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HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS
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 FAILURE LAWSUIT
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
SEPTIC SYSTEM BOOKS REFS CODES
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN MANUAL - Online
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
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Home Buyer's Detailed Guide to Septic Tank Failures
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- Chapter 4 - What Goes Wrong With Septic Systems
- Advice for buyers of a home with a septic system - what to do
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.
© Copyright 2009 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.
4-WHAT GOES WRONG with septic systems, tanks, and leaching beds?
4-1 TANK FAILURES - Septic Tank Failures
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The septic 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. |
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Other septic 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. |
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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. |
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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. |
- 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"
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
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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.
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 FAILURE LAWSUIT
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 INFO ARTICLES
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More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs
- 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® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest. |
 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 |
 Use this simple, economical mold test kit by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab |
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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.
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 Building Inspection, Problem Diagnosis, Forensic Investigation & Testing, Repair Consulting |
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