On Fri, 6 Sep 2019 10:45:35 -0700 (PDT), Davej
wrote:

On Thursday, September 5, 2019 at 9:57:08 AM UTC-5, Arlen G. Holder wrote:
On Wed, 4 Sep 2019 16:38:12 -0700, Bob F wrote:

How do you know you never needed it? Aren't you at risk of a trashed
septic system if you don't have it checked once in a while?

How am I supposed to know if there is no "problem" extant?


You have to check it periodically unless you just don't care if you
may suddenly need to call in a backhoe to replace your drainage field.
What do you check? You check the amount of sludge and the amount of
scum. If either of those layers are thicker than 1/3 of the fluid
level then you definitely need to have the tank pumped out.

I do know old rednecks who dig a big hole, scoop out the scum with a
shovel and bury it but I would not do that for $400.
I did hire a machine and replace my drain field myself tho. I used
chambers instead of perf pipe so they say I will die before my system
does. I did all of the backfill with a shovel but I didn't have the
same time pressure as I did to get the drains in. I had the tank
pumped to buy a few days tho. The way it turned out by the time the
tank was full, I was trying to get the grass going again. Backfill
goes faster than digging even for a 70+ year old guy