Q&A on Find The Septic Tank

FAQs tell how to locate a septic tank

Buying a Property Where Septic Location is Not Known FAQs

The previous owner doesn't know where the septic tank is - how deep will it be?

The previous owner doesn't know where the septic tank is, but I located a black capped pipe about 6 inches around a few feet from one side of my house that my neighbor says is the "inspection pipe" for the septic tank...he thinks...

and that the manhole cover for the tank must be nearby, which would sort of make sense since this is on one side of the garage with a rather large area of just plain dirt and is the only part of the backyard that is not covered with kooldecking.

he said if I want to have the tank drained it'll cost me a fortune since the pumping company will have to dig several feet down to fined the cover, but I find it hard to believe it would be buried that deep? On 2019-12-31 by Randal Snyder

Answer by (mod) -

In the article SEPTIC TANK DEPTH you'll read that the depth of a septic tank can vary considerably depending on site conditions and piping distance from the building.

However it should be trivial to inspect through the inspection opening to see the steps to the level of sewage in the tank. I will give you a clue as to the tank dip.

Watch out: if the previous property owner does not know where the septic tank is located that's strong clue suggesting that proper septic tank maintenance (regular pumping and cleaning) were not done - so the septic system drainfield may be at or near end of life: you could be facing costly repairs.

Buying a home and the owner doesn't know where the septic tank is

Hello--we are doing our due diligence before purchasing a property. The current owner is not completely sure where to locate the septic tank/lid.

It is over 30 years old and hasn't been cleaned/inspected in over 18 years. One local service provider has suggested running a camera down the toilet line to locate the tank. He says this requires removing the toilet first prior to running the camera. Is this necessary to run a camera?

Otherwise we are out walking the property before ground freezes to try to locate it and hire an excavator On 2019-11-08 by Ann

by (mod) - using a sewer line camera can find the distance and possible septic tank location

Ann

Aw shucks; this means you read all my advice in the article SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND and figure there's nothing to do but get a camera going.

Well OK, the camera is not a bad idea at all, though I'm disappointed that the builders didn't include a single septic line clean-out anywhere, making toilet pulling necessary. Are we SURE there is no cleanout opening anywhere? Not even where the sewer line leaves the home?

A camera will also tell you the condition of the line between house and tank.

Unfortunately even finding the tank we're not going to know the whole story. There is indeed very useful information to discover by opening (and pumping) the septic tank but that procedure, even if (in ouir fantasy world) the septic tank seemed to be wonderful, may leave a question about the condition of the drainfield - the second half of the system.

A house seller may balk at letting a buyer dig up the yard only to discover a problem that may lead the buyer to bail, leaving seller with an ugly dug-up yard and expense to repair it.

Of course, with apology for sounding a bit like a smarty-pants, if a septic system is 30 years old and the owner doesn't know where the tank is we already know it has never been serviced, and thus we already would be smart to bet that the new owner is going to face significant costs to repair or replace some or all of the system.

Be sure to read HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS

Plan to Remove Old Septic Tank FAQs

I Plan to remove septic system in a few years and connect to sewer; but the tank is due for a pumpout now

Thank you for this information

I suppose my pre-purchase home inspection did not catch that important fact that the tank likely leaked out and solidified the scum and sludge layer. What a mess, I can only imagine.

My city is slated to install a city sewer disposal system within a few years. I have a mound type field adjacent to my home (and I suppose, a leaking tank). I think I will choose to remove the mound after connection to the city system, and thus, also the tank.

Need I pump the tank, now at 11 years on schedule, or is it possible that my system will last an additional two years as is?

NOTE: I am especially careful not to allow grease, toilet paper, wipes, cleaning fluids, etc. to enter my system and I live alone on a very limited budget.

I am tempted to open the lid and take a look inside. But I would rather not at all.. :) Thank you again for your reply and continued interest. On 2019-10-31 by KurtS Curtis

Answer by (mod) -

Inspecting the septic tank itself is beyond the scope of a normal home inspection, and worse, can be dangerous if the inspector doesn't know proper safety procedures.
A septic loading and dye test might have been in order when buying the home and that test *might* have found evidence of trouble.

My general advice to people buying a home with a septic tank includes finding septic maintenance records and in many cases having the tank opened and pumped - as a lot of key diagnostic information comes from that operation.

For other readers who are buying a home, see

HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS

I can't bet a thing on a septic system about which we know so little, but the level in the tank suggests you're going to need a new septic tank. Pumping the tank extends the life of the drainfield.

Replacing the septic tank is costly - several thousand dollars depending on where you live - but pumping now (as it's due now) can both diagnose system condition and, when the tank is emptied, permit inspection (by a professional) of the septic tank to identify its materials and condition. That'll tell you if it needs to be replaced immediately, and it'll also help protect the drainfield.

Particularly when the condition of the septic tank isn't known, it's worth the cost of a tank inspection to assure that at least the baffles are in place to protect the drainfield from ruin.

But the cost of bringing out a septic person to open the access ports and inspect the baffles gets close to the cost of pumping the tank. I'd prefer to do it all at once rather than pay nearly double over the next 2 years. sfd

Doing nothing increases the risk of ruined fields and down the road a still-more-costly septic repair.

Depression or Subsidence May Mark Septic Tank Location FAQs

Should we just fill the depression over what we think is an old septic tank?

My house was built in 1954, its on the city water sewer system. We discovered a depressed area in the backyard and it appears to be an old septic tank, should we just fill in the hole? On 2018-08-02 by DAN

by (mod) - Safety warning

Dan:

Not quite.

Watch out: IF the depressed area is caused by a collapsing cover on an old septic tank, just adding dirt can leave a very dangerous, potentially fatal hazard: later someone walking over the area could fall through into an improperly-abandoned septic tank.

A bit of careful (so as not to fall in and not working alone) exploration is appropriate, using help from an experienced excavator, to find out if there is an empty tank that needs to be filled-in before finishing grading off the depression.

See SEPTIC TANK ABANDONMENT GUIDE

Septic Tank Location Close to Building FAQs

How close might the septic tank be to a building wall?

How close can a septic tank be from wall? On 2017-05-04 by Richard

by (mod) -

Richard, atSEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCES

you'll find a table of various distances and clearances for septic tank, sewer pipes, and drainfields.

There we see that distances vary from 5 to about 15 feet (3 meters) depending on local codes.

But depending on site conditions and septic system design the septic tank may be more-distant.

Septic Tank Lid Location FAQs

Do septic tanks have two lids? - we dug down and can't find the second one

Do ALL septic tanks have two lids? we dug 8 feet out and 5 feet down from the exposed lid and can not find the second lid On 2018-12-11 by Rodd

by (mod) - safety warnings about digging around a septic tank riser;

If you dug 5 feet down next to a septic tank lid without hitting the tank then you might be digging next to a septic tank Riser - that is a large-diameter pipe with a lid on top that was made to give access for cleaning for a septic tank.

Take a look through the septic tank lid and you can see how far down the top of your septic tank is. Most septic tanks have two openings one over the inlet and one of the outlet. Some have a third opening in the center for more thorough cleaning.

Other septic tanks such as some of the old round steel tanks had no clean out opening at all and the entire lid had to be removed. From just your note I can't quite tell what kind of septic tank you have.

Watch out, never work alone and never lean over and open septic tank. You can easily be asphyxiated or fall in which is a quick and nasty death.

Found one septic tank access lid; how far away will the other one be?

Found 1 lid and I know where the 2nd one location but not sure where to dig how far away are the lids and are they straight across from one another or diagonal On 2017-04-04 by Milt

by (mod) - here's where to find septic tank dimensions

Milt:

On a rectangular concrete septic tank the tank typically has 2 or 3 openings, one at either end and perhaps one central opening - that may differ in multi-compartment tanks (more accesses). So the openings will be in a straight line across from one another.

Searching (using the search box above) for "Septic tank dimensions" finds SEPTIC TANK SIZE -

that includes a table of common septic tank dimensions that should show you how far apart the second tank opening will be on your septic tank.

Septic Tanks at Lots with No Structures FAQs

How do I find the septic tank at a property where the building burned down fifty years ago?

My husband and I are wanting to purchase a cabin and put it on property that once had a house that burned down in the 1970s.

How would I go about finding the septic tank if there is one? We don't know what the exact address was for the house that burned down but my father's house is right next to it and it is on his land. Please help! On 2017-03-24 by Chelcie Browning

by (mod): Watch out: don't expect to find a working or usable septic tank nor drainfield, but do make sure there are no fall-in hazards

My best suggestions for finding a septic tank are in the article SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND

To adapt that advice to finding the septic tank to a site where a house burned down years ago, if you can find the remains of the house foundation look for the main waste line exit point as a starting point.

My principal concern would not be the fantasy of finding useful septic components - that's not likely; rather I'd want to be sure that there are no un-discovered un-filled empty tank hazards: a collapse or someone falling into such a tank could cause injury or death.

by Chelcie

Thank you! We figured if there was one, we wouldn't be able to use it. We just want to figure out where it is located before we start digging and leveling the ground out. Again, thanks for help and advice!

by (mod)

At my first house back in 1970, we found the septic tank when the backhoe ran over it and collapsed its cover.

There are ground scanning techinques though I think they work best with steel tanks.

Check out SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND on how we figure out where a septic tank could or could not be located, see SEPTIC VIDEOS.

Walking a site can often suggest where people would be most-likely to locate a septic tank or drainfield and other spots (next to the well) where that's unlikely.

35 year old septic system can't be found on the land I bought - no structures remain

I bought an old acre of land. There are no building structures now but 35 years ago, a septic system was inspected and approved by the locale health Dept.

The only info I have found of yet is a copy of the inspection receipt with a map that shows a house that was never built but septic system was installed and passed inspection.

This map has no comprehenceable scale and is very confusing in trying to locate the septic system and shallow well. We do know it was in use after the inspection in 1986 for about 5 years when a mobile home was put on the land instead of building the proposed house.

After that 5 yrs, the mobile home was removed, the well was marked with a pile of old bricks. Those bricks were moved 3 yrs ago when I first bought this acre.

In an attempt to kill as much razor grass as possible, I had someone turn the soil over with a tractor and that is when the bricks got scattered from the now unknown location that marked the well. I'm a 53 yr old widowed, single, disabled mom of a 15 yr old daughter and our resources are very limited.

My daughter and I are trying to rebuild our lives and make this acre our home after a horrible disaster. We can't afford to install a new system and well so our only option is to find the old 35 yr old system.

Any info that u can provide to help us locate the septic and/or the well would be so gratefully appreciated.

Please respond to Jenny Hill at jennjen63@gmail.com Heck, a phone call would be even better if y'all can do that?! Number is 251-518-5076. I'm in Mobile County, Alabama. Thank you so much in advance. On 2016-12-16 by Jenny

by (mod) - I would not assume that a 35 year old abandoned septic system is going to be usable.

Advice, Jenny, on finding old septic tanks or wells is in the article above.

I am sorry to say so but I would not assume that a 35 year old abandoned septic system is going to be usable. However finding the tank, and having it opened and inspected can provide key information such as tank materials and conditions. Let me know what you see when your septic contractor opens the tank.

Sometimes there's a home-made "septic system" with NO septic tank at all!

We once inspected an old house in Vermont and wanted to "evaluate" the septic system.

Couldn't find any signs of a septic tank.

Turned out there was a tile pipe system buried all the way from the house down the hill, across a small cornfield and out to the bank of the Connecticut river -- a total of over 350 feet. It probably worked as well as it had when engineered and installed prior to 1933.

The sellers admitted they had been "planning" to get an approved septic system installed, but hadn't gotten around to it yet. Bottom line: there wasn't any septic tank to be found. On 2016-07-21 by NHFirebear

by (mod) evaluating old Vermont septic system

Thanks NHF. I've run into this same situation, especially at older properties. Using septic dye during a septic loading and dye test I turned Wappingers Creek a bright red. After that I learned to always run down to the nearest body of water - if there is one - after inserting the dye and starting my test.

I stand there and contemplate while I watch for spirals of red or green dye appearing in the water.

Bottom line: don't promise anything about buried systems, but do warn about common pitfalls for which there are on-site hints. Good SOP for an inspector who includes septic system is to ask the owner the age, history, and location of the septic system components.

If the owner says, "I've been here 25 years and we've never had a problem with the septic system and we've never done a THING to it" then we know to be pessimistic as the tank was never pumped - if there even is a tank.

It's also the case that a change of use, from a single elderly person to a family of 5 with young kids will often show up a septic failure 24-36 hours after the new owners move in.

Septic Tanks at Buildings Connected to Public Sewer FAQs

How do I find out if there is a septic tank or my house is connected to a public sewer?

I rent a place, how do I find out if I have a septic or am connected to the sewer? (Without my landlords​input...) On 2017-05-12 by BeC

Answer by (mod) -

Be

Using the Inspectapedia search box above I searched for "connected to septic or sewer" that found this article that should help you out. Please take a look and let me know how that works for you.

SEPTIC or SEWER CONNECTION?

Seller said house is connected to public sewer but basement toilet was connected to septic tank that leaked into our basement - should I remove that tank?

i bought a house recently, on my disclosure it says i have city sewer,but i discovered from local plumber with the use of video camera that my basement toilet drained into a septic tank which was full and backing up into my basement.plumber could not find a clean out for it but was able to locate part of it under a cement slab and the addition of my house.what to do .

Do i leave it alone or do i somehow get it removed. house was built in the 50's. On 2014-05-12 by al

by (mod) - yes

Al,

It's not uncommon for an older home to suffer from confused public records about its connection to public sewer for all or part of its wastewater drainage.

A septic tank is always full in normal operation. When there's a backup it's because of some other failure: a failed drainfield or a blocked pipe.

When the property owner is facing significant repair costs such as that of a new drainfield, that's the time to go ahead and connect to the now-available public sewer instead.

At that time one would properly abandon the septic tank by having it pumped out and filled-in.

For a basement toilet you may need to install a sewage grinder/ejector pump to pump up to your house drain line that flows into the sewer.

Daniel