noises

[wannabee]

WG, need to pick your mind again,first time owning home with septic system. I had new system installed when moving in about year ago.state involved to meet code requirements ETC. Has 500 gal tank, If I remember right 70' drain field, no lift station needed. Have two bathrooms in home. Lower level & 2nd floor. The lower level is built into hill and floor level is parallel with outside. Anyways last couple days have noticed the water closet on the lower level has been?? gurgling for few seconds or so, like air bubbling and belching back into bowl? Able to hear last night again while in same area of bathroom. Also now noticed (not each test flush) that closet flushes slower and tends to rise and reseed slowly, like when plugged? Not doing in 2nd floor bath. Stand corrected been 1&1/2 years installed just before moving. Havent had pumped nor have I had anyone out to do any servicing since installed. Going to check, mention made some type filter out there. Any ideas welcome! Thanks Mu :?: ch

[Wgoodrich]

We are in a rainy season now. What conditions do you have. Do you have water standing over your septic field? Do you have water table close to top of finished grade? Sounds like you have a drainage problem not a plumbing problem. If you have a crawl space is there water standing. I know you are saying that you are on a hill with house in side of hill from what you are saying. Is the septic field in a low part of the land around you? What about a perimeter drain system around your septic field did they install one to an approved outlet or to daylight? Lets do a bit of experimenting.

If your soil pipe leaving you home is in the crawl space and is plastic then buy a rubber boot and cut your soil pipe in the crawl space. Cut out about an inch of that soil pipe leaving a gap between the two pipes close to the level of the outlet to the outside of the house.. Then watch that gap while you flush the toilet once. If water rushes out in force into the crawl space and the toilet flushes properly. I know this is a bit messy but a sure bet telling you if plumbing or if septic. Suspect septic design.

If your flush rushes into the crawl space then your septic if flooded. If most the water jumps the gap into the bottom pipe then into the septic then you may still have a septic problem. If you still hear the gurgling and slow output of the toilet then the problem is plumbing.

Once you have done the test then use the rubber boot and hose clamps with the boot to close that gap. Easily done and ends your guess work.

Let us know what you experience.

Wg

[wannabee]

Been a few month's condition with belching air slowly was happening more often. Snow finally melted, also had talked with retired plumber who suggested vent pipe possibly frozen over, said that happens quite often here. Well your hunch was right! problem was with the septic system. The filter was plugged leading from tank to drain field. Simple looking webbing(plastic) about 2' long cylinder shaped inserts into pipe leading to drain field. Standing grey water at this point, wasn,t to sure what to expect when opening the cover on tank???? Worse odors using the john at a Packer game. Any ways took in the woods hosed it off water reseeded ? maybe 18" and been fine now. Though I'd pass on my findings incase anyother posters have this problem. Kinda a tacky job you put off till you do it or call someone in. Woudn't hesitate to do again now that I see what it's about. Had been in formed to wear gloves if a open sore or cut. Thanks again! By the way tank is 1000 gal not 500 I had posted .

[Wgoodrich]

Quite often if you have a plugged system after the outlet of your tank you need to also be concerned about the tank. What happens is sludge tops off inside the tank then the sludge tries to enter your finger system. YOU DO NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

Call a septic company and have your tank pumped out or you will have much trouble in the future.

When a tank is pumped out the sludge is removed and the tank starts digesting again protecting your finger system.

YOU DO NOT WANT SLUDGE TO LEAVE THE TANK GETTING INTO THE FINGER SYSTEM. To avoid this have your tank pumped out. Not too expensive and best maintenance you can do for a septic system.

Good Luck

Wg