SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC INFO ARTICLES
Info for Home Buyers or Owners
Septic System Design
Septic Inspection Testing
Septic Maintenance Repair
HOME BUYERSGUIDE
1-INTRODUCTION
2-YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO
3-SEPTIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS
4-WHAT GOES WRONG
4-1 TANK FAILURES
4-2 PIPING FAILURES
4-3 LEACH FIELD FAILURES
4-4 OTHER SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS
5-HOW TO INSPECT & TEST
6-FINAL OVERVIEW
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
BOOKS REFS CODES
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
List Your Service/Product
InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map
Plumbing Water Septic
Accuracy & Bias Pledge
Contact Us
|
Home Buyer's Detailed Guide to Septic Systems - Buying a Home With a Septic Tank
SepticAPedia ©
|
- Chapter 4 - What Goes Wrong With Septic Systems
- Advice for buyers of a home with a septic system - what to do
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest.
We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices,
false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at
inspect-ny.com/appointment.htm.
This chapter describes what goes wrong with septic tanks, drainfields, and other septic system components.
Septic backups, failures, breakouts, odors:
This document provides advice for home buyers who are buying a home with a private septic system:
homes using a septic tank and drainfield or similar soil absorption system.
Chapter 4 in this file outlines what goes wrong with septic systems and their various components.
Chapter 5-recommends and describes septic inspection
and test methods in more detail, explains how to be sure your septic inspection and septic test are conducted properly,
tells you where to get more septic system information about a given property,
and warns of unsanitary or dangerous site conditions.
Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Resources.
The Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.
Also see The Septic System Information Website.
© Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left.
4-WHAT GOES WRONG with septic systems, tanks, and leaching beds?
4-1 TANK FAILURES - Septic Tank Failures
-
Home made or "site built" septic tanks, often using dry-stacked concrete blocks or even stone can collapse, a fatal hazard if someone falls in.
The tank shown in the photo at the top of this page had a concrete cover
but when the cover was removed we found that the tank
was under-sized, built of concrete blocks, and totally impacted with waste, as shown in this
open septic tank photo. The system was inadequate, not working, and required replacement.
A proper loading and dye test would probably have detected this failure since the new owners had effluent in their yard within 24 hours of moving into the home.
Home made septic tanks which are way too small, such as the 100-gallon home made septic tank shown in the upper left of
this photo of a too-small septic tank will simply not be functional for normal use.
|
-
Steel septic tank baffles rust off, sending solids into the leach field, shortening its life. A steel tank baffle is visible in the lower left of
this photo.
Steel septic tanks rust out and collapse, often sending solids into the leach field and reducing its future life as well.
Tank covers themselves can also collapse, especially if made of steel as shown in the
same photo as mentioned above.
Other tank covers may be made of wood which eventually rots and collapses.
Collapsing septic tanks, steel, home made, or any type, are very dangerous. Falling into a tank is likely to be fatal.
|
-
Concrete septic tanks such as shown here are pretty durable but they can crack and leak or may have an unsafe cover.
The tank shown in this photo is being installed at a new home. The distribution box has not been placed and is still
sitting atop the septic tank. This is a great time to measure and record the exact location of the septic tank and
its cleanout access covers.
Concrete tank baffles can deteriorate, crack, break, fall off. Baffles are checked when the septic
tank is opened for cleaning.
|
Fiberglass or plastic septic tanks such as shown here are also quite durable but may be cracked or damaged during
installation or if driven-over later. Don't drive vehicles over the septic system.
|
- Septic Tanks which are not pumped often enough can become filled with sludge and scum, becoming
totally impacted. Well before this condition is detected, such systems have sent solids into the leach field, shortening its life.
See "Septic Tank Pumping Frequency Guide for septic tanks: when, how, what to watch for when pumping or cleaning septic tanks"
More Reading
Diagnosing Clogged Drains: A First Step for Homeowners
Don't Flush these things into a septic system
Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
|
SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC INFO ARTICLES
Info for Home Buyers or Owners
Septic System Design
Septic Inspection Testing
Septic Maintenance Repair
HOME BUYERSGUIDE
1-INTRODUCTION
2-YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO
3-SEPTIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS
4-WHAT GOES WRONG
4-1 TANK FAILURES
4-2 PIPING FAILURES
4-3 LEACH FIELD FAILURES
4-4 OTHER SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS
5-HOW TO INSPECT & TEST
5-1. ASK ABOUT THE SYSTEM
5-2. VISUAL INSPECTION
5-3. LOADING & DYE TEST
WHAT'S A DYE TEST?
TEST LIMITATIONS
FLOODING TESTS
PROBE TESTS
5-4. PUMP THE TANK
5-5. ADDED INVESTIGATIONS
5-6. ASK OUTSIDERS
6-FINAL OVERVIEW
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
BOOKS REFS CODES
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
List Your Service/Product
More Information
InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map
Plumbing Water Septic
Accuracy & Bias Pledge
Contact Us
|
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.
Home Buyers Guide to Septic Systems - Chapter Index
HOME BUYERSGUIDE
1-INTRODUCTION
2-YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO
3-SEPTIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS
4-WHAT GOES WRONG
4-1 TANK FAILURES
4-2 PIPING FAILURES
4-3 LEACH FIELD FAILURES
4-4 OTHER SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS
5-HOW TO INSPECT & TEST
5-1. ASK ABOUT THE SYSTEM
5-2. VISUAL INSPECTION
5-3. LOADING & DYE TEST
WHAT'S A DYE TEST?
TEST LIMITATIONS
FLOODING TESTS
PROBE TESTS
5-4. PUMP THE TANK
5-5. ADDED INVESTIGATIONS
5-6. ASK OUTSIDERS
6-FINAL OVERVIEW
|
SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC INFO ARTICLES
Info for Home Buyers or Owners
Septic System Design
Septic Inspection Testing
Septic Maintenance Repair
HOME BUYERSGUIDE
1-INTRODUCTION
2-YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO
3-SEPTIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS
4-WHAT GOES WRONG
4-1 TANK FAILURES
4-2 PIPING FAILURES
4-3 LEACH FIELD FAILURES
4-4 OTHER SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS
5-HOW TO INSPECT & TEST
6-FINAL OVERVIEW
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
BOOKS REFS CODES
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
List Your Service/Product
More Information
InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map
Plumbing Water Septic
Accuracy & Bias Pledge
Contact Us
|
4-2 PIPING FAILURES - Septic Piping Failures
|
| |
Distribution piping connects the house drain to the septic tank, running between the building and the tank inlet.
More distribution piping connects the septic tank outlet to the distribution box and from there to the leach field.
Distribution pipes can settle (especially in new construction), break, become blocked or clogged, or become invaded and blocked by tree roots or soils
as shown in the first photo above. Older
"orangeburg" pipes which look like black asphalt-soaked cardboard (they are) crush and deteriorate with age. Clay pipes
also break and have a tendency to become blocked by tree roots at their joints. You won't know what kind of piping
is installed until it is excavated, but the age of the property may be a clue. Homes built from the 1970's on, certainly
from the 1980's on, use cast iron or more often plastic ABS or PVC piping for these connections, as shown in the
second photo above where we were replacing a root and mud-clogged clay sewer line with a new plastic line.
See "Drain Line Replacement diagnosing a clogged drain leads to drain line replacement"
for a step by step photo-illustrated guide to septic piping (or sewer line) replacement.
|
-
Distribution boxes serve as a connection point to distribute effluent which arrives from the
septic tank outlet and is to be sent into two or more individual leach field lines. Distribution boxes
("D-Boxes") can settle or tip. A damaged or tipped D-box will fail to divert effluent uniformly among the
effluent receiving drainfield lines, causing flooding of one leach line. If you see depressions suggesting that there
are four leach lines at the property and the end of just one of them is producing wet soil or surface-breakout
of effluent, we'd suspect a tipped D-box. (Photo courtesy U.S. EPA)
|
- Drainfield piping is usually constructed of perforated pipe buried in gravel-filled trenches. It receives
effluent from the D-box and allows it to percolate or seep into the soil around the trench where added filtering and
bacterial treatment occur. Like the distribution piping discussed above, individual drainfield pipes can become crushed,
shifted, or clogged by tree roots or other debris. More general clogging and failure of the leach field is discussed below. A broken or clogged pipe, once it
has been located, may be much less costly to repair than a complete leach field replacement, so this possibility needs to be
considered during diagnosis of a "failed" septic system.
|
|
SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC INFO ARTICLES
Info for Home Buyers or Owners
Septic System Design
Septic Inspection Testing
Septic Maintenance Repair
HOME BUYERSGUIDE
1-INTRODUCTION
2-YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO
3-SEPTIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS
4-WHAT GOES WRONG
4-1 TANK FAILURES
4-2 PIPING FAILURES
4-3 LEACH FIELD FAILURES
4-4 OTHER SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS
5-HOW TO INSPECT & TEST
6-FINAL OVERVIEW
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
BOOKS REFS CODES
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
List Your Service/Product
More Information
InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map
Plumbing Water Septic
Accuracy & Bias Pledge
Contact Us
|
4-3 LEACH FIELD FAILURES - Septic Leach Field Failures
-
Building on the leach field: A leach field can be destroyed by other site "improvements" such as this attempt to install a swimming pool
atop the leaching area in the photo shown at left. This mistaken installation involved multiple errors:
placing a pool atop the leaching area which prevents
proper oxygenation and evaporation, driving over the leach field which risks damaging buried pipes and compacting the soil, and excavating to
remove a portion of the absorption system soil to put in the swimming pool.
The gray water you see next to the swimming pool in
this larger photo was effluent from the failed septic fields.
|
- Compacted soils: driving over the leach field in any vehicle larger than a child's bicycle is a bad idea. Heavy vehicles
may actually crush buried leach field lines, or they may compress the soils around the leach field, either of which leads to failure. Driving
on or parking on leach fields will destroy them.
- Paving over the leach field: a leach field cannot function properly if it is paved-over. Some folks may try this as a way
to permit parking over the absorption system. But paving prevents both evaporation of effluent (a portion of the effluent disposal
method) and it prevents oxygen from reaching the soil, thus inhibiting proper bacterial action needed to treat the effluent.
- Clogged soils: Soil absorption systems stop absorbing. Eventually the soils around the leaching bed trenches become clogged and
stop passing effluent. Sending grease and floating solids into the leach field hastens this failure.
The biomat which forms below the leaching beds may also become too solid and impacted, stopping soil absorption.
In this leach field photo effluent was appearing in the light colored
area where the homeowner had begun some exploratory digging in a soggy spot only to see her hole fill up rapidly with effluent.
- In the building drains become sluggish, stop, or back up into the building (unsanitary), or effluent may appear
on the property surface when the absorption system can no longer function or where a pipe has become damaged.
Some septic system repairs are comparatively modest, such as replacing covers or baffles. Replacing septic
tanks or leach fields is costly. No leach field has an infinite life, but proper septic system maintenance
can defer this cost. Because costly septic system repairs may be upcoming, buyers of properties with a
septic system are advised to inspect and test the system before purchase.
More Reading: (In order of increasing detailed explanation)
Diagnosing Clogged Drains: A First Step for Homeowners
Don't Flush these things into a septic system
What Goes Wrong with Septic Systems? in the Home Buyer's Detailed Guide to Septic Systems - Buying a Home With a Septic Tank
SEPTIC FAILIURE CAUSES in our Online Septic Book - Details Address: How Does Each Septic System Component Fail? - What to Look For During a Septic Inspection - Step by Step Diagnosis
|
SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC INFO ARTICLES
Info for Home Buyers or Owners
Septic System Design
Septic Inspection Testing
Septic Maintenance Repair
HOME BUYERSGUIDE
1-INTRODUCTION
2-YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO
3-SEPTIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS
4-WHAT GOES WRONG
4-1 TANK FAILURES
4-2 PIPING FAILURES
4-3 LEACH FIELD FAILURES
4-4 OTHER SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS
5-HOW TO INSPECT & TEST
6-FINAL OVERVIEW
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
BOOKS REFS CODES
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
List Your Service/Product
More Information
InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map
Plumbing Water Septic
Accuracy & Bias Pledge
Contact Us
|
4-4 OTHER SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS - Other signs of trouble with a septic system
- Washing machine backups: Large volume wastewater discharges (such as, washing machines, dishwashers and bathtubs) may cause either a backup,
as noted above, or, an overflow of sewage above the septic tank or leaching field. If this condition is usually at its worst during and/or directly following a heavy rain event, then
the septic system is indeed suspect. If backup alone occurs independent of wet weather, you might first check for a partial blockage of the main drain that
has occurred some distance from the house. In such cases a small discharge will simply be held by the main waste pipe, draining slowly past the blockage, while
a large discharge will cause a backup.
- Septic or Sewage Odors: Foul septic odors in storm drainage piping, catch basins, footing drain piping or curtain drain discharges may indicate that sewage from your
property or an adjacent one is entering these ground water systems.
See "Sewer Gas Odors diagnosing, finding, and curing septic tank and sewer line smells"
and if odors are occurring in wet or cold weather, be sure to see
see "Sewage Odors in Wet or Cold Weather - Septic Odors or Sewage Odor Diagnosis & Repair Guide for diagnosing and eliminating cold weather sewer gas odors"
|
SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC INFO ARTICLES
Info for Home Buyers or Owners
Septic System Design
Septic Inspection Testing
Septic Maintenance Repair
HOME BUYERSGUIDE
1-INTRODUCTION
2-YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO
3-SEPTIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS
4-WHAT GOES WRONG
4-1 TANK FAILURES
4-2 PIPING FAILURES
4-3 LEACH FIELD FAILURES
4-4 OTHER SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS
5-HOW TO INSPECT & TEST
5-1. ASK ABOUT THE SYSTEM
5-2. VISUAL INSPECTION
5-3. LOADING & DYE TEST
WHAT'S A DYE TEST?
TEST LIMITATIONS
FLOODING TESTS
PROBE TESTS
5-4. PUMP THE TANK
5-5. ADDED INVESTIGATIONS
5-6. ASK OUTSIDERS
6-FINAL OVERVIEW
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
BOOKS REFS CODES
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
List Your Service/Product
More Information
InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map
Plumbing Water Septic
Accuracy & Bias Pledge
Contact Us
|
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.
Home Buyers Guide to Septic Systems - Chapter Index
HOME BUYERSGUIDE
1-INTRODUCTION
2-YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO
3-SEPTIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS
4-WHAT GOES WRONG
4-1 TANK FAILURES
4-2 PIPING FAILURES
4-3 LEACH FIELD FAILURES
4-4 OTHER SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS
5-HOW TO INSPECT & TEST
5-1. ASK ABOUT THE SYSTEM
5-2. VISUAL INSPECTION
5-3. LOADING & DYE TEST
WHAT'S A DYE TEST?
TEST LIMITATIONS
FLOODING TESTS
PROBE TESTS
5-4. PUMP THE TANK
5-5. ADDED INVESTIGATIONS
5-6. ASK OUTSIDERS
6-FINAL OVERVIEW
More Reading: (In order of increasing detailed explanation)
Diagnosing Clogged Drains: A First Step for Homeowners
Don't Flush these things into a septic system
What Goes Wrong with Septic Systems? in the Home Buyer's Detailed Guide to Septic Systems - Buying a Home With a Septic Tank
SEPTIC FAILIURE CAUSES in our Online Septic Book - Details Address: How Does Each Septic System Component Fail? - What to Look For During a Septic Inspection - Step by Step Diagnosis
Sewer Line Replacement diagnosing a clogged drain leads to drain line replacement - step by step photo-illustrated guide to drain replacement
Original Source Credits
Portions of the original text were provided by the CT Department of Public Health and Addiction Services. Daniel Friedman (web author) has made
extensive edits and content additions to the original file.
|
SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC INFO ARTICLES
Info for Home Buyers or Owners
Septic System Design
Septic Inspection Testing
Septic Maintenance Repair
HOME BUYERSGUIDE
1-INTRODUCTION
2-YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO
3-SEPTIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS
4-WHAT GOES WRONG
5-HOW TO INSPECT & TEST
6-FINAL OVERVIEW
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
BOOKS REFS CODES
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
List Your Service/Product
More Information
InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map
Air Conditioning
InspectAPedia Bookstore
Electrical
Environment
Exteriors
Heating
Home Inspection
Insulate Ventilate
Interiors
Mold Inspect/Test
Plumbing Water Septic
Roofing
Structure
Accuracy & Bias Pledge
InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map
Contact Us
|
More Information on Septic System Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, Maintenance, Design, & Alternatives
- The Septic System Information Website
- Directory of Professional Inspectors available via Internet (Some of these inspectors offer septic system testing and inspection)
- Diagnosing Clogged Drains: A First Step for Homeowners
- Performing a Septic Loading and Dye Test - How to perform this test (separate document)
- Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
- Table of Required Septic Tank Sizes: Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow & How to Calculate the Size (in gallons) of a Septic Tank.
- How Big Should the Leach Field Be? - table of soil percolation rate vs. field size
- Home & Outdoor Living Water Requirements
- Table of Required Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.
- Septic System Inspection Methods and Procedures, - online illustrated class for building and septic inspectors
- Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
 InspectAPedia TM Home & Site Map - Building Inspection, Diagnosis, & Repair, Environmental Inspection & Testing - Research Website
 The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How
to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
 Home Inspection Construction Consulting Services & advice for home buyers
 Use this simple, economical mold test kit by following
our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab
 Environmental
Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis,
Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing
removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.
 Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting
|
Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice 
Directory of Professionals to Inspect or Test a Building 
