition can only cause nemours stoppages.

John

 

[waterwelldude]

The tank is in backwards. The inlet should be above the outlet. With the inlet 4" below the outlet the line to the house has to be sitting full of water. This condition can only cause nemours stoppages.

John

X1^

I have seen the same thing done before.
It was mostly new installers or the home owner did it.

The only ways to fix it, is to remove the tank and put it in the
correct way, or have the holes(inlet and outlet) plugged and moved to there correct location.

 

[jreist]

X1^
I have seen the same thing done before.
It was mostly new installers or the home owner did it.

Yes its backward, I phone building supply, plumber and a septic cleaner and all agreed that it is backwards. The bottom of the intake pipe is 9" below while the output is 6" below the inside of the tank. The plumber I talked to said it would work for around 1 1/2 to 2 years and then quite, we got 3yrs.

The fellow who done it was a contractor that was suppose a general contractor and has been in business for some time. The owner is now 76 yrs old.

X1^
The only ways to fix it, is to remove the tank and put it in the correct way, or have the holes(inlet and outlet) plugged and moved to there correct location.

I am having the tank pumped out and hopefully will get us through the winter without any problems. I plan to have the septic pumping people inspect the tank and confirm in writing that the tank is backwards, as well I will be seeing if I can get the building inspector out to take a look at it and give me a written statement that it is backwards.

The tank needs to be lifted, the hole lowered and the tank turned around. The question is whether the infiltrators will have to be lowered. If the contractor does not agree to redo the tank I will call my lawyer.

 

[johnjh2o]

Your looking for problems this winter if you put this repair off. After pumping the tank it will be full again in less then 2 months. Then you will be back with the same problem, the line to the home being full of water. If you are in a cold climate there is a very good chance that the line will freeze, not allowing any water to leave the house. Thawing a 4" block of ice in a sewer line in the middle of winter is not fun.

John

 

[waterwelldude]

If there is enough room on the tank, You should be able to just raise the inlet pipe side above the outlet pipe.
That would be the easiest way to fix it without too much digging. Provided there is enough room on the tank to raise the inlet pipe.

 

[jreist]

Your looking for problems this winter if you put this repair off. After pumping the tank it will be full again in less then 2 months. Then you will be back with the same problem, the line to the home being full of water. If you are in a cold climate there is a very good chance that the line will freeze, not allowing any water to leave the house. Thawing a 4" block of ice in a sewer line in the middle of winter is not fun.

John

I will be having the building inspector involved so the contractor does nt come and just do a quick fix and goes away.

I am hoping that there is enough slope in the tank so it will work until the contractor can get it fixed. I place a level on the top of the tank and it is high at the inlet side so if it cleaned out it would work, but if I do not do anything I would have to pump it out every 1 - 2 yrs when it builds up.

 

[jreist]

If there is enough room on the tank, You should be able to just raise the inlet pipe side above the outlet pipe.
That would be the easiest way to fix it without too much digging. Provided there is enough room on the tank to raise the inlet pipe.

The inlet pipe goes directly into the tank and I would probably look at a pipe put on the end with that will go down into the tank with an open end above the water level.

A temporary fix can be done but I need to get this done the way it was suppose to be done, even if it mean calling a lawyer.

 

[jreist]

The problem that I know is going to happen is when the contractor comes out here to look at the tank he is going to blame me because I dug the hole. When I contracted to have the septic tank put in the contractor told me that I had to have the hole dug (probably why he was $1000 cheaper) so I had some come and dig a hole at the side of the house. When he came he probably saw the hole was not right so he put the tank in backward so he could exit out of the side inlet pipes. If he saw the hole was wrong he should of stopped work and brought in a backhoe or had a few men down it the hole with shovels.

Had the septic tank pumped out yesterday the fellow who pumped it out noticed that the concrete tank has a top and it could be lifted and put turned around so the outlet and inlet would be right. The problem is the way it is now the outlet pipe comes out the side of the tank using one of the inlet holes, if it is turned around the pipe would come out of the outlet pipe and then into a 90 deg bend so it can go to the bed. Can you have a 90 at the outlet end or should the tank be turned 90 deg.

 

[johnjh2o]

I wouldn't use a 90 but two 45 would work. If you have the room use as long a piece of pipe as possible between the two 45's.

John