The plumbing to the homes septic system shows signs of repair / replacement. The current setup has only PVC pipe being used in the waste water system but as pictured above the old system used Cast iron piping going into the PVC DWV pipe and out to the septic tank that was left installed when the plumbing was updated. The septic tank itself is located 25ft from where the pipes exit the basement. There is also evidence looking at the pipes of cracking / leaking which could have been caused by prior septic tank issues.
After reviewing the septic system inspection article I noticed it mentioned to inspect the rise lids for cracks or breaks and to make sure there secure. This is one thing that I have noticed get overlooked quite a bit here in the northern states when inspecting the tanks or even installing new tanks. The biggest issue i have been finding is home owners asking to have a inspection done due to issues with there septic tank usually related to the lid and its nice to see an article that does remind inspectors to check the lids for damage and to make sure there secure.
It is important to have a properly sized drain field for proper operation of an on site septic system. In the above image the system was installed for a 3 bedroom home. There was a 4th bedroom that was not part of the original design of the septic system. An additional 80 feet of leach line was added to accomidate the potential volume of a 4th bedroom.
The Septic Systems article, author unknown, states “You should have your septic system inspected at least every three years by a professional, and have your tank pumped as necessary (generally every three to five years).” Although a good guideline, your local government may have pumping intervals that are required by municipal codes. In some parts of Central Virginia, it is required to pump your septic every 5 years and provide a certificate to the respective government agency.
The attached picture shows a leach field that has soil saturation. This situation is caused by the soil around the leach lines being over-saturated and causing the effluent to come to the surface of the soil. The possible causes could be damaged or broken pipe, or clogged pipe.
Locating a Septic tank: There are a number of ways to locate septic tanks on a property. Older systems can be more difficult as there might not be any original documentation on older systems. If no documentation is available then a probe can be used to locate tanks. Inspector must be careful using a probe as it can damage piping or fiberglass tanks.
Picture represents a faucet drain. I learned in this training that leaky faucets or toilets can cause septic systems to prematurely fail, due to clogging if the system isn’t allowed time to properly separate solids and liquids as the effluent level in the tank will constantly move and change and not have time to settle.
I reviewed the septic tank section in the gallery to better understand the components of a septic system. I learned that the field size is important in determining how much waste can be absorbed into the soil. Also, if the field is too small, it can cause back up and pooling in the drainage field.
The above image is showing the inlet pipe and baffle of a 750 USG septic tank that is aged approximately 12 years. As it can be seen in the image, the pipe and baffle are both in good condition giving no signs of cracking or deterioration. The baffle in this tank constructed of plastic so it should continue to function well into the future as the plastic will hold up well to the corrosive environment in the septic tank. This image was taken after the tank was pumped, however, prior to pumping the water levels at the inlet and outlet indicated that the system was functioning correctly at the time it was observed.
A septic system is a type of wastewater treatment unit that separates solids from liquid effluent and uses the natural anaerobic process to treat the effluent. The effluent that leaves the tank enters the septic drain field where another natural process aerobic treatment is carried out by bacteria that cleans and filters the wastewater before it drains down into the water table. Locating septic systems can be difficult but using resources such as drawings, homeowners, and transmitting devices along with the following tips can be helpful: green lush grass, and melting snow. Baffles are one of the most important items in a septic tank and system. The baffles ensure only clear effluent is entering the drain field by keeping any solids away from entering the outlet pipe. Additionally, the baffle on the inlet side is very important as it slows the flow of the incoming water preventing turbulence. This helps with the settlement of solids in the tank. A few key maintenance items for septic systems are only flush bath tissue into the septic, no vehicular traffic over the septic system, only plant grass on the septic system, divert any surface runoff away from the septic system, and fix leaky fixtures in the home. A few notable safety items are to use proper PPE when inspecting septic systems, do not enter or lean into a septic tank, and to be aware that septic tanks may collapse if they are deteriorated so use caution when first approaching a septic tank.
mkeyser
(Maxwell J. Keyser, CCB# 206701 OCHI# 1785)
1251
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Cess pools are no longer considered a viable option as they are not as effective at treating waste water and can be dangerous or even hazardous in certain instances. Ideally cesspool systems should be upgraded to modern standards to ensure safety and function.
mkeyser
(Maxwell J. Keyser, CCB# 206701 OCHI# 1785)
1252
Research & Writing Assignment:
Leach fields are a very important aspect of any well functioning septic system. Issues with the leach field can cause catastrophic issues and even pose health and safety concerns. A well functioning leach field should release treated waste water that is relatively clear and clean.
The photo is an aerator for an aerobic septic system. The aerator is an essential part of the aerobis septic system. The aerator introduces air in to the septic system to allow the growth of bacteria. The bacteria will break down wastewater rendering it harmless to the environment.
I reviewed a photo of solar panels from the gallery. Solar energy is growing in popularity by those seeking alternate renewable energy sources. Solar panels store energy from the sun and that energy is used to power electrical components within the house or business.
Locating a septic tank can be difficult. The best way to start is just going to the crawlspace or basement and find the main waistline exiting through the wall. Once you have determined the location of the waist line go to the exterior and using a probing rod, gently probe around until you find the tank. Please usually within 10 to 15 feet of the house.
Measuring the scum and sludge layers is a good way to evaluate the function of the septic system. One example is that the scum and sludge layers should not exceed 1/3 of the total height of the tank. Another example is that the scam later should not be within 3 inches off the discharge.
A septic tank is an underground chamber made of concrete, fiberglass or plastic through which domestic wastewater (sewage) flows for basic treatment.[1] Settling and anaerobic processes reduce solids and organics, but the treatment efficiency is only moderate (referred to as “primary treatment”).[1] Septic tank systems are a type of simple onsite sewage facility (OSSF). They can be used in areas that are not connected to a sewerage system, such as rural areas
Leach field trenches, The drain field typically consists of an arrangement of trenches containing perforated pipes and porous material (often gravel) covered by a layer of soil to prevent animals (and surface runoff) from reaching the wastewater distributed within those trenches
The septic system installed at the property consists of 3 red clay vessels with concrete lids and capacity of roughly 30 gallons each buried at a depth of 8’6" with no inspection risers present. The effluent piping is comprised of a product known as Orangeburg coal tar impregnated wood fiber pipe, and has a drain field that discharges to ground surface 415 horizontal feet downstream of the final septic chamber. The combination of weak and damage prone pipe material, along with no properly sized septic tank or inspection risers present result in this system being in unsatisfactory condition and in need of complete replacement.
Some very important points of inspection regarding single chamber septic tanks can be clearly identified by viewing the single compartment septic tank graphics in the InterNACHI Illustration Gallery. Primary to these is inspecting the inlet and discharge tee and the drop leg attached to that tee. The tee acts as a baffle and the drop leg acts as a compartment divider to perform two important functions. One of these is to maintain the correct space above the clear water section for the scum layer to reside. The other is to prevent rapid inflow of effluent from the structure from mixing or stirring the three layers inside the septic tank. If care is not taken during septic tank cleaning, these tees and drop legs can be impacted by the cleaning suction hose and break them off. Discovering that these fittings are broken off is not that unusual in actual inspections and is therefore a very important, and very specific item to look for.
