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 Mobile ViewSEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR ADDITIVES / TREATMENTS for SEPTIC SYSTEMS AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEMS ALTERNATING BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS BACKUP PREVENTION, SEPTIC BACKUP PREVENTION, SEWER LINE BACKWATER VALVES, SEWER LINE BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS BOOKS, RECOMMENDED SEPTIC BOOKSTORE, SEPTIC SYSTEMS CESSPOOLS CESSPOOL SAFETY WARNINGS CHECK VALVES, WATER SUPPLY CHEMICALS & TREATMENTS for SEPTICS CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER CISTERNS CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR D BOX TROUBLESHOOTING DEFINITIONS OF SEPTIC SYSTEM TERMS DIFFICULT SEPTIC SITES DISTRIBUTION-BOX INSPECTION, SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS DRIVING or PARKING OVER SEPTIC COMPONENTS? DRYWELL DESIGN & USES EFFLUENT RETENTION TIME FILTERS SEPTIC & GREYWATER FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODED SEPTIC SYSTEMS, REPAIR GARBAGE DISPOSAL vs SEPTICS GRAVELLESS SEPTIC SYSTEMS GRAVITY/SIPHON DOSING SYSTEMS GREYWATER SYSTEMS HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME SELLERS GUIDE TO SEPTIC INSPECT LAGOON SEPTIC SYSTEMS LEACHFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS MEDIA FILTER SEPTIC SYSTEMS MOUND SEPTIC SYSTEMS NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODOR DIAGNOSIS CHECKLIST ODORLESS CHEMICALS / GASES: CHECK FOR? ODORS, PLUMBING SYSTEM ODORS, SEPTIC or SEWER ODORS, SULPHUR SMELL SOURCES OUTHOUSES & LATRINES PLANTS & TREES OVER SEPTIC SYSTEMS PRESSURE DOSING SEPTIC SYSTEMS RAISED BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS SAND BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS SEEPAGE PITS SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY SEPTIC AUTHORITIES, DESIGN REGS SEPTIC BACKUP PREVENTION SEPTIC BACKUP REPAIR SEPTIC BOOK, FREE ONLINE SEPTIC BOOKSTORE SEPTIC BIOMATS SEPTIC CARE INSTRUCTIONS SEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCES SEPTIC CODES & REFERENCES SEPTIC CONSULTANTS SEPTIC D-BOX INSPECTION SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LIFE SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LOCATION SEPTIC DRAINFIELD RESTORERS? SEPTIC DRAINFIELD SIZE SEPTIC DRAINFIELD SHAPE SEPTIC DRAWINGS SEPTIC DYE TEST PROCEDURE SEPTIC FAILURE LAWSUIT SEPTIC FAILURE SIGNS SEPTIC FIELD INSPECTION SEPTIC FILTERS SEPTIC FLOOD RESPONSE SEPTIC HOLDING TANKS SEPTIC INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION CLASS SEPTIC LIFE EXPECTANCY SEPTIC LIFE MAXIMIZING STEPS SEPTIC METHANE GAS SEPTIC ODORS SEPTIC PUMPS SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR SEPTIC REFERENCES SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY SEPTIC SUPPLIES & PARTS SEPTIC SYSTEM DEFINITIONS SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN ALTERNATIVES SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN MANUAL - Online SEPTIC SYSTEM, HOME BUYERS GUIDE SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION CLASS SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION LEVELS SEPTIC SYSTEM ODORS SEPTIC SYSTEM PUMPS SEPTIC SYSTEM SAFETY WARNINGS SEPTIC SYSTEM TYPES, MASTER LIST SEPTIC TANK BAFFLES Lost or Rusted Baffles Concrete Baffles Flooded Septic Tanks Replacement Septic Tank Baffles/Tees SEPTIC TANK SOLIDS & SCUM SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS SEPTIC TANK COVERS SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE CLEANING SEPTIC TANKS MEASURE SCUM & SLUDGE SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION CHECLIST STEEL SEPTIC TANKS CONCRETE SEPTIC TANKS FIBERGLASS / PLASTIC SEPTIC TANKS HOME MADE SITE BUILT TANKS SEPTIC TANK BAFFLES SEPTIC TANK COVERS SEPTIC TANK SOLIDS & SCUM SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS SEPTIC TANK LEAKS SEPTIC TANK LEVELS of SEWAGE SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE SEPTIC TANK PUMPING REASONS SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE SEPTIC TANK SAFETY SEPTIC TANK SIZE SEPTIC TANK TEES SEPTIC TESTS: DYE & LOADING TESTS SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS SEPTIC PRODUCTS FOR SALE ARE ADDITIVES USEFUL? PUMPING PREVENTS FAILURES CANADA PROHIBITS ADDITIVES ONTARIO MINISTRY US EPA on ADDITIVES SEPTIC ADDITIVE TYPES SEPTIC DRAINFIELD RESTORERS? SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP SEWAGE & SEPTIC CONTAMINANTS SEWAGE CONTAMINATION in buildings SEWAGE CONTAMINANTS in FRUIT / VEGETABLES SEWAGE EJECTOR / GRINDER PUMPS SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS SEWAGE NITROGEN CONTAMINANTS SEWAGE PATHOGENS in SEPTIC SLUDGE SEWER BACKUP PREVENTION SEWER GAS ODORS SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS SMELL PATCH TEST to Track Down Odors SOAKAWAY BED FAILURE DIAGNOSIS SULPHUR & SEWER GAS SMELL SOURCES SUMP PUMPS TOILETS, INSPECT, INSTALL, REPAIR TOILET OVERFLOW EMERGENCY TOILET PLUGS, SEWER BACKUP TOILET REPAIR GUIDE TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST TRAPS on PLUMBING FIXTURES TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS, SEPTIC VIDEO GUIDES: Septic Videos WASHING MACHINES & SEPTIC SYSTEMS WASTEWATER TREATMENT BASICS WATER, WELLS, WATER TANKS: TESTING GUIDE WATER PURIFIERS WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT WATER QUANTITY USAGE GUIDE WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS WELL CLEARANCES WETLAND SEPTIC SYSTEMS WINTERIZE A BUILDING More Information |
This document describes how to inspect the condition of septic tank baffles at the septic tank inlet baffle and septic tank outlet baffle ports. Our page top photo shows a typical concrete septic tank baffle at the inlet pipe. Steel septic tanks have a similar barrier installed. Septic tank baffles are a key component of septic tanks which prevent damage to the drainfield by reducing effluent agitation as sewage enters the septic tank, and by preventing solids from flowing out of the tank to the drainfield. If the septic tank baffles are damaged, missing, or were never provided in the first place, the life of the drain field or leach field will be seriously shortened. Inspecting concrete septic tanks is a key component in onsite wastewater disposal systems. See SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS for details on normal and abnormal levels and what they mean. If your septic tank baffles are damaged and need repair or replacement, see SEPTIC TANK TEES how to install septic tank tees when tank baffles are damaged or missing. It's an easy repair. We also recommend septic tank outlet filters installed at the tank outlet tee to extend the drainfield life. See Using Septic Filters. This is a chapter of Septic Systems Inspection, Testing our online book about septic system inspection procedures, defects in onsite waste disposal systems, septic tank problems, septic drainfield problems, checklists of system components and things to ask. Readers of this page who discover that their septic tank baffles need repair should see Septic Tank Inlet and Outlet Tee Installation Details. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. SEPTIC TANK BAFFLES - Inspecting the Condition of Septic Tank BafflesIf at the septic tank outlet the baffles are damaged or missing, or if no replacement "tee" has been installed, you can be sure that sewage has been pushed into the drainfield or absorption system, reducing its future life by speeding soil clogging there. How to Find & Repair Lost or Rusted Septic Tank BafflesIf septic tank baffles are lost or damaged (rusted off on a steel tank or broken off on a concrete tank), they can be repaired or replaced. For example at a steel tank the contractor may simply insert a plastic piping "Tee" into the tank inlet or outlet to create a new baffle system.
Baffles in a septic tank are provided to keep solids and floating scum and grease inside the tank. Baffles are provided at both the inlet to the tank (from the building) and the outlet from the tank (to the absorption system). The steel septic tank shown above at left has a baffle that is rusted away at its top. On pumping this old steel septic tank one expects to see the baffle bottom has rusted off too. The home made septic tank shown above at right had no inlet baffle and a broken outlet baffle, factors in the rapid destruction of the leach field for this septic system.
Our photo (left) shows an old steel septic tank with the baffle at the right side of the photo. Just touching the baffle with a tool showed us that it was rusted and collapsing. This septic tank was pumped out, filled-in, and abandoned. But had the owners intended to use it they'd have needed to excavate the tank to install a baffle. That procedure is described in detail at SEPTIC TANK TEES. Finding solids at or covering the outlets or damaged baffles should result in report of a very questionable adsorption system and possible major repair cost. Depending on how long the tank was used without good baffles, the volume of solids and grease that moved from the tank to the absorption system will have begun clogging soils there and will have reduced the future life expectancy of the absorption system. Baffle damage and repair, or even a complete tank replacement when the absorption system has been left alone always lead the author to warn the building owner that the future life of the absorption system may be in doubt and that additional expense will be involved. As we mentioned above, see SEPTIC TANK TEES for instructions on how to install septic tank tees when septic tank baffles are damaged or missing. Concrete Septic Tank Baffle Inspection
Inspecting for Septic Tank Baffle Overflow
Flooded Septic Tanks due to Leaks Into the Septic Tank
You cannot see the entire condition of the septic tank baffle before the tank is pumped, but inspect the baffle tops for evidence of corrosion, damage, total absence, or of sewage flowing over the baffle top (an indication of excessive in-tank sewage levels). Photos of the septic tank baffles in a concrete tank, as seen from inside the septic tank are provided at "Septic Tank Pumping Procedure" for which we provide a link at "More Reading" below. The sewage level inside a septic tank should always be several inches below the baffle top but within a right at at or just below the bottom of the tank inlet pipe. If sewage level is low inside a septic tank which is in use, it is almost certain that the tank has been damaged and is leaking into surrounding soil. Septic tank maximum scum and sludge buildup prior to pump out, and instructions for measuring the floating scum layer thickness and settled sludge layer thickness in a septic tank are available at SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE. Also see MEASURE SCUM & SLUDGE for details of how we make these measurements. Readers who discover that their septic tank baffles need repair should see SEPTIC TANK TEES: "Septic Tank Inlet and Outlet Tee Installation Details". Questions & Answers regarding this article. Ask a Question or Search InspectAPediaHTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. SEPTIC TANK GRASS or SNOWMELT The Septic Systems Online Book - Where Are We?
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