I am looking for a tool to take a soil sample in the leaching (weeping) field for a septic inspection. I have heard tales of such a tool but have never seen one. Anyone know anything about it?
Anyone tha does septic inspections recommend any other specialty tools?
TJ, I use a Tru-core sludge sampler for tank layer measurements. http://www.gag-simtech.com/index_files/Page832.htm
I also have a small submersible pump with 150 ’ hose, for flow testing. Lots of waterfront property here to pull water right from the lake. I also welded up a dozen 4’ steel rods with a “T” handle on it for probing. Make one with a hook on the end for lifting the float on the dosing chamber pumps. It also works good on sump pump floats. Spray painted them orange, and they stand out good in the photos at each corner of the septic tank.
Maybe one other “specialty tool”…some noseplugs ! :shock:
How do you plan to identify the location of the leach field???
Location of the leech field for the most part can be found visually with the assistance of tank location and surface indicators.
I don’t plan on mapping it out or anything, just curious as to soil samples of the leeching field soil/sand.
TJ… I’m just curious on why you would want to take a soil sample in the leeching field?
Honestly, I am just curious about the tool. I have heard of it being used to determine to condition of the soil.
It was an older gentleman telling me about a tool that you pushed into the ground, give it a twist and it pulls a small sample. The idea is that you could see if the leech field is saturated or not.
Just curiosity. And of course other tools people use.
Doing the Guelph university course with ontario waste waste and write the provicial exam on March 5th.
Hope you’re enjoying the course. Lots of relaxing reading, eh? :shock: I was thinking about taking the 1-day Soils course on May 6 in Guelph. Let me know if you’re interested.
Around here we use a shovel. It would be hard to “push a tool into the field of stone and pull out a core sample” as far as I know.
http://www.mcoexcavators.com/images/img_0483_x13d.jpg
There are other types of fields but that is another story.
Peter Russell may be along to give you the pro version of all this. He is the resident expert on septics and their fields, etc.
It’s called a soil test coring tool and a quick internet search will give you plenty to look at. I have never used this tool on our septic inspections and prefer to hand dig the leach field or EDA (Effluent disposal area). In my opinion to really know what is going on you need to dig down into the field and take a good look around. We used to have a guy here in NH who would probe into the soil with a 3/8 rod and if the rod came up “dry” on the end he would declare the system in good condition…he is long gone. Look up fellow NH inspector Peter Russell, he posts regularly in the Auxiliary Inspection section of this forum…he knows his sh*t and posts many pictures of his septic inspections and proper methods for inspections.
Here’s the probe I use. Very helpful for systems that are deep and you need a sample of the sand under the laterals. When sand base systems age the sand will turn from it’s natural color to gray then black. These probes obviously only work on sand systems but still a good tool to have.
http://www.benmeadows.com/ams-soil-step-probes_36814701/
As you can see in the picture’s this system had the tell tale signs of aging and my opinion this EDA was about half way through it’s life expectancy.
Found a new tool for testing septics.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=71523&cat=2,2280,33160
Here’s what I use for flow tests.
