Septic emzyme

[Fleetmon]

Our tank is 1800 gallons.

Edit - there are only two of us but our "guy" said we were in good shape on our tank. I'm sure it would be a lot different with little ones or teenagers.

 

[doitmyself]

Regarding the additives, I have been too skeptical to use any. If a product advertises that it "dissolves" solids so that you never have to pump your tank, that would mean that material might be going into the leach field to eventually clog it up.

Also, if your laundry empties into the septic, I was told to use liquid detergents instead of powdered, which contains lots of fillers that also could clog up your field.

We pump our tank every 4 to 6 years based on measurement.

 

[Vikas]

And rebuilding leach field means you are looking at $40-50K :-(

 

[BISCUT]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
Regarding the additives, I have been too skeptical to use any. If a product advertises that it "dissolves" solids so that you never have to pump your tank, that would mean that material might be going into the leach field to eventually clog it up.

Also, if your laundry empties into the septic, I was told to use liquid detergents instead of powdered, which contains lots of fillers that also could clog up your field.

We pump our tank every 4 to 6 years based on measurement.


The comment concerning powder detergent is very true. When I built my house I was able to drop my washing machine line into my curtain drain which exits 40ft from the foundation into a grey water dry well. What can happen is the soap dry out and is a solid again and it can form a paste like dry toothpaste over time. What can also aid to clogging perforated pipe (fields) is clothing fibers from your washing machine.

 

[BISCUT]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
And rebuilding leach field means you are looking at $40-50K :-(


What kind of field are you using that it would cost 440-50k? Rebuilding a field shouldn't require any re-engineering or architect fees. I'm in DEC wetlands, mine is 5 rows of 90 with a run of 40ft to get to the fields. Material: Concrete junction boxes; perforated PVC runs of pipe and connectors; mine was 1k yards bank run; IIRC 100-200 ton impervious clay. Machine, machine operator, 1 laborer. 1-2 day job. I'm here in NY where these things can be very pricey. No where near $40-50k.

 

[Vikas]

I recall my friend had a premature failure of his system (less than 20 years) and he ended up paying quite a lot of money. It is possible that I might have not got the exact numbers right. Mass has specific requirement before real estate transfer can take place and what I can remember when we were buying a house, redoing septic had a cost of approximately the numbers I had listed. Oh, the entire soil needs to be replaced with a new soil. The old stuff needs to be hauled out and disposed off as it is considered hazardous waste. Of course, then the landscaping costs needs to be added back.

We have 1500 tank and 4 people and do about 7-10 high efficiency laundry loads per week. So far we have been emptying it every 2-3 years.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
And rebuilding leach field means you are looking at $40-50K :-(


In 2011, a brand-new system consisting of a 1500gal tank w/ sand filter (as opposed to leach field) cost me $8500 all-in. This replaced a failed 500g steel tank, leach field system from 1955.

All this had to be done for a house I had already sold! The new owner loved me.

Leach fields are non-existent in the W.NY area now. Almost no-one has soil that will allow for it, thus the need for sand filter systems. You can repair a leach field system all you want, but a brand-new, permitted by health dept. system will be a sand filter.

In regards to septic additives? Totally unnecessary. Some additives can push solids into your leach field or sand filter and/or clog your Zaebo filter if so equipped (and you're lucky).

Like said, system pumpings totally depends on the size, condition and amount of load on the system. You can ignore getting it pumped, but eventually, non-digestible solids (that form a floating layer) will build up to the point waste water cannot exit the tank. If you don't have an outflow filter (Zaebo, etc..), solids flow into your absorbtion system and now you've got big problems.

FWIW, current home has a 1000gal concrete tank and leach field system. I let it go ~4yrs (just had it pumped) and the sludge layer was super thick. I'll go every 2-3yrs now until the system fails.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: JTK
FWIW, current home has a 1000gal concrete tank and leach field system. I let it go ~4yrs (just had it pumped) and the sludge layer was super thick. I'll go every 2-3yrs now until the system fails.


WARNING!: The "teenage years" can be especially taxing on a septic system. I, too, went down to every 2 -3 years while we had 3 teens at home.....excess shower times, excess laundry, who knows what kind of chemicals flushed down the drains!

 

[rjundi]

The raised(no pumps) leach field and brand new septic tank 1750 gallon tank at my home was $20k for the prior owner of my home.

 

[Vikas]

what do you mean by "until the system fails"? is the failure expected?

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: rjundi
The raised(no pumps) leach field and brand new septic tank 1750 gallon tank at my home was $20k for the prior owner of my home.



Yeah, when the system in our previous home wouldn't pass the mandatory county health dept test 'prior to sale', I got 4 estimates. One was ~$20K, and 3 were in the low $8K range back in 2011.

Vikas, my until it fails comment means until my leach field stops leaching, which at some point they all will. At that point I'll hopefully be able to do just a repair, which would be dig out and replace the leach field (or add more) as opposed to replacing the whole system.

In my area, if you get the health dept involved, such as in the sale of a home, you have to go by the book and install the system how the health dept tells you to.

 

[crinkles]

We are looking at building a house soon.

Anaerobic septic system - standard one compartment tank, and leach field quoted $15,000.

Multi stage system - Anaerobic chamber, then Aerobic aeration chamber, clarifier and then UV disinfection. pumped to subsurface irrigiation 4" deep rather than a leach field (the leach field is expensive earthworks). Quoted $15,000. Needs quarterly inspections, which cost $400 a year.

Google Taylex AWTS.

Yes I am dreading our 3 kids using this - will need a sign made up like a few posts above.

 

[Vikas]

so, there is no such thing as forever septic system?

 

[rjundi]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
so, there is no such thing as forever septic system?


There is. It is dependent on your soil conditions under the leach field. Basically if you have a poor perk rate(rate a hole filled with water below leach field drains) it will likely get plugged and need replacement in the leach field. Also what you send down the drain influences this.

My parents have an instant perk due to sandy soil so even if problems exist water just drains instantly away. My parents have a 60year old system with 500 gallon tank on a 5 bedroom home. At one point 9 people lived there and everything still worked fine including a 50 gallon per load top washer running daily.

Ground water table/in place soil conditions drives the life of these systems.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: rjundi

Ground water table/in place soil conditions drives the life of these systems.


I agree with that, but even the fastest perking absorption system can get plugged with non-digestible solids over time.

I'd say the order that dictates how long a system will last is:

1) What goes down the drain and the volume of it.
2) How well the absorption bed perks.
3) How often the main tank is pumped of solids.

The system in our last home worked without issue from ~1955 until 2011. Even in 2011, it worked without backup, but would not pass a dye test performed by the county health dept that was required for a property transfer of ownership. The house sold quicker than I could get the system tested by the county. Word to the wise? Get a dye test done before you even put your house on the market!! Lesson learned for me for sure.

That system consisted of a horribly rusted ~500g steel tank that took on some rain water, but had 4 long absorption beds of sand and stone. The home is a 2000sq/ft, 3bdrm, 2 bath cape cod. When I had to pay to have the system replaced, the new code in my area is 500gal per bedroom.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: crinkles

Yes I am dreading our 3 kids using this - will need a sign made up like a few posts above.


Yes, keep up on that!

Super gross I know, but ladies still think nothing of flushing tampons. A horrible string mess will remain floating in your main tank. Don't use super fluffy toilet paper either.

 

[SHOZ]

I use copper sulfate in the spring and Roebic K-37 during the summer. The K-37 really works good at breaking down solids if they can break down. The copper sulfate kills off tree roots.

You can get swimming pool algae treatment for the copper sulfate. Much cheaper than the Roebic stuff.

http://www.roebic.com/k37-septic-tank-treatment.shtml