septic problem?


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Old 08-15-13, 12:36 PM
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septic problem?

my house was build in 2010 before i got my septic tank pump everything was working really well. recently after getting it pump water started leaking out of the top of the septic tank lid which is made of concrete. there a gap between each side of the lid and i tried closing the lid by rotating it 360 degrees to see if it would fall back into place but will not. now every time water runs it would slowly come out of top of the septic tank. the drain field look like its running good still, since there are certain area on my lawn that grow much faster then others. just trying to get some thoughts and opinion on what i should do.
 
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Old 08-15-13, 01:46 PM
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Welcome to the forums!

Is it a fiberglass or concrete tank?

I'd try taking the lid completely off, there might be some dirt/gravel that is on the lip preventing it from setting on there right. I'm not a septic guy but water shouldn't be coming out of the lid. When the water gets to a certain height it is supposed to go out into the drain field.
 
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Old 08-15-13, 02:59 PM
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Dig up the D box and check there... Its may have clogged and no water is getting out to the field...

Yes no water should be as high and come out the lid...


 
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Old 08-15-13, 03:22 PM
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i just got done digging and from the looks of it. it looks like the d box might be clogged or has a busted pipe. the water is backed up inside the septic tank and when i removed the lid water started to gush out. if its clogged what would be the best solution to unclog it myself without getting a repair guy out here or should i just keep digging til i find a broken line?
 
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Old 08-15-13, 03:26 PM
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it looks like the d box might be clogged or has a busted pipe.
Did you find the d box??? Id the d box full of water and nothing draining out the pipes????? There sohuld be a line from the setic tank that goes there and others pipes that are outlets..

If nothing in the d box then the issue is the pipe from d box to septic tank...
 
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Old 08-15-13, 03:29 PM
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the pipe to the dbox works fine. the dbox is filled up with water, i lift up the dbox cover and water poured out of it and filled up the area i dug around it with water. i've been to lowes and they told me to use sulfuric acid to help with the clogs which home depot told me to go drain cleaner not sure if they even work.
 
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Old 08-15-13, 04:04 PM
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NO!, don't use sulphuric or hydrochloric acid. They are extremely dangerous acids with little/no chance of clearing a organic or grease blockage. The acid will eat/dissolve your septic tank and distribution box if they are made of concrete. Like pour down the drain clog chemicals they are sold and people buy them because they think it's an easy "magic" fix. Like wonder diet pills they generally don't work.

---

I am confused. You said you got a septic tank pump. What and where is this pump and how do you think it is causing your current problems? Or, did you intend to say that you had your tank pumped?

Traditional septic tanks and distribution boxes work by gravity, with no pumps. The lids are sealed only to prevent surface water and dirt from entering, not to hold the effluent inside. During normal operation the liquid in a septic tank will be about a foot from the top. If it's higher than that there is a clog or blockage somewhere preventing the liquid from leaving.

If you did just have your tank pumped and the problem started, do you have a filter on the output of the tank? By the age of your house I assume it has one and if you don't have one I would strongly consider installing one. The filter can prevent solids from the tank making their way to the distribution box and leach field. Basically it's cheap insurance.
 
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Old 08-15-13, 04:21 PM
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sorry, yes i had it pumped out. the water has risen above the water line. my septic tank is located in the front yard, the only time we're out there is to mow the lawn other then that nothing has been driven over it and we have no trees around it.
 
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Old 08-15-13, 04:33 PM
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Sorry you fiels id probably shot... The only recorse I would try is jetting the laterals buy a pro.. He will probably treay with aid ox or some other type of hydrogen peroxide based stuff...

If it dont work then put a fiels in next to this one and install a bull run valve.... Then use the new field for three years. After that the old one most likely have rejuvinated itself. Then swith to the old field for one year, then back to the new field alternating every year.

Ther is a chance you are just water locked and the longer its like that the worse it becomes... Could be from say a running toilet or just using too much water in the home...
I recommend getting the tank pumped asap and tell the pumper that the d box was full..

Let us know what he says...

Like I said save that field and if you have enough room put one next to it....Dont let them talk you into ripping it up.
 
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Old 08-15-13, 04:55 PM
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Old 08-15-13, 05:03 PM
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gonna cross my fingers and hope its just clogged gonna call the pros to come out and look at it and see whats the damage.
 
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Old 08-15-13, 05:15 PM
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Let us know what they say....
 
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Old 08-16-13, 07:38 AM
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Why did you have your tank pumped? You said everything worked fine until it was pumped but I have to assume something prompted you to have it done? Was it backing up or liquid bubbling to the surface?
 
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Old 08-16-13, 11:08 AM
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liquid was bubbling up to the surface at first... i got it checked out and it seem that there is a clog in my drain field. 1 and a half out of 3 pipes are getting water so i think im going to have to get it jetted not sure how much it will cost me. the company that came to check it out told me to get my septic tank pump out they'll come back tomorrow or Monday which might be to long of a wait. i should call around and see if i can get someone to do it today or tomorrow and not wait.
 
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Old 08-16-13, 02:12 PM
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Less than three years is startlingly quick for a leach field to fail. Did the pumper comment on what was seen inside the septic tank?
 
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Old 08-17-13, 05:35 AM
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they didn't make it yesterday after the first time they came out. the septic pumping company is coming out thiis morning to pump it out and I'll have to wait til Monday.. I'm going to have to go with another company to try and jet my pipes. they want to charge me $600 for it when the other company charging 350-400$.
 
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Old 08-17-13, 05:43 AM
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Do you have a filter on the outlet of your septic tank? They go on the outlet and are required in many newer installations to help prevent solids and grease from making it's way out of the tank and into the leach field.



I like types that have a plastic ball on the bottom which allows the filter to be cleaned without pumping down the tank. When you remove the filter core for cleaning the ball floats up and blocks the outlet so solids aren't released to the drain field.

 
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Old 08-17-13, 05:52 AM
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I do not but I'll look into it kind of on a budget atm but I'll look into it..
 
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Old 08-17-13, 07:28 AM
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Ask them when they jet if they are going to add any treatment products such as hydrogen peroxide,,,,,,
 
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Old 08-17-13, 09:12 AM
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Most filters are less than $50 and can be easily added so for me it's a no-brainer and I install them whenever I have one of my rental house's septic tanks opened up. If you are properly using your septic system the filter will never clog and requires no maintenance. If you are naughty and putting things down the drain that shouldn't go into a septic it will help prevent the bad stuff from making it's way out of the tank and clogging the leach field and the requirement for cleaning lets you know that you need to change your ways.
 
 

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