Septic tank damaged

[sueonmull]

We have a coffin style fibreglass septic tank (approx 4m x 1m x 1.5m deep) installed we guess about 30 years ago.
When emptied last week it was apparent that the internal dividing wall (very approx 1m x 1m) had become detached and was now floating on the liquid surface. We suspect this may have happened when it was last emptied as the crew then were unusually clumsy/messy and not the normal ones sent out by our water company.
Would appreciate some advice please:
i) will the tank performance be affected eg by restricting air access to surface of the sludge?
ii) should we try to remove?
iii) how would the wall have been fitted in the tank and is it possible to refit?
The in/outgoing pipes are protected by vertical pipe baffles which prevents solids leaving the tank.
Thanks

 

[roboughton]

I know very little about your type of tank with it being fibreglass. We used to have a brick built tank with two sections as described by you, in one was the dirty side in the other was a load of stone to filter the water to the outlet pipe for the soak away. Now it was a unusual design but it did work to a point.

can you access both chambers? your pipes should come into the tank above the scum line and T down below it. both in and out.
Can you inspect the soak away for sediment - chances are if its 20+ years old it probably needs some work anyway.

what you could possibly do if soak away is working is keep existing tank and fit a smaller chamber in front of it to act like the second chamber of the original tank.

Hope that all makes sense.

I am by no means an expert of septic tanks but having lived with one and repaired/replaced ours over the course of 11 years know quite a bit and it now works like a treat!.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

As far as I can make out the two sections are to increase the total average time from sewerage in, to clean (?) water out. To attempt a repair is problematic, even after the tank has been emptied, it will contain H2S gas which is poisonous and a lot of sewerage. I doubt if the floating lid will impair the performance as much as the now one tank instead of two. On this point a mate of mine had his new build designed by an Architect and this bloke led all the down pipes from the roof into the septic tank. One good down pour and the contents of the tank will end up in the soak away. I guess it would be tidier if the floating section was removed but I doubt if you could get it through the access hatches.
Frank

 

[Nige F]

We have a coffin style fibreglass septic tank (approx 4m x 1m x 1.5m deep) installed we guess about 30 years ago.
When emptied last week it was apparent that the internal dividing wall (very approx 1m x 1m) had become detached and was now floating on the liquid surface. We suspect this may have happened when it was last emptied as the crew then were unusually clumsy/messy and not the normal ones sent out by our water company.
Would appreciate some advice please:
i) will the tank performance be affected eg by restricting air access to surface of the sludge?
ii) should we try to remove?
iii) how would the wall have been fitted in the tank and is it possible to refit?
The in/outgoing pipes are protected by vertical pipe baffles which prevents solids leaving the tank.
Thanks

i)probably not ....... ii) No - as said keep away from the fumes ..... iii) it would have been resined in with the glass mat - not possible to refit.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

The internal divider is usually there for a reason, it's used to separate the incoming effluent from the clarified (outgoing) effluent. If the contents of the tank cannot go through their designed settlement procedure, then there becomes a risk of the outgoing effluent containing a much higher percentage of suspended solids than the design intends, and ultimately leading to poor quality final effluent, blocking of the soakaway, and/or contamination of the subsoil/water table.

With this type of tank, emptying should be done with care, drawing effluent in equal measures from one side, then the other, to equilibrate the weight pressing on the divider. Failure to do so can often cause the divider to collapse, which is possibly what's happened here. There are companies that could probably effect a repair, but with a tank of that age, it may be time to look at upgrading it to something complying with modern regulations.

If repair is the preferred option, then Kee Services, ( who are I think part of Klargester), are one company that may be able to offer such a service. http://www.keeservices.com/

 

[KenGMac]

sueonmull, Hi

There may be cover under your Insurance Policy? under the section about Accidental Damage to an underground service? but it all depends on what the small print states in the Policy booklet.

If you do intimate a claim your Premiums will go up, suggest you find your policy Booklet and have a look at that.

From what I recall the cover is up to the "clean discharge end" of the tank, but all insurers vary, wildly, and even one Insurers policies vary.

As an aside??? do you have a secondary Insurance, that being from a Utility provider where say Scottish Gas are paid by you to maintain all domestic appliances, and external drains Etc. Etc. Etc. problem here is that to replace the tank will be more than the so called "cover" by this Insurer, but? your normal house Insurer picks up the difference between the gas Boards maximum of [generally] £1,000 on any one claim and the actual cost of the replacement of the tank

Ken

 

[sueonmull]

Thank you all for your replies.
There isn’t a ‘T’ as such at the inlet/outlet pipes, just a baffle above the level of the outlet/inlet that prevents scum/solids entering the pipes.
When we first moved here all the rainwater goods went through our septic tank too – not a good system, once that had been diverted we sorted out the soakaway and everything seems to be working fine just now (touch wood!).
We actually have two tanks on site (both shared between several properties) one is a very old single brick chamber and the other is the more modern fiberglass one. Apart from the bit that’s come adrift on the f/g one, both appear to be working well.
Thanks Hugh for the link to Kee services, we will keep a close eye on things and contact them to see if they have anyone who serves our (remote) location. Interesting your comment on the emptying technique – something that none of the tankers have ever used atleast whilst we’ve lived here.
Thanks again
Sue

 

[roboughton]

Thank you all for your replies.
There isn’t a ‘T’ as such at the inlet/outlet pipes, just a baffle above the level of the outlet/inlet that prevents scum/solids entering the pipes.
When we first moved here all the rainwater goods went through our septic tank too – not a good system, once that had been diverted we sorted out the soakaway and everything seems to be working fine just now (touch wood!).
We actually have two tanks on site (both shared between several properties) one is a very old single brick chamber and the other is the more modern fiberglass one. Apart from the bit that’s come adrift on the f/g one, both appear to be working well.
Thanks Hugh for the link to Kee services, we will keep a close eye on things and contact them to see if they have anyone who serves our (remote) location. Interesting your comment on the emptying technique – something that none of the tankers have ever used atleast whilst we’ve lived here.
Thanks again
Sue

For your faulty tank I would look to get a second chamber as your soakaway is going to fail if you do not fix this.

 

[sueonmull]

Thanks roboughton, take your point. Suspect we'll end up getting a new/ more modern tank. Have contacted Kee services and waiting to hear back from them.