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How to Measure & Sketch the Location of a Septic Tank
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• How to document the septic tank location
• Where to look for the septic tanks, septic tank covers, or septic tank cleanout lids

How to document the septic tank location - making a septic layout sketch. When the septic tank needs to be pumped, a regular maintenance task, the cost of that service will be less if the property owner found the septic tank location and perhaps even uncovered the septic tank pumping access cover. Other reasons to make a drawing of the the septic tank and drainfield location include enabling the inspecting and testing septic systems when buying a home or for safety, to assure that the septic tank cover is in good condition.

Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Reviewers and content suggestions are welcome and are credited at "References." This document is a chapter of Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems an online book on septic systems. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

DOCUMENT TANK LOCATION - How to Measure and Document the Septic Tank Location

To remember the tank location in the future and to help future owners of the property, you should: Mark the tank location with a flat stone or slate Make a sketch Measure the exact location of the septic tank cleanout opening relative to the building: using "triangulation" you need to make only two measurements. From the tank cleanout, measure the distance to a permanent site feature such as the left corner of the building. Then measure the distance to a second permanent site feature such as the right corner of the building. These two distances can be set off in the future, even if the tank is hidden from view. Where the two points meet will be the tank cover.

Recording Septic Tank Location in our "Septic Tank Pumping Guide" includes a nice example of how to take measurements to document the exact location of a septic system component.

When you find your septic tank, if other clues helped you do so, please forward them to me by email so we can help others. Photos are very welcome too.

More Reading

• Tank Condition - How to Inspect Septic Tanks and evaluate the septic tank condition, baffles, sludge levels, damage, evidence of septic failure
• Drainfield Layout: septic drainfield or leaching bed shape and placement considerations
• Drainfield Location: how to find the septic drain field or leaching bed
• Drainfield Inspection Procedure Septic Leach Fields - how to inspect and diagnose septic drainfield failures
• SEPTIC VIDEOS shows how to walk a property to find the septic tank and drainfield

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

HOW TO FIND A SEPTIC TANK
SEPTIC SEARCH SAFETY
WHO KNOWS SEPTIC LOCATION?
FIND MAIN WASTE LINE EXIT
DISTANCE TO TANK
POSSIBLE SEPTIC TANK LOCATIONS
  VISUAL CLUES LOCATE TANK
  WHERE TO LOOK
  SEPTIC TANK DEPTH
SEPTIC TANK LOCATING EQUIPMENT
SEPTIC TANK COVERS
DOCUMENT TANK LOCATION

Technical Reviewers

Particular thanks are due to experts and also consumers who read these articles and suggest corrections, changes, and additions to the material. Content suggestions, technical corrections and content critique are invited for any of the content at our website.

• Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia ^© Website
• Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution.

Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

More expert information on this topic

More Information on Septic System Diagnosis, Maintenance, & Repair

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Table of Required Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.

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