Hi
I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.Â* There is a problemÂ* with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and forced to spend a bunch of money.
The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now but they say that it is a very small capacity system, and they suspect there might be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching pipe. They want to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the driveway, which would then have to be repaved.
IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well.
On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add a bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system or add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I will still need to have the building plan approved by the city, is it possible the city will require updating the septic system because it is old and low capacity system by modern standards??
Thanks

On 9/10/2020 1:01 PM, wrote:
Hi
I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.Â* There is a problemÂ* with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and forced to spend a bunch of money.
The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now but they say that it is a very small capacity system, and they suspect there might be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching pipe. They want to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the driveway, which would then have to be repaved.
IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well.
On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add a bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system or add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I will still need to have the building plan approved by the city, is it possible the city will require updating the septic system because it is old and low capacity system by modern standards??
Thanks


That would depend on local regulations. If you make changes and put an
addition it is very likely the system will have to be updated.
Meantime, you are potentially sinking is your own **** if the system is
not working correctly. Do you have a well also? You may contaminate it
with spillage. Or your neighbors and be liable.

I'd fix the time bomb before it really blows a hole in your finances.

On 9/10/2020 1:13 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 9/10/2020 1:01 PM, wrote:
Hi
I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.Â* There is a
problemÂ* with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and
forced to spend a bunch of money.
The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch
in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic
service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now but they say
that it is a very small capacity system, and they suspect there might
be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching pipe. They want
to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the
driveway, which would then have to be repaved.
IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I
be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole
system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well.
On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe
an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add a
bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system or
add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I will
still need to have the building plan approved by the city, is it
possible the city will require updating the septic system because it
is old and low capacity system by modern standards??
Thanks


That would depend on local regulations.Â* If you make changes and put an
addition it is very likely the system will have to be updated. Meantime,
you are potentially sinking is your own **** if the system is not
working correctly.Â* Do you have a well also?Â* You may contaminate it
with spillage.Â* Or your neighbors and be liable.

I'd fix the time bomb before it really blows a hole in your finances.

I'd fix it too and bite the bullet and do whatever upgrade is needed.
Backup may indicate that tank was not pumped frequently enough and
sludge overflowed into drain field.

I recall someone looking to buy a lot to build a house but the county
limited it to 3 bedrooms because of the septic perk test.

I have also seen the county change the rules whereas a couple of
neighbors with apparently too good a perk had to install treatment tanks
before gray water went to drain field. Cost them a bundle.

On Thu, 10 Sep 2020 14:22:04 -0400, Frank wrote:

On 9/10/2020 1:13 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 9/10/2020 1:01 PM, wrote:
Hi
I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.* There is a
problem* with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and
forced to spend a bunch of money.
The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch
in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic
service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now but they say
that it is a very small capacity system, and they suspect there might
be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching pipe. They want
to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the
driveway, which would then have to be repaved.
IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I
be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole
system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well.
On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe
an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add a
bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system or
add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I will
still need to have the building plan approved by the city, is it
possible the city will require updating the septic system because it
is old and low capacity system by modern standards??
Thanks


That would depend on local regulations.* If you make changes and put an
addition it is very likely the system will have to be updated. Meantime,
you are potentially sinking is your own **** if the system is not
working correctly.* Do you have a well also?* You may contaminate it
with spillage.* Or your neighbors and be liable.

I'd fix the time bomb before it really blows a hole in your finances.

I'd fix it too and bite the bullet and do whatever upgrade is needed.
Backup may indicate that tank was not pumped frequently enough and
sludge overflowed into drain field.
I recall someone looking to buy a lot to build a house but the county
limited it to 3 bedrooms because of the septic perk test.
I have also seen the county change the rules whereas a couple of
neighbors with apparently too good a perk had to install treatment tanks
before gray water went to drain field. Cost them a bundle.


+ 1

I also question the mid-driveway "hatch" ... ?
In a wintery climate, the frost goes deeper under a driveway.
Also - some idiots will route the downspouts into the septic
system ... duh.
John T.

On Thu, 10 Sep 2020 10:01:00 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Hi
I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.Â* There is a problemÂ* with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and forced to spend a bunch of money.
The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now but they say that it is a very small capacity system, and they suspect there might be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching
pipe. They want to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the driveway, which would then have to be repaved.
IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well.
On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add a bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system or add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I will still need to have the building plan approved by the
city, is it possible the city will require updating the septic system because it is old and low capacity system by modern standards??
Thanks

The idea that the pipe from the tank to D box is bad is valid. If this
screws up again, plan on a concrete patch (assuming the driveway is
concrete). Maybe make it look like you planned it that way and put a
design in there. If the field is trash you could be in serious
financial troubles, depending on what the code has changed to reflect.
Where I am you would be buying "mound system" and a pump.

Then in the next few years the city will put a sewer pipe in front of
your house and make you hook up, throwing that septic money you spent
in the trash.

In alt.home.repair, on Thu, 10 Sep 2020 15:58:22 -0400,
wrote:

On Thu, 10 Sep 2020 10:01:00 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Hi
I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.* There is a problem* with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and forced to spend a bunch of money.
The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now
but they say that it is a very small capacity system,

How many people live there?

and they suspect there might be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching
pipe. They want to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the driveway, which would then have to be repaved.
IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well.
On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add a bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system or add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I will still need to have the building plan approved by the
city, is it possible the city will require updating the septic system because it is old and low capacity system by modern standards??
Thanks

You should end your lines at 72 characters. Although it didn't look
this bad in the OP

The idea that the pipe from the tank to D box is bad is valid. If this
screws up again, plan on a concrete patch (assuming the driveway is
concrete). Maybe make it look like you planned it that way and put a
design in there.

Good idea.

If the field is trash you could be in serious
financial troubles, depending on what the code has changed to reflect.
Where I am you would be buying "mound system" and a pump.

Then in the next few years the city will put a sewer pipe in front of
your house and make you hook up, throwing that septic money you spent
in the trash.

You should be able to filnd out if they're going to do that soon. Most
places plan years in advance.

On 9/10/20 12:01 PM, wrote:
Hi
I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.Â* There is a problemÂ* with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and forced to spend a bunch of money.
The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now but they say that it is a very small capacity system, and they suspect there might be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching pipe. They want to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the driveway, which would then have to be repaved.
IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well.
On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add a bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system or add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I will still need to have the building plan approved by the city, is it possible the city will require updating the septic system because it is old and low capacity system by modern standards??
Thanks

What do you want to do with the house? I have the impression
you don't need it. Move into it? Rent it? Maybe the answer would be
those house flippers I see on tv.

On Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:30:40 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Thu, 10 Sep 2020 15:58:22 -0400,
wrote:


If the field is trash you could be in serious
financial troubles, depending on what the code has changed to reflect.
Where I am you would be buying "mound system" and a pump.

Then in the next few years the city will put a sewer pipe in front of
your house and make you hook up, throwing that septic money you spent
in the trash.

You should be able to filnd out if they're going to do that soon. Most
places plan years in advance.

It is already in the plan here but the time frame is 2 years to 7
years. That really doesn't matter if poop is coming up in your shower.
I suppose you would be more likely to sneak in a jack leg repair
instead of a replacement if you knew it was coming tho.
For most people that might be as easy as digging up the D box and
adding another lead or two. Then try to limit the water you flush. I
added two 20 foot "Chambers" (Drums cut in half) and 5 yards of gravel
once I figured out where the field was going and where I could get
some virgin soil. I knew a guy with a mini excavator who dug it out
for $300, a couple hundred for gravel and the drums were free. I also
had the 4" PVC pipe. I was shoveling and wheeling gravel for a few
hours and then another few hours covering it with dirt but it keeps me
young. $500 and some sweat was a lot better than $15,000 or more.

http://gfretwell.com/ftp/Drain%20system.jpg

On 9/10/2020 6:51 PM, Dean Hoffman wrote:
On 9/10/20 12:01 PM, wrote:
Hi
I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.Â* There is a
problemÂ* with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and
forced to spend a bunch of money.
The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch
in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic
service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now but they say
that it is a very small capacity system, and they suspect there might
be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching pipe. They want
to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the
driveway, which would then have to be repaved.
IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I
be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole
system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well.
On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe
an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add a
bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system or
add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I will
still need to have the building plan approved by the city, is it
possible the city will require updating the septic system because it
is old and low capacity system by modern standards??
Thanks

Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* What do you want to do with the house?Â*Â* I have the impression
you don't need it.Â* Move into it?Â* Rent it?Â*Â*Â* Maybe the answer would be
those house flippers I see on tv.

Good point. Sounds like he wants to keep it.
We may be in the same boat in a couple of years inheriting a house in
poor repair. What do you do if the house is worth less than the cost of
upgrade to current standards?

On 9/10/20 6:59 PM, Frank wrote:
On 9/10/2020 6:51 PM, Dean Hoffman wrote:
On 9/10/20 12:01 PM, wrote:
Hi
I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.Â* There is a
problemÂ* with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and
forced to spend a bunch of money.
The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch
in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic
service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now but they say
that it is a very small capacity system, and they suspect there might
be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching pipe. They want
to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the
driveway, which would then have to be repaved.
IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I
be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole
system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well.
On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe
an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add
a bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system
or add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I
will still need to have the building plan approved by the city, is it
possible the city will require updating the septic system because it
is old and low capacity system by modern standards??
Thanks

Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* What do you want to do with the house?Â*Â* I have the
impression you don't need it.Â* Move into it?Â* Rent it?Â*Â*Â* Maybe the
answer would be those house flippers I see on tv.

Good point.Â* Sounds like he wants to keep it.
We may be in the same boat in a couple of years inheriting a house in
poor repair.Â* What do you do if the house is worth less than the cost of
upgrade to current standards?

Would the local fire department want to practice?

On Thu, 10 Sep 2020 19:59:27 -0400, Frank wrote:

On 9/10/2020 6:51 PM, Dean Hoffman wrote:
On 9/10/20 12:01 PM, wrote:
Hi
I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.Â* There is a
problemÂ* with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and
forced to spend a bunch of money.
The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch
in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic
service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now but they say
that it is a very small capacity system, and they suspect there might
be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching pipe. They want
to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the
driveway, which would then have to be repaved.
IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I
be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole
system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well.
On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe
an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add a
bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system or
add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I will
still need to have the building plan approved by the city, is it
possible the city will require updating the septic system because it
is old and low capacity system by modern standards??
Thanks

Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* What do you want to do with the house?Â*Â* I have the impression
you don't need it.Â* Move into it?Â* Rent it?Â*Â*Â* Maybe the answer would be
those house flippers I see on tv.

Good point. Sounds like he wants to keep it.
We may be in the same boat in a couple of years inheriting a house in
poor repair. What do you do if the house is worth less than the cost of
upgrade to current standards?

Down here in most of Florida the decision is made for you by FEMA. You
can't spend more than half of the tax collector appraisal of the
building only for any permitted repair or renovation unless you get it
"x" feet up above the flood plane. That either means you don't do much
or you tear it down.
I had the chance to buy a preFIRM house next to me several years ago
as we were just starting to come out of the housing crash. I did the
tax auction, a foreclosure auction and a bid on the open market. I
missed it by a few thousand (I stopped at $100k). I was planning on
gutting it and making a shop. I didn't care that the septic was only
good for a couple poops a day.
The folks that bought it got caught right away in the septic trap.
They made a mistake of trying to get a remodel permit and before they
even got through permit intake that septic inspection cost them $20k
just to maintain their CO. (That included other plumbing like
replacing the rusted out pipe under the house that the inspector
found.)

Long story short they paid 102k spent another 100k (most off the books
to duck FEMA) and they still have a $200k house that FEMA wants them
to tear down. To top that CDC has told the renter, he doesn't have to
pay.

I may bid on this the next time it goes over on some kind of default.