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Septic Tank....
Okay this may be the dumbest, most obvious answered question ever...but here goes.
How do I know that my septic tank needs emptying? Will it smell? Will there be "stuff" floating around in my garden? Will the toilet back up? Thanks :) |
Re: Septic Tank....
Have a look at this site - very useful for all sorts of stuff around the home. We've found it really helpful:
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/mah...gemare_009.cfm If you scroll down the page, there are bits on maintenance. |
Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by AmyDavid
(Post 6859319)
Okay this may be the dumbest, most obvious answered question ever...but here goes.
How do I know that my septic tank needs emptying? Will it smell? Will there be "stuff" floating around in my garden? Will the toilet back up? Thanks :) |
Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by NSpaul
(Post 6859441)
Didnt you move in quite recently? The previous owner is normally ment to do it before the leave I thought in which case you should be okay for a bit,
It became apparent ours needed looking at due to a nasty smell in the basement when the washing machine discharged. It was a job I had pencilled in for spring last year anyway. If I had nothing else to go on in a new house I'd probably get it done in the spring as a precautionary measure. The full evolution of man with a JCB and man with a sh1t sucking truck cost us $500 or so. Without the JCB bit it would have been about $300. |
Re: Septic Tank....
The washing machine discharging caused our side yard, downwind of the roof vent stack, to stink. Locating the tank, installing manholes and pumping it cost a total of about $1200. Now that it has manholes and we have better local contacts it can be pumped for $200 but it shouldn't need that for five years or so.
A colleague has just had the misfortune to have to replace her system. She expected it to run about $20,000 but it's cost about $25,000 so far and she doesn't yet have the lawn replaced. I suppose we should all pay closer attention to the septic when house shopping. |
Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by dbd33
(Post 6859540)
The washing machine discharging caused our side yard, downwind of the roof vent stack, to stink. Locating the tank, installing manholes and pumping it cost a total of about $1200. Now that it has manholes and we have better local contacts it can be pumped for $200 but it shouldn't need that for five years or so.
A colleague has just had the misfortune to have to replace her system. She expected it to run about $20,000 but it's cost about $25,000 so far and she doesn't yet have the lawn replaced. I suppose we should all pay closer attention to the septic when house shopping. |
Re: Septic Tank....
Yeah, its pretty typical to have the cover slabs on the tank buried maybe a foot under the ground. Good idea to ask the previous owner to get it pumped out if its not done in the last year and to show you where to dig for the covers if it isnt obvious from the thinner grass on top. You can get a rough idea where to look by following the pipe direction out of the basement.
As for the original question, slow flushing and backing up are the usual give aways that you have waited too long. Every 5 years is a good rule of thumb to prevent that for a septic with a weeping bed. |
Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by Atlantic Xpat
(Post 6859509)
.... a sh1t sucking truck .....
I love the way they call it the "honey wagon" around here... when we bought our house, we didn't know whether the septic tanks had been pumped or not, nor could the seller tell us where the septic bed was. So we dug up the place and had it pumped precautiously.. I would also suggest to have that done before winter... it costs around $200 around here... |
Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by AmyDavid
(Post 6859319)
Okay this may be the dumbest, most obvious answered question ever...but here goes.
How do I know that my septic tank needs emptying? Will it smell? Will there be "stuff" floating around in my garden? Will the toilet back up? Thanks :) |
Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by NSpaul
(Post 6859441)
Didnt you move in quite recently? The previous owner is normally ment to do it before the leave I thought in which case you should be okay for a bit,
If it suddenely becomes fill to busting in the winter - is this going to cause me problems? IE will the honey wagon not come and empty it? |
Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by AmyDavid
(Post 6859971)
If it suddenely becomes fill to busting in the winter - is this going to cause me problems? IE will the honey wagon not come and empty it?
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Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by Atlantic Xpat
(Post 6859978)
Only problem would be if its under 6 feet of snow. ;)
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Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by AmyDavid
(Post 6859982)
Oh yes...that would be a slight problem wouldn't it! Perhaps I shall send my dear OH to take a look in it later...lets hope he doesn't slip in :sneaky:
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Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by AmyDavid
(Post 6859971)
Our house hadn't been lived in since October last year, and they barely could be bothered to empty the house, so I doubt they did the septic tank!! I can see the septic in our garden - it is behind some big trees and it is like a giant concrete circle thing and it has a vent pipe on it and a handle - I assume that is for hauling the lid off.
If it suddenely becomes fill to busting in the winter - is this going to cause me problems? IE will the honey wagon not come and empty it? Dug wells are usually capped off with a concrete lid about a metre across... |
Re: Septic Tank....
Originally Posted by ziggy8080
(Post 6860011)
I thought septics were usually buried, how big is the circle?
Dug wells are usually capped off with a concrete lid about a metre across... |
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