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Septic Tank Condition - How to Inspect Home Made or Site Built Septic Tanks SepticAPedia © Enter your search terms Submit search form   Search This Website - InspectAPedia.com

• Characteristics of home made or site-built septic tanks
• Types of Septic Tanks: steel septic tanks, concrete septic tanks, fiberglass septic tanks, home made septic tanks - definitions and characteristics of various types of septic tanks

This document describes how to inspect the condition of a septic tank, providing special considerations for inspecting home made or site built septic tanks. Inspecting home made septic tanks is a key component in onsite wastewater disposal systems and can involve special risks of collapse or early failure since often home made septic tanks are constructed too small, or are built using marginal materials or have unsafe tank covers.

The photo shows a home made septic tank which was being excavated after discovery of sewage effluent in the drainfield. This is a chapter of Septic Systems Inspection, Testing our online book about septic system inspection procedures, defects in onsite waste disposal systems, septic tank problems, septic drainfield problems, checklists of system components and things to ask.

Also see The Septic Information Website our main page of articles and information about septic systems and onsite wastewater disposal systems inspection, testing, diagnosis, maintenance, and repair. © 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.

HOME MADE, SITE BUILT SEPTIC TANKS - Home made or "site built tanks

Site built systems, in my experience, are often under-sized and worse, dangerous. There is a serious risk of collapse of old rotting wood covers, collapsing concrete block dry-laid tank or "cesspool" walls, etc. The septic tank shown in this photograph was "home made" using concrete blocks stacked to form the tank sides (and maybe bottom) and covered with a poured-concrete lid which has been tipped over and can be seen on-edge in the left side of this photograph. The tank was so small that it would need to be pumped more frequently than normal to protect the drainfield. In this particular case the tank was found to be completely filled with solids, and the leach field was found to be filled with solid waste as well. An improperly-conducted septic dye test failed to detect this condition even though even a small and inadequate test, had dye and water been run into the main waste line, would certainly have caused a backup - which is what happened within hours of the new buyers moving into the home to which this septic non-system was attached. While building your own septic tank is not an impossible task, proper sizing of the tank, and construction of materials to be sure that the tank and its cover are safe from collapse, are critical considerations.

More Reading

• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank
• INSPECTING SEPTIC TANKS - how to inspect septic tanks, a checklist, and the proper sequence of inspection during septic tank pumping
• MEASURE SCUM & SLUDGE - How and Why to Measure Septic Tank Scum and Sludge in the Septic Tank
• EFFLUENT RETENTION TIME - Septic Effluent Retention time and Effective Septic Tank Volume - Why pump a septic tank before it is "full" of solids and grease?

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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
• Technical reviewers are invited to comment or ask questions - contact us

The Septic Systems Online Book - Where Are We?

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 About Septic Systems - Onsite Waste Disposal Design, Maintenance, Repair

• Inspecting Septic Systems: Inspection, Test, Diagnosis, Repair, & Maintenance: Our Online Septic Book: Septic Testing, Loading & Dye Tests, Septic Tank Pumping, Clearances, details of onsite waste disposal system inspection, testing, repair procedures.
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Septic Tank Pumping Frequency Table
• The Septic System Information Website - Extensive, Detailed Consumer and Industry Information on Septic System Inspection, Testing, Maintenance, Alternatives for on-site waste disposal
• Alternative & Advanced Designs for Septic Systems for discussion and links to (on-site waste disposal) System Designs for Problem Sites & Soils. Books, Consultants, Engineers, Designers. Alternative septic system designs can substantially reduce the normal required distances between septic system components and wells, lakes, streams, and property boundaries.

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