Familar story buying new property (built in 1957) which has been empty for a number of years had to get someone in with metal detector to locate the septic tank the trouble is on lifting the cover the tank is completely full of soil right to the brim no waste at all just soil. On the plans it shows it as a two chamber concrete structure about six feet in length and you can just see the dividing wall between them after we had dug out about four or five bucket loads So what to do, if it is dug out and it is intact and the soakaway is renewed would it still be servicable or is it completely knackered? Also if we need to install a new one do I have to notify the local enviroment officer or building control, and does anyone have any idea how much a new four to six man tank would cost to install? As we have not yet purchased the property could we ask for a price reduction to accommodate the cost of installing a new tank?
Septic tank woes
- Thread starter oldduffer
- Start date
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Once the two tanks are baled out, there's no reason why the tank won't work......its the outfalls for the liquid effluent that are the issue. You'll be able to see if the walls are intact - there's a good chance they will be.
Whether the tank is renewed or not, the soakaways will still need to be good and if they have been left in what sounds to be a sorry state they may well be blocked. Certainly liaise with your local authority for regulations regarding the outfall.
Your tank is likely to be in two main chambers - the first one is the deep one, and the second half that often enough. Usually there is an entrance and exit manhole on the ends too.
John
Whether the tank is renewed or not, the soakaways will still need to be good and if they have been left in what sounds to be a sorry state they may well be blocked. Certainly liaise with your local authority for regulations regarding the outfall.
Your tank is likely to be in two main chambers - the first one is the deep one, and the second half that often enough. Usually there is an entrance and exit manhole on the ends too.
John
Ok thanks for your reply john what I can't understand is why its full of soil, when i have told friends or relatives they laugh and say " that ain't soil mate" but after digging out five or six bucket loads it is definitely soil. I'am thinking that it could be dug out and the soakaway replaced but would it be more cost effected to replace the whole thing as i have read that the water useage these days is more than these old tanks can handle, I can't make up my mind which way to go as there may well be something else wrong with the tank which is why its full of soil.
I'm wondering if the thing has been filled in for some reason? For sure, there's always seepage through the brickwork but there's no reason for soil to come back in!
I have no problem with these older tanks.....mine works fine but the old clay soakaways have been replaced with perforated plastic ones. The amount of effluent a tank can handle depends on the length and pattern of these soakaways, and naturally enough on the porosity of the ground they are leeching into. Mine drains into thin soil and broken sandstone but I did lay out a herringbone pattern of soakaway to be on the safe side.
Mine needs a pump out every 4 years although it would go longer - there are only two of us though. When you consider the amount of chemicals and bleach that goes down there I'm sure we cant rely on too much bacterial action at times......we use Domestos regularly and have a dishwasher on every day.
In your case I think I would identify the incoming pipe from the house, and then send a bath full of water down to see how the drains are running.
John
I have no problem with these older tanks.....mine works fine but the old clay soakaways have been replaced with perforated plastic ones. The amount of effluent a tank can handle depends on the length and pattern of these soakaways, and naturally enough on the porosity of the ground they are leeching into. Mine drains into thin soil and broken sandstone but I did lay out a herringbone pattern of soakaway to be on the safe side.
Mine needs a pump out every 4 years although it would go longer - there are only two of us though. When you consider the amount of chemicals and bleach that goes down there I'm sure we cant rely on too much bacterial action at times......we use Domestos regularly and have a dishwasher on every day.
In your case I think I would identify the incoming pipe from the house, and then send a bath full of water down to see how the drains are running.
John
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Thanks for the replies its a bit difficult as we do not yet own the property but we will try to flush water down the drains over the weekend to see what's happening. it had crossed our minds that it might have been filled in but if that is the case we need to know where the waste is going, there is no mains drainage in the area i'll post again with an update, thanks
Is the "soil" in the pit a very rich loamy type - not clay for example and full of rubble rubbish etc.? It could be that it is actually soil as in the polite use of the word ( soil pipe) and it's been there so long that it has composted. with the liquid slowly seeping out the sides of the brick tank.
My thoughts entirely.....it seems a good while since the property was occupied - unless there's another tank lurking somewhere.
John
John
To give you and idea, I had a quote for a 6 man sewage treatment plant and pumping station: £7,500.
I ended up installing it myself, it still cost in the region of £4,000 though.
If you do need to replace from my own experience there are a lot of considerations; siting location, soil type, discharge location, local and water regulations....
I ended up installing it myself, it still cost in the region of £4,000 though.
If you do need to replace from my own experience there are a lot of considerations; siting location, soil type, discharge location, local and water regulations....
Ok thanks for the replies we are going over tomorrow to flush water down the drains unless its raining. I have tried to upload three photos to give an idea what it's like, we also found near the top a piece of safety glass about 8 inches by 4 inches triangle shape and some twine about 4 foot long neither which could have entered the tank through the pipework i just can't fathom it out.
Attachments
The first pic just looks like an ordinary manhole cover, lifted and revealing (perhaps) a fresh water drain soakaway, full of soil wash from the drive or roof maybe?
Can you give us the size of the other two chambers......I would have expected to see a salt glaze dip pipe that takes the incoming soil, and deposits it in the depths of the first chamber.
John
Can you give us the size of the other two chambers......I would have expected to see a salt glaze dip pipe that takes the incoming soil, and deposits it in the depths of the first chamber.
John
Or connected to the sewer. Have a look for more manhole.
Daniel
Daniel
Might be worth noting, if a new drainage system has been laid, use of plastic chambers and plastic covers, will render a metal detector about as much use as a chocolate teapot.... Have you had a survey done on the new place?
I would also agree that it does look as if it have become redundant.
But where to find a new one!
Often close to the old one but???
One of the methods that can be used is to push some rods down from house end and drag n a length of wire which can be connected to a CAT transmitter and then use a CAT to identify the route. But knowing the start direction is a very good clue although a newer tank can have been slewed off to one side.
Tony
But where to find a new one!
Often close to the old one but???
One of the methods that can be used is to push some rods down from house end and drag n a length of wire which can be connected to a CAT transmitter and then use a CAT to identify the route. But knowing the start direction is a very good clue although a newer tank can have been slewed off to one side.
Tony
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