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Not always. I've owned 4 houses with septic systems, all in the snow zone. Same amount of septic usage for each. Tank heat only melted the snow more quickly than the rest of the yard at one of them.
Interesting. Our snow always melted after first day. It was fun to look out at the yard and see a rectangle of green amongst the white snow.
Interesting. Our snow always melted after first day. It was fun to look out at the yard and see a rectangle of green amongst the white snow.
Probably influenced by soil temperatures. If the weather doesn't stay consistently cold enough to freeze the soil all around and over the tank the heat it generates would probably melt the snow right over it. Where I've lived the ground freezes solid for several months, snow cover or not.
Here, every house with a septic tank must have the tank pumped and inspected before sale. Our tank is under the gravel driveway, with a few identifiable rocks over the cap. For those who don't know where the tank is located, most pumping companies will flush a sender into the tank and read the signal.
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Location: Ocala, FL
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In my experience, the septic tank is located by pushing a long, thin metal rod into the ground until they hit the concrete tank or the leach field if the owner is uncertain of the location.
In my experience, the septic tank is located by pushing a long, thin metal rod into the ground until they hit the concrete tank or the leach field if the owner is uncertain of the location.
Same here, but you and I are in areas with no threat of deep frost, so tanks and lines are nearer to the surface. Most tanks and lines are less than 2 feet below the surface.
And, for many years here, installers have had to add risers to the tanks to provide access for maintenance.
In my experience, the septic tank is located by pushing a long, thin metal rod into the ground until they hit the concrete tank or the leach field if the owner is uncertain of the location.
Yes, the tracker devices are for when that method fails, either because it's too deep, the soil is too rocky, or the tank is not where expected.
This is such the right timing for this question for me! Thank you for asking it!
My property has a rental house that has a septic, which was NOT cleaned prior to sale. There is NO above ground pipe or marker of any kind, as there is with my own house. However, you can easily see from a depression in the ground where the actual tank is. But, that doesn't tell ya the location of the opening/outlet/pipe to connect to the sucker truck hose.
I started calling septic cleaner companies in my area regarding coming out to clean, and all but one (there are only four) told me I needed to have a PLUMBER do the locating.
So, I asked the one septic co that said they would do the location to come out and do the location work and cleaning.
Day 1: the nimrods with the truck were an hour and a half late and after looking around said they didn't have the right equipment. They said they would go get the right equipment and come back later in the afternoon. They never came back. They did call to say they would come two days later.
Day 2: the nimrods came with a "locator". They went into the crawlspace, CUT A PIPE to put the locator down it, and spent two (2) hours trying to find the correct location of the opening/outlet/pipe. Either their locator machine wasn't working, or they didn't know how to use it, because they never found the location. I made them leave after 2 hours when it was obvious nothing they were doing worked.
So now I've contacted two local plumbers (there are only 4) and talked with them about coming out to do the location work and fix the cut pipe. They both said they'd come when they can. Neither has called back or come out in about 10 days now.
So, I hope your experience is better than mine. Keep us abreast with what's happening at your site, and I'll keep you all up with my saga.
Have you thought about going into your crawlspace and looking at where the drainpipe goes and then looking in the yard about roughly where it exits? At that point you can walk around with a metal probe pushing til you find the tank.
The tank is pumped from the top of the tank. Newer tanks have accessible cleanouts. mine, as an example, doesn't. I go and unshovel the tank before I'd call someone out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Parnassia
Probably influenced by soil temperatures. If the weather doesn't stay consistently cold enough to freeze the soil all around and over the tank the heat it generates would probably melt the snow right over it. Where I've lived the ground freezes solid for several months, snow cover or not.
Well, the relative depth of the tank too. Some level of dirt will insulate it.
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