Hi, don't know much of anything about septic tanks. I discovered mine today! Every year during the spring usually (rain) I smelled something, couldn't find the source until today. About a foot or two on the west side of the house I found the 4-6" pipe that I assume runs to the septic tank. Not sure what kind it is.

My question is, is it normal during heavy rain and the following few days to have a smell? And is it normal to see a bit of paper sitting on the top and to the sides of the pipe? I'm assuming all the rain created a bit of fill to it and forced some of the paper to the top.

Basically, do I need this thing serviced?

Thanks for any advice you may be able to give me.

You shouldn't be able to smell the septic. It sounds like your drain field is becoming saturated and causing the sewage to back up in the pipe. It will require an on site inspection before anything definite can be answered.

If you don't know about septic systems, hire a specialist. Check with your neighbors or the local telephone book for those companies that specializes in septic systems.

Best Wishes

I just redid part of my septic system.
Found out whoever did the original install has installed the tank backwards.
Checking with our county, about 10 years ago they required the tank manufacturers to mark the inlet and outlet on the tank but still have aobut 6-8 a year that are installed backward.
(my tank is over 30 years old).

FWIW:
1) Measure from the top of the tank to the bottom of the inlet pipe and also measure for the top of the tank to the bottom of the outlet pipe. Then outlet pipe should be approximately 2 inches lower than the inlet pipe (ie. the outlet measurement should be greater than the inlet measurement).

2) To check you leaching field, stick a hose insde the outlet pipe, turn if on full, and let it run for 20 minutes. If you have no water backing up from the pipe into the tank your field should be OK.

It may be that when the ground become saturated (from rain) or you have a high water table, your perculation drops with the additional rain water. In this case you may require an alternative system. I'd shop around as prices vary greatly.

3) If it is an older system your distribution box may also be an issue.
The new ones (out of concrete) now require flash in the mix to keep them from breaking down.
So if the box has collapsed, you may Not be using all of your available leeching field.

Hope this helps some.

Thank you all for your replies. I'll give a pro a call.

One other thought:

I have read (no personal experience regarding it) that a leeching field can be rejuvenated instead of replaced by installing an aerator inside the tank and then continuing to use the same system.

Aerators (normally used commercially and in some alternative systems) do a better job of multiply the bacteria more rapidly than anerobic system. The bacteria is what eats the sewage.

Since I'm NOT a biologist, the only question I have is since a normal septic system is an anerobic
process (without oxygen) versus an aerator (which is an aerobic process -- with oxygen), I have some questions as to how the aerobic bacteria will work in an anerobic environment.

I also can't speak to the dangers of aerators used in small septic systems. In large commerical system they inject about 70-80 percent air into the sewage. Consequently anyone around a commerical system while the aerators are running must be very careful NOT to fall in. Not that your would want to fall in anyway. Since there is so much air, you CANNOT swim, and will sink to the bottom where you will smother not drown. IN the 7o's we did some testing with dummies and the most advanced May Wests (life jackets) at the time, and nothing keep the dummy from sinking to the bottom of the pond when the aerators were operating.



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