Drain-field backing up?

We just bought a home in the country 3 moths ago. The house has sit vacant for the last 2 years. I have a family of 5. Our area has been experiencing drought conditions. The previous owners were an older couple with no kids at home. In the last week the drainfield has started puddling and stinking.

What should we do?

 

Where are you located?
What type of septic system do you have?
How old is the home or septic system?
How many bedrooms does the house have?

Or, contact a reputable septic installer/pumping company and have them look at your system and determine the problem.

 

Assuming you don't know when the tank was pumped last I'd get it pumped, they should be able to evaluate your system at that time.

 

Having them pumped is routine maintenance that should be done about every 5 years, so, since you don't know the history, it's due, if not past due. One or two tanks? I would start by digging up the lid(s), as that needs to be done anyway, and may save you a little cost, rather than the pumper digging them. If you don't know where the lids are, your local health department should have records that will get you real close. Maybe not highly likely, but sometimes simply lifting the lids can point to a problem. Just a month or so, for example, our system backed up, so I dug the lids out and found the front tank over full and the second tank at normal level, which told me the line between the tanks was plugged. But, whether it's something that easy for you, or not, again, they need to be pumped regularly, so that's where I would start, and your pumper can help you from there.