Septic tank keeps filling up

[mandordgz]

I had it pumped less than a year ago and once again is filled up. Any suggestion?

 

[Jeff Handy]

Your leach field could be plugged up with solids or grease.

Too much groundwater could be flowing into the settling tank, or saturating the leach field.

If you have a sump pump discharge plumbed into the septic, take that out.

Your system could have reached the end of its life.

The baffle from the tank to the leach field could be getting plugged up.

 

[mandordgz]

thanks Jeff. can I ask you what do you think about these two videos about fixing these type of septic tank issues?

 

[mandordgz]

what can you tell me about this chemical treatment?

 

[Diehard]

I had it pumped less than a year ago and once again is filled up. Any suggestion?

So you are saying that the reason for having to pump it was that the tank level was above the level of the exit pipe causing the flow to back up in the house?

 

[Jeff Handy]

Just glancing at post # 4, it looks like that treatment causes premature baldness, haha.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

If you actually have some kind of blockage issues, you may observe some interesting things inside the home, such as weird noises coming from drains, etc.

A few years ago, there were two crack in my system; one in the PVC pipe from the house to the tank, and another at the exit to the header on the drainfield. Both small cracks caused an influx of tangled, tiny roots that blocked a significant amount of flow. At first I thought all the noises were something inside the home, and inspected all the runs and clean outs and snaked it all. When I determined all was perfectly clear I called the septic guy. He replaced the first cracked pipe, repaired the second.

 

[frodo]

you state the tank is full
Please give details as to what you mean by full
the tank is SUPPOSED to be full. but not above the exit pipe
secondly
the tank has a layer of crusty sludge that floats on the top of water
that is normal. when the tank is pumped out. the crustysludge drops below the inlet baffle
as the tank refills. the crusty sludge can plug the baffle. and need to be cleared.
your baffle should be a tee .if it is. clear the sludge by inserting something into the tee
pushing out the sludge

 

[mandordgz]

Thanks for you response Macgyver, it was very helpful. I just checked manhole where water comes from the house and by the way, I did not see a baffle on the inlet pipe as it comes from the house. It is just an inlet pipe with no tee on it. Is that a problem?

So I have to check the other end of the tank and see where the water level is and if indeed is above the outlet pipe.

 

[frodo]

yes. no bafle is a problem

here is why, the baffle keeps the sludge from entering the drain field


I drew the baffle to high, for illustration purposes.

 

[mandordgz]

but is it only like outlet baffle that is required? I do not know if the outlet pipe has a baffle. I have to check that. by the way, where does the filter should be located?

 

[Diehard]

The BASIC septic tank...(Relative to the inlet and outlet)

 

[frodo]

Thanks for you response Macgyver, it was very helpful. I just checked manhole where water comes from the house and by the way, I did not see a baffle on the inlet pipe as it comes from the house. It is just an inlet pipe with no tee on it. Is that a problem?

So I have to check the other end of the tank and see where the water level is and if indeed is above the outlet pipe.

did you check the outlet side for:
1] a baffle
2] a clogged baffle

this is where you need to start.

you should have a CO with in a couple feet of the tank on the outlets side
if not.

 

[Diehard]

I think people forgot to get an explanation of what exactly the problem IS.
Posts #5 and #8 both question this. But no clarification was offered.

The best we got was, "...I have to check the other end of the tank and see where the water level is and if indeed is above the outlet pipe. Which is implying OP didn't know if it was OVER filled when he had it pumped.

 

[mandordgz]

one of the problems we have had is that the inlet pipe keeps clogging with sludge. As mentioned above, the inlet pipe as it comes from the house does not have a baffle so I have been clearing the clogged with stick.

 

[Diehard]

The reason for the inlet baffle is to prevent any possible buildup of the floating materials, namely grease and scum finding its way back into the pipe.
But what controls the surface elevation of that floating material is the outlet elevation. So it sounds like it's quite possible that the tank did, in fact, get above it's normal elevation, which would mean it's not flowing out the exit pipe fast enough. That of course could be caused by the exit getting clogged and/or the leaching field or it's piping is not able to take the flow.

So as frodo suggested check the outlet to see if it's clear and to observe the liquid height relative to the exit pipe elevation.

Also plan on adding some type of baffle at the inlet. Such as a tee. But the critical line that MUST have some sort of baffle is the exit, to prevent that crap from get into and ruining you leaching field.

 

[frodo]

YOu NEED a baffle at BOTH entrance and exit

BOTH baffles keep the sludge from clogging the entrance and exit pipes

with out baffles on BOTH pipes your tank will continue to clog up as the sludge enters BOTH pipes