Questions & answers about tests & inspection procedures to detect a failure in the septic drainfield or absorption bed or soakaway bed.

This article series discusses types of septic system failure in the drain field, leach field, seepage bed, or similar component.

We list the causes of each type of septic component failure, and list the septic component failure criteria or in other words what conditions are defined as "failure"?

Septic DrainfField Failure Cause & Inspection FAQs

These questions & answers about septic drainfield or soakaway failure testing were posted originally at SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST.

[Click to enlarge any image]

On 2019-08-04 by (mod) - Klargester septic information

Hi Martin: you asked and we already replied in detail to this question elsewhere. Help me out by avoiding double posts. Thanks.

Details about Klargester septic systems are at

SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS, RESIDENTIAL

On 2019-08-04 by Martin

The apartment I am thinking about buying has klargester. It’s steel and around 30 years old. Is this likely to need replacing in the next few years

On 2019-06-26 by Ben

Thank you!

On 2019-06-26 by (mod) - I want to make sure we can inspect the septic system properly.

I think what you describe is reasonable. Even if you fill the tank with water which seems a bit extreme, I wouldn't be confident that the test was representative. That's because the system has been out of use.

On 2019-06-25 by Ben

I'm looking at a home where the previous owner's family had the septic tank inspected (not load/flow tested) and then pumped. After being pumped, the home has been vacant for about 1 month. I don't think they pumped it in order to try conceal a problem, however, I want to make sure we can inspect the system properly.

I'm assuming the only way to properly test this system would be to put it back into use for roughly a month and then have the system load tested? It would be two of us, and the system is a 2000 gallon tank with 450 feet of leach field lines. The system has two 450 foot drain fields, switched off every 6 months with a diverter. The entire system is 15 years old with a concrete tank.

If we have to wait until after closing, I'm thinking an escrow holdback of around $10K in the event that the leach fields are shot.

Is this a reasonable way to proceed, or is there an alternative on how to load the system and test it prior to closing?

On 2019-03-03 by (mod) - what sort of "soil sample" indicates a failed septic system

Rene

I'm unclear what sort of "soil sample" indicates a failed septic system nor what "septic failure criteria" would include soil testing. It would be common and even normal to find bacteria including septic bacteria in a soil sample from a drainfield.

See SEPTIC FAILURE CRITERIA

https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Failure_Criteria.php

And then please ask the inspector to explain the basis of determination that your system is in failure. In writing.

Let me know what you're told and perhaps we can help sort out the question.

On 2019-03-02 2 by Rene

So my house is for sale the buyer had and inspector come in for the septic and drain field.

I had an issue with the baffle falling of about 6 months ago had it fixed and the system has been working great no wet spots in my yard there’s no smell neither and no back up in my house . So he took a sample of the soil and said the drain field is bad but everything is working correctly can he fail it even though everything is working correctly

On 2019-03-23 by (mod) - Some septic inspections can show signs of impending field failure

Mary

As Mark Cramer says ... it depends.

Some septic inspections can show signs of impending field failure such as abnormally high wastewater in the septic tank or backflow into the tank after pumping. There might or might not be visible failure signs on the surface. New owners, different wastewater volume usage, even events like new owners driving cars or delivery equipment over the fields could cause a failure of an otherwise working system.

You need to review this question with your attorney since in my OPINION there may be a disclosure issue - or not - about the type of waste disposal system present.

(Buyers in most countries and locales are expected to also do their own due diligence inspections but a buyer told a home was connected to sewer would not be expected to order a septic inspection unless independently they happened to learn that sewer was not available in the area).

On 2019-03-23 by Mary Price

I sold a house in December 2018. On the disclosure I checked Sewer instead of septic by mistake and the buyers didn’t have the septic inspected. Because of this. Ten months later the drainfields needed to be replaced. I had replaced them in 2012. They are suing me for costs. There were no signs of trouble when I moved. My question is could an inspection show that drainfields would fail in ten months?

On 2018-05-29 by (mod) -

There could have been a sewage breakout, Dee. That might explain why someone would cover the septic field with gravel.

I would look closely at the gravel for patterns consistent with effluent at the surface, or perhaps go into a suspicious area and lift out some of the gravel bits, examining their underside and the soil below. That may be diagnostic.

On 2018-05-28 by Dee

We just bought a house with a septic system, which is completely new to us. The entire area is covered with rocks instead of grass. In some areas, the rocks are blackish, but everywhere else they look clean. Is there something going on with the septic system leach field? Is it just due to some areas being shadier during the day? The septic system was cleaned and "inspected" about a month before we bought the house, that everything seems to "be in working order" and there is no smell.

In the attached photo, the rocks on the right side have black mold? on them.
Thanks

IMAGE LOST by older version of Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

On 2018-05-27 by (mod) -

Start bt inspecting the D-box: if it is not distributing effluent evenly among equally-long drainfield lines that could be part of the problem.

If the D-box is good then the drainfield is in failure.

The underlying problem *could* be a line that's sloped too much, causing effluent to rush to a low end and break out to the surface.

On 2018-05-25 by Eva

Our septic is on a slope and the drainage fields on farther down the slope. Occasionally we have stinky sludge in the drainage area. Bad enough that I can't mow. Where the septic is the ground isn't very green.

where the drainage is the grass is always thick. we haven't had a recurring problem the last 2 yrs & now its acting up bad in a little different area. My husband thinks it may be the D box, but am wondering with what I've researched if it isn't the drainage lines? Could you give us some ideas?
Thanks!

On 2017-07-24 by (mod) - If water appears in your yard when you run water in your home

Tmmy,

If water appears in your yard when you run water in your home then that is evidence of a septic failure regardless of if or when the dye appears.

In addition, your septic system is in Failure from the get-go if it is ever wet or under water since a wet field cannot treat the septic effluent.

It's a virtual guarantee that sewage pathogens are being discharged into the environment.

Sorry for the bad news

On 2017-07-23 8 by Tammy

My field lines are only 7 years old and they are made from the materials that resist tree roots and clogging. Just about all of my neighbors have problems with wet yards due to underground springs unless they have brought dirt in to make their yards higher. I also have a creek in my backyard. The area that I live in supplies the water for my county. My lower backyard is always saturated (lawn mowers either get stuck or make tracks)

At the last bend of my field line, the ground is saturated. That whole side of my yard is saturated. Even where there are no field lines including my neighbor's yard. When I run a large amount of water, a little bit of water will pool. The water is clear, and it has no odor.

A home inspector ran a dye test and no dye was in the pooled water. Also we have had a tremendous amount of rain in the past few months. Could this be a septic failure or just due to the underground spring saturation?

On 2017-07-24 by (mod) - if water but no septic dye appears over the septic field is there a problem?

Tmmy,

If water appears in your yard when you run water in your home then that is evidence of a septic failure regardless of if or when the dye appears.

In addition, your septic system is in Failure from the get-go if it is ever wet or under water since a wet field cannot treat the septic effluent.

It's a virtual guarantee that sewage pathogens are being discharged into the environment.

Sorry for the bad news

On 2017-07-23 by Tammy

My field lines are only 7 years old and they are made from the materials that resist tree roots and clogging. Just about all of my neighbors have problems with wet yards due to underground springs unless they have brought dirt in to make their yards higher.

I also have a creek in my backyard. The area that I live in supplies the water for my county. My lower backyard is always saturated (lawn mowers either get stuck or make tracks) At the last bend of my field line, the ground is saturated. That whole side of my yard is saturated.

Even where there are no field lines including my neighbor's yard. When I run a large amount of water, a little bit of water will pool. The water is clear, and it has no odor. A home inspector ran a dye test and no dye was in the pooled water.

Also we have had a tremendous amount of rain in the past few months. Could this be a septic failure or just due to the underground spring saturation?

On 2017-04-30 by (mod) - I'm having a inspection of my septic system, by the health department, what can I expect them to do?

I don't know, because individual health department procedures for septic inspection may vary enormously. I would expect at a minimum a visual inspection of the accessible components such as the absorption field and if there is a septic tank access that is not buried they might inspect they're too

. It will be looking for evidence of failure. If there is an existing documented septic design plan they may inspect that.

As you know from this article series there's a wide range of septin inspection and testing steps that can be taken including tank pumping and septic loading and dye test. In the US some states such as Massachusetts have defined levels of septic inspection and testing.

Most don't.

On 2017-04-30 by Patricia Byrd

I'm having a inspection of my septic system, by the health department, what can I expect them to do?

On 2016-08-15 by (mod) - What test is available to check the drain field for future life or impending doom?

Hi Susie, My buddy Steve Bliss (BuildingAdvisor.com) gave me a heads' up that you might be here asking. Before I had your details I wrote a general reply that I'll paste in.

First, though,

1. I would not bet on the future life of a 26-year-old drainfield, particularly when the level of usage is likely to go up when new owners move-in.

2. I would find out what sort of tank is installed: steel with rusted baffles: bad; concrete, good condition, safe cover: good.

3. You could try asking the septic pumper if, the last time they pumped the tank they saw trouble signs like backflow into the tank from the fields or damaged baffles, or damaged tank (low sewage levels = tank leaks) but if that wasn't recent nobody will want to risk making you mad by guessing.

4. We don't test the biomat itself, as you'll read below. But you could have a septic loading and dye test done. See SEPTIC LOADING & DYE TEST PROCEDURE -at https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_System_Dye_Test_Procedure.php

That can at least tell us if the system has already failed; as can on-site inspection for visual signs: odors, breakout, funny grass or worst: the septic dye turns the pond or creek dye-color.

Starting at HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS - https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Tank_Guide_for_Home_Buyers.php we have penned a sickening number of articles on the details and in's and out's of septic system testing, including defining 3 levels of thoroughness of inspection and testing.

In response to the reader's question, yes sure, one could do more-sophisticated digging and testing to guess at remaining drainfield life. But it's important to know when to stop throwing money into the ground, and equally important to learn septic trouble warning signs that are independent of any specific septic test (such as a septic dye test).

For example ( am not recommending this) we could carefully dig a cross section of a drainfield trench, probably at the lowest end of the lowest trench, and examine the cross section of soil to see how clogged the soil has become.

The biomat, necessary for treating effluent being discharged from the drainfield ( BIOMAT FORMATION & SEPTIC LIFE - at https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Biomat_Formation.php ) ultimately clogs the soil such that effluent stops passing out of the trench into the soils below and along side. If you see an inch of thick gray slimy biomat, that trench section is probably at end of life.

But in my view this sort of digging and fooling around is throwing money into the septic tank.

First, unless we dig a lot of holes all over the drainfield we don't really know its overall condition. If we dig up the whole field to investigate it we may as well have simply replaced it as the costs become similar.

Second, if we see effluent breakout or backflow into the septic tank we already know there's a failure of some sort - lucky if it's a single blocked pipe or tipped D-box, unlucky if the field is saturated.

Third, there are external visual clues besides backup that tell us the system is in trouble. These external clues cover more area than we can analyze by digging test holes.

Fourth, there is historical evidence that tells us what to expect: if nobody knows where the septic tank is located nobody has been pumping it and we're pessimistic about remaining field life.

I prefer to make a smart septic inspection and test: history-taking, visual inspection, and loading+dye test, followed, for being very through, a tank pumpout + observation during the pumput + a D-box inspection for tipping, flooding, clogging.

First priority: safety: is there a safe cover over the tank. Falling into a septic tank is usually fatal. SEPTIC TANK ACCIDENT REPORTS - https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Tank_Accident_Prevention.php

Second priority: what is the visual or historic evidence of impending doodoom. For example, if during pumpout we see effluent running backwards into the septic tank at its outlet pipe, or if we see that the tank is an old steel tank whose baffles are rusted off, we know that the fields have been receiving solids for some time and we don't bet anything on their future life.

Just doing those things can spend well over $1000. of which the tank pumpout, if it hasn't been done for a time, earns back maybe $500. or so of that as it's valuable to have done regardless of what else is discovered.

Spending more than that? I'd rather put that money towards septic system maintenance or ultimately its repair / replacement.

Dannys Septic Law points out that if you are buying a home owned by a single elderly person and you are moving in with a family of four including two little kids, the septic tank is likely to show up as a failure in 24-36 hours after you've moved-in. In that case the system was already shot, it was just not being used enough to show the failure.

On 2016-08-15 by Susie

What test is available to check the drain field for future life or impending doom? We are looking at a farm on city water but septic drain field. The owners built the house and are very meticulous and proactive for maintenance.

The tank is pumper every five years as now it is just the two of them but the home/field is 26 years old. The house is on a slight hill and highest point on the property but it does have a one acre pond maybe 100 yards from the home.

One side of the home has a creek and flood plain area also 100 yards from the home. The yard looks good where the field is located but I did not walk down to the end. Do you test for the biomat or what test do you start with to see if this field will support a family of four for another 10 years etc...

On 2016-07-11 by (mod) - 1st septic inspection passed for the tank but failed for the drain field

Jeanne, that's a difficult question;
everything depends on

- the competence, expertise, experience of the inspector or test conductor
- just what comprised the test

A "pass/fail" report sounds so thin as to be useless for most systems and certainly for septic systems.

If I run 50 gallons of water into a system and see no backup and no water breakout in the drainfield and i "pass" the system that's an unreliable report because my test was inadequate.

You need to know exactly what was done, and what observations were made. I have argued for 40 years that "experts" who "pass" or "fail" systems, buildings, or anything else and who give little or no other information are not providing a very useful service. And almost always they include a disclaimer that means you can't hold them to their conclusion anyway.

It is far better to provide both a conclusion (such as there was or was not evidence of a failure) and the supporting evidence (because I saw x or y).

On 2016-07-11 by jeanne

In the course of inspections for a home purchase, the 1st septic inspection passed for the tank but failed for the drain field....

saying absorption failure. the 2nd inspection passed both tank and the drain field, 3rd inspection passed both tank and drain field.

Buyers are perplexed, how do we know we are getting the right feedback? Is there a county inspector that can give us an unbiased test?

On 2016-05-25 by (mod) - during the insections they drilled into the PVC pipes and cut them open

Anonymous John:

That sounds unusual to me; I speculate someone was being very thorough, wanting to see if there was standing water in the lines - a sign of impending failure. The cuts are OK **IF** they were then properly repaired afterwards. No inspection can leave the subject system damaged.

On 2016-05-25 by John Doe

We just had our septic inspected and during the insections they drilled into the PVC pipes and cut them open . Should they have done this ? It does not sounds right?

On 2016-04-27 by (mod) - typical cost to pump a septic tank

250 to 1000 depending on where you live, whether or not excavation is required (that will add more), and whether or not lawn restoration will be needed after the work.

By the way, pumping the septic tank before a septic test will make the test invalid and frivolous.

On 2016-04-24 by Anonymous

We are selling our home, the buyer wants septic tank pumped and all septic system inspected. What would be an approx. cost
conley@sti.net

On 2015-09-25 by (mod) - trouble growing grass over the septic pipes

Chances are there is not enough soil backfill over a pipe or gravel trench.

On 2015-09-25 1 by john mcgough

I am having a problem growing grass directly over the drain lines.

On 2015-05-10 by (mod) - garden hose test of drainfield?

Warren it's not a test that I understand nor for which we have data.

On 2015-05-03 by warren white

With your D tank exposed, Putting a 90 with a 12" riser pointing straight up on each line if you can run your garden hose almost at full blast and the drain fields take the flow, is that a good test for drain fields

...

Continue reading at SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST - home
• PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE DIAGNOSIS.
• SEPTIC DISPOSAL FIELD CLOGGING INSPECTION
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE CAUSES
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS
• SEPTIC FAILURE CRITERIA
• SEPTIC FAILURE LAWSUIT
• SEPTIC FAILURE SIGNS
• SEPTIC FAILURE SPOTS
• SEPTIC ODORS INDICATING DRAINFIELD FAILURE
• SEPTIC TANK GRASS or SNOWMELT
• SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS, OTHER
• SOAKBED SOIL CONDITIONS

These pages are part of our SEPTIC DYE TEST PROCEDURE for testing septic system function.

Also see CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR

Also see SEWER BACKUP PREVENTION.

And to repair drain clogs, see BLOCKED DRAIN REPAIR METHODS.

To understand why a drainfield or soakaway bed ultimately clogs up and stops working also see SEPTIC BIOMATS.

Suggested citation for this web page

SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to SEPTIC SYSTEMS

Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Questions & answers or comments about how to inspect a septic leachfield or soakaway bed for evidence of failures, effluent breakout, dye test failure, or odors & clogging.

Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly.

Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, photograph, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. Apologies for the delay.

Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like.
You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted.
Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response.
Our Comment Box is provided by Countable Web Productions countable.ca

Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

---

ADVERTISEMENT

---