Septic tank driving me crazy !!!!!!!!! PLEASE HELP

Question

Sorry in advance but this may be long. Ok my hubby abnd I bought a repo 6 years ago, just found out about a week ago that we had a septic tank (when it backed up) never had any problem till then. Well anyway we followed the drain line under our garage! We went into the garage and found three metal lids when we pulled them up there was concrete! hubby rented a jackhammer and broke the concrete up,broke the lid under the first and it was almost overflowing, nothing was under the second and desided not to break up the third. We had someone come pump it when he was done they heard water flowing back into the tank.I wasn't home and hubby didn't ask any questions.Now a week later the tank looks full again. Well what i was wondering is should we have broke up the concrete under the third cover? could we have another tank? where was the water coming from? Would a leach line be under our garage?What should I do I've never delt with a septic tank before.Hubby swears we have to replace the whole system.Is that true? Any other ideas? With our kids going back to school and prices up on everything I don't want to jump to that conclussion. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

It is hard to believe anyone would concrete over the pump out opening of a septic tank. Harder to believe it would be installed indoors even in a garage. My suggestion would be to go as near as you can to your bathroom on the exterior wall of your home, then use a long metal rod as a probe and search for an opening in your yard. You do this by forcing the rod into the ground and when you find resistance dig down in that area to find a removable cover. Next; depending on how much water has run back into your tank, your yard may be saturated. If this is the case and the system cannot "percolate" then a mound system may be in order. By all means have a professional look at it. The $50-100.00 you spend will be a very wise investment. If only to find the pump lids in your yard it is a bargin. Drywells for gray water may also be found. Do a little research and try to find which company installed your current system. If there are only a few there may be a record (with a diagram) of your system's installation. Hope this can be of some help.

Answer 2

A septic tank is full most of the time.  After all, the water and waste from your house runs into it daily.  It stands full, allowing the bacteria to eat and dissolve the solid wastes and turn them to liquids which will flow to the top and into the leach field.

The question is, are you still having issues with the drains not draining?  If the drains are working fine, then you probably have no problems.  About every five years, call a septic company to pump out the tank to make sure it doesn't build up too many solids and don't worry about it.

Sounds like from your added info that all is well.  After all if your showers and sinks are running into it, it will fill up quickly with liquids and that is as it should be.  The liquid helps break down the solids.  I went eight years the first time before having ours pumped, but the septic guy told me it should be every five?  Good luck.

Answer 3

You need to have a septic tank company make an evaluation and cost to correct. the leach lines should not be under the garage, they should be out in some open space as should the septic tank, in order to have access. Usually there is only one or 2 covers max to a ceptic tank, as these are designed to be removed in order to pump out the tank when necessary.

Answer 4

well i agree with bob b  but i thinking it should last longer then 5 years allong your useing it right , be careful of what chemicals your puting down the drain as it well kill the bactirea in your system  

Answer 5

sounds like the leechfield is plugged & u need a new one

Answer 6

Usually you would have two or more openings into the tank, one near the inlet and one near the outlet plus more if you have a multiple baffle tank.  The company that pumped it should have been able to tell you if the tank was full of solids/sludge or just liquids.  Having the liquid level high in the tank is not necessarily a problem unless the solids are also high.  

The leach or drain field must be out in an open area with nothing but grass growing over it.  Trees and bushes will put out roots that can clog the drain holes in the leach field lines.You might have a blockage in the distribution box that usually sits between the tank and the drain field lines.  

Your drain field might be clogged with solids that have not been contained in the septic tank.  This can happen if the sludge builds up in the septic tank and is not pumped out.  The septic tank company should be able to determine if the distribution box and/or the drain field is clogged, but it will cost you some money for them to locate the distribution box and check it out more thoroughly.

If the drain field is clogged then you would need to dig it out and lay new lines.  Depending on where you live you may not be able to put in a new drain field like the original one, but may require you to install a different type.  

So it sounds like you need to have the septic company or another contractor come out and check out the system.  Then depending on what they find, you should be able to get estimates from septic contractors on what might need to be done next.