My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?


You need to give it a name.

I suggest "harry".



--
Adam

On 19/02/2017 17:53, ARW wrote:
On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?


You need to give it a name.

I suggest "harry".


:-)

On Sun, 19 Feb 2017 17:34:16 +0000, wrote:

My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

Don't fall in.

On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

Not a lot I think.

Years ago we moved into a 6 year old bungalow with a septic tank.
Previous owners had knocked a hole in the side of the tank amd directed
the outflow into a soakaway. I installed land drains, one of which
inadvertently went through the middle of the soakway. Where it came out
into a stream, probably about 75yds away, the water was clean and did
not smell. 8 years after that main sewerage arrived. I connected a
year or so later when the septic tank was beginning to overflow. We had
it pumped out and later when I extended the property the septic tank was
filled with earth from the footings.


--
Old Codger
e-mail use reply to field

What matters in politics is not what happens, but what you can make
people believe has happened. [Janet Daley 27/8/2003]

On Sunday, February 19, 2017 at 5:34:20 PM UTC, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

I have a septic tank and we have only once had something go wrong and that was a blockage in the drain system. OH rodded it out.

A lot may well depend on the type of tank you have. My mother and allegedly me too, have the type that do not need regular pumping. My mothers hasnt been done for over 30 years, mine has been going to my knowledge now for 20 years. I was once told it was the sort that didnt need to be pumped out at all.

They ( as in powers that be) do say they should be pumped out regularly.

Dont use too much bleach in the toilet. Make sure you dont put a lot of grease down and check it every now and again. I have a tendency to not use a lot of chemicals mainly because I am a bit sensitive to them myself so reckon so is my septic tank. If you read thin gs like dishwasher tabs and rinse aid ( if you use it) they will usually say " safe for septic tanks" Ditto cleaning and washing powders etc. I have only met the odd one or two products that say not suitable for septic tanks.

You will soon know if you have a problem - it will overflow from the inspection hatch.

ARW Wrote in message:
On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?


You need to give it a name.

I suggest "harry".


Short for "tank of ****"?
--
Jim K


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

wrote in message
...
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After a
little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal unit,
not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will need
pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it may need
reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else do I need
to know?

I've heard it said that you shouldn't use plungers or anything else which
gets rid of blockages by raising the pressure upstream of the blockage. You
should only use rods which break up the blockage and then allow liquid to
wash it away.

My parents have a holiday cottage that has a septic tank and as far as I
know they have never had to have it pumped out in the 40 years they've owned
the property, although it doesn't get as much use as if we lived there full
time.

Funny story: when we bought the cottage, the present septic tank had been
installed but there was also an open-topped breezeblock-lined pit in the
back garden, with an earthenware T piece sticking out of a pipe half-way up
the wall of the tank. Talking to the locals, we heard the tale. The previous
owner had the cesspit (*) dug and the pipe installed to the toilet and
kitchen sink. Before the builders put the "roof" on the tank and covered it
over with topsoil, they tested it. And the discovered that the outlet into
the tank was about 2 feet higher than the toilet outlet. **** doesn't flow
uphill! So they (or maybe another company) had to dig the new tanks which
are under the drive and are definitely below the toilet level. The old tank
came in very handy for dumping building waste, old storage heaters etc as we
were redeveloping the cottage - easier than carting it all to the tip. Once
we'd finished, we got one of the farmers to use his JCB to fill in the
remainder of the hole with soil from the rest of the garden and then to roll
it to compact it. That was about 35 years ago and there's not been any
sinkage of the ground and the rockery that they put on the land.

But I'd love to have been there when the people tested the original septic
tank that that'd just dug - literally an "oh ****!" moment :-)


(*) DIfference between cesspit and septic tank: a cesspit is a single tank
which simply stores the sewage and doesn't process it or have any outflow of
treated (safe) sewage, and so needs to be emptied frequently, whereas a
septic tank is two tanks which act as a mini sewage works to decomposes the
sewage and allow the treated liquid to drain away, and so it doesn't need to
be emptied as frequently.

On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
What else do I need to know?

Short description - if it hasn't been through you it doesn't go down the
toilet.

Paper is OK, but not female sanitary products.

Andy

On 19/02/2017 20:45, NY wrote:

(*) DIfference between cesspit and septic tank: a cesspit is a single
tank which simply stores the sewage and doesn't process it or have any
outflow of treated (safe) sewage, and so needs to be emptied frequently,
whereas a septic tank is two tanks which act as a mini sewage works to
decomposes the sewage and allow the treated liquid to drain away, and so
it doesn't need to be emptied as frequently.

I stand corrected. My earlier post refers to a sceptic tank. It was in
fact a cesspit. That was why the previous owner had knocked a hole in
the side and drained it into a soakaway.


--
Old Codger
e-mail use reply to field

What matters in politics is not what happens, but what you can make
people believe has happened. [Janet Daley 27/8/2003]

On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

After I haggled the price at the last minute, the previous owner was
delighted to explain to me what I had bought,

I now avoid putting any cooking oil or fat down the drain to avoid them
becoming 'fatted up'.

It is worth checking exactly how the drains work. What I have is a large
cylindrical soak away. I do wonder how well it works when the ground is
very wet. Some years ago the local council put in mains drains. I have
not connected to them because my present arrangement has very low
running costs.


--
Michael Chare

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

On Sun, 19 Feb 2017 17:53:34 +0000, ARW wrote:

On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little.
After a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste
disposal unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that
it will need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area
around it may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this
correct? What else do I need to know?


You need to give it a name.

I suggest "harry".

Good one, but I think it's a little unfair on the tank - that at least
"inwardly digests" unlike its presumed cursorily glancing at Daily Mail
articles namesake.

--
Johnny B Good

On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

How many females are you taking with you ?.

They may not take too kindly to the No Bleach,
no tampons, no 'towels', no dirty underwear,
No 'obselete or lost' mobile phones, No more
using an entire bog roll in one go .....

On 19/02/2017 20:45, Chris Hogg wrote:

foul cloudy water being discharged into the drainage field, which

.... which, if someone complains to Defra, might result in a hefty
fine.

On 19/02/17 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

Well the facts for example.

You can put almost anything down a septic tank, If it doesn't break down
it will get sucked up when you empty it anyway

I strongly advise however that you install a Klargester bio-disc or
equivalent. I've had both and the Klargester is far more active, breaks
down more, pongs less and doesn't need a soakaway. The water is classed
as good enough to release into a ditch or other surface drainage.

Probably around £8,000 installed and worth every damned penny


--
The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all
private property.

Karl Marx

On 19/02/17 22:31, Michael Chare wrote:
On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

After I haggled the price at the last minute, the previous owner was
delighted to explain to me what I had bought,

I now avoid putting any cooking oil or fat down the drain to avoid them
becoming 'fatted up'.

Just throw caustic down, You end up with soap


It is worth checking exactly how the drains work. What I have is a large
cylindrical soak away. I do wonder how well it works when the ground is
very wet. Some years ago the local council put in mains drains. I have
not connected to them because my present arrangement has very low
running costs.




--
The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all
private property.

Karl Marx

I feel this is an attempt at satire.


As a matter of interest, how does the property get its fresh water?

Brian

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"ARW" wrote in message
...
On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?


You need to give it a name.

I suggest "harry".



--
Adam

On Sunday, 19 February 2017 22:21:03 UTC, Old Codger wrote:

My earlier post refers to a sceptic tank.

I doubt that. Ho ho...

On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

We lived with a Klargister septic tank for 28 years. Despite what others
say we put everything down the drain that would go down if we were on
main drains and never had a problem. However we did have it emptied
every two years.

Our neighbour didn't and theirs overfilled with solids so when they did
have it emptied the top compartment collapsed under the weight resulting
in an expensive bill to have it replaced.

Furthermore depending on where you are many are now having to be
replaced with expensive powered processing systems due to ground water
contamination. This includes the one at our old house. The current
owners tell me it cost £12k plus!

Mike

On 20/02/2017 11:28, Muddymike wrote:
On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

We lived with a Klargister septic tank for 28 years. Despite what others
say we put everything down the drain that would go down if we were on
main drains and never had a problem. However we did have it emptied
every two years.

Our neighbour didn't and theirs overfilled with solids so when they did
have it emptied the top compartment collapsed under the weight resulting
in an expensive bill to have it replaced.

Furthermore depending on where you are many are now having to be
replaced with expensive powered processing systems due to ground water
contamination. This includes the one at our old house. The current
owners tell me it cost £12k plus!

Mike
This may have been mentioned earlier in the thread, but is is too long
to plough though. I now use Muck Munchers, flush these down the toilet
once a month and there are no smells, also the tank rarely needs
emptying. My parents house also had an old fashioned septic tank, this
dis not get emptied for the duration of the second world war, it worked
fine for the duration, ponged a bit at times though!

On 19/02/2017 17:34, wrote:
My preparation for moving from modern suburbia to old rural continues.

Previous houses have all been connected to mains sewerage but the one
we're moving to has a septic tank, about which I know very little. After
a little research I now think I know: not to install a waste disposal
unit, not to put coffee grounds or grease down the sink, that it will
need pumping out every 3-4 years and that the leaching area around it
may need reconstruction every 20 years or so. Is this correct? What else
do I need to know?

Thanks for the info. Sadly I'm not going ahead with the purchase because
of a bad structural survey, but the info will be useful in the future.