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Septic & Cesspool Safety:
This document describes key septic system collapse and sinkhole safety warnings for homeowners and home buyers of properties using onsite septic systems and cesspools.
Septic tanks, cesspools, and drywells present serious hazards including septic cave-in's or collapses, methane
gas explosion hazards, and asphyxiation hazards.
Simple precautions which we describe here can help avoid a dangerous or expensive septic problem.
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- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?
SPECIAL SEPTIC SYSTEM SAFETY WARNINGS FOR HOME OWNERS - Septic System Warnings for Home Owners and Home Buyers
Septic system concerns for a building owner start with safety.
The photograph at the top of this page shows what can happen when a truck drives over a cesspool, drywell, or seepage pit.
Luckily in this
case no one was injured, but the seepage pit was destroyed and significant costs were involved in installing a new seepage pit
as well as in repairing the soils compacted and damaged by the heavy equipment necessary to pull this dump truck out
of the pit into which it fell.
Here are some red flags that suggest collapse hazards at septic systems, cesspools, drywells, or seepage pits:
Signs of collapse-possible fatal hazards: include depressions or "soil subsidence" anywhere on or around the property. Any suspect area should be roped-off and absolutely no one
should walk over or even close to such a spot until it has been investigated by a professional.
Odors: sewer gas is explosive. A septic backup, contamination, or blockage or simply improper drain-waste-vent piping installation can leak dangerous sewer gas into a building where a spark can cause an explosion. See
Old or abandoned septic or cesspool systems: such as site-built cesspools
or drywells were often made with a thin steel or wood cover which with age can collapse. If the history of the site or visual observation
suggests that there are or were old systems at the property, professional investigation is warranted. Improper "abandonment" (failing to fill-in a pit) can lead to sudden collapses.
Signs that there may
be old systems at a property might come from anecdotal evidence (ask a neighbor, ask the local septic installing or service companies), or visual evidence such as seeing abandoned waste pipes at
basement or crawl space walls or floors. Don't assume that an old house which is now connected to the public sewer didn't previously have an on-site waste disposal system.
Septic service by untrained workers: such as aerating, agitating, or pumping out an old site-built cesspool, can lead to sudden system collapse. Prevent access over or near any such systems.
Unsanitary conditions such as discharge of sewage effluent to the yard surface, to a nearby well or stream, or previous septic backups into a building deserve professional attention. Indoors special cleaning may be needed to remove bacteria or other pathogens.
Septic testing by inexpert "inspectors" who may not follow an adequate procedure increases the risk of a costly surprise.
Uninformed or inexperienced homeowners may not notice a danger or malfunction. Homeowners should review
the Septic System Safety Warnings listed above
If your home uses a cesspool, drywell, or seepage pit, be sure to review
Cesspools or drywells that are constructed of dry-laid stone or concrete block, are especially at risk of sudden collapse if a septic service company has pumped down the sewage level in the cesspool and that risk is still greater if someone has attempted to "restore" cesspool operation or function by aerating or jetting or agitating the sludge layer on the bottom of the unit.
The information here is general in nature. Since conditions and requirements vary widely at individual sites, the
you should obtain qualified expert advice pertaining to the specific system about which you have questions, and should not rely on this general text for costly diagnostic/repair/replacement decisions.
Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical review by industry experts has been performed and is ongoing - reviewers are listed at "References."
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Thanks to Denise Cermola for permission to use the photo above, showing a dump truck collapsed into a seepage pit. (email 11/16/06 to 12/10/06). The contractor drove over this seepage pit connected to septic tank and caused total destruction of the system.
Thanks to George Fielder who points out that methane gas is not toxic, but rather (we add) the hazards of methane gas produced by septic systems include possible explosions or the asphyxiation of someone who enters or even just leans over a septic tank opening. (email 10/20/2007)
Thanks to Donica Ben who points out the danger of digging into buried electrical wires (11/11/07)
Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-161, Septic System Failure: Diagnosis and Treatment
Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-162, The Soil Media and the Percolation Test
Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-l64, Mound Systems for Wastewater Treatment
Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-165, Septic Tank-Soil Absorption Systems
Document Sources used for this web page include but are not limited to: Agricultural Fact Sheet #SW-161 "Septic Tank Pumping," by Paul D. Robillard and
Kelli S. Martin. Penn State College of Agriculture - Cooperative Extension, edited and annotated by
Dan Friedman (Thanks: to Bob Mackey for proofreading the original source material.)
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In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.