Odors from the septic drainfield or soakaway bed:

This article explains how to diagnose & correct sewer gas or septic odors (and other building smells and odors traced to a failed septic drainfield, leachfield or soakaway bed. Some of the diagnostic steps pertain to all seasons, others to cold weather conditions.

The photograph at page top shows green septic dye appearing in a septic system drainfield during a septic loading and dye test. Even before we performed this test to confirm that the liquid found on the surface of the drainfield area was indeed septic effluent (coming from the septic tank), sewage odors in the drainfield area outdoors told us that the septic field was in trouble.

How to Investigate & Repair Failed Drainfields and Septic Odors

Notice sewage odors present outdoors,

strongest in and traced to the known or most-likely area for the septic drainfield or leach field, also called the soakaway bed or soil absorption system.

Look for wet areas in or near the septic drainfield.

Consider performing a septic loading and dye test to confirm that the wet areas found are septic effluent from the septic tank.

Even if wet areas around a septic leach field are local ground water or runoff, the added water load that those conditions place on the septic drainfield may themselves constitute a septic failure or may require site work to redirect those water sources away from the drainfield.

If the septic system drainfield is blocked or failed

it may be possible to reroute effluent to an un-used or under-used section of the drainfield (if effluent was not being distributed uniformly in the first place) - check the distribution box (if any).

There will be additional evidence of septic field condition in the D-box;

if the box is flooded either these lines are blocked (such as by poor, uneven installation, tree roots, or a collapse, something not too likely unless you drove a truck over the fields), or the field has stopped percolating and needs replacement.

If on opening the D-box or excavating a drainfield line you see standing water

in the leachfield line, either the field is saturated - lost perc - or the line has collapsed nearby and is not flowing.

You can test this by running a hose into the leach line from the D-box or from your point where you've cut it open.

Sometimes you'll see that only one field line is saturated and failed -

you can close it off in the D-box and just use the others to give the saturated one a rest, but at the end of the day, you probably need a new drainfield.

See SEPTIC D-BOX INSTALL, LOCATE, REPAIR for help in finding and inspecting the septic system drainfield distribution box.

Watch out: Septic Repair Shortcuts and Septic Treatment Products and "Magic bullet" septic repair products and procedures like chemicals, additives, root killers, or soil restorers are mostly ineffective, waste money, and in some cases are illegal as they contaminate the environment.

If the septic system drainfield is blocked or failed, most often the property needs a new drain field.

See SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS

...

---

---

ADVERTISEMENT

---

---

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Reader Recommends using a washing machine lint trap to save the septic fields

The most important thing you can do to extend the life of your septic tank drain field is to stop filling it with enough non-biodegradeble fibers to carpet your living room every year.

Instead use a washing machine lint trap filter (a 300 microm filter is very cheap) or get a seperate gray water treatment system (very expensive and a maintenance headache). (Mar 6, 2013) Rod Pennington

Reply by (mod):

Easily done - Rod. See SEPTIC FILTERS

Failed RV Campground Drainfield: How do I fix septic odor complaints

I have 6, 1000-3000 septic tanks that service RV sites and cabins.

I treat and stir and take care of all tanks.

Recently, according to my septic guy, and it was obvious, a drain field failed. It could take no more 'stuff'.

That 1000 gal tank serviced 12 RV sites well. It was rare for all the sites to be full at the same time.

How we 'fixed' this was leaving that tank there, then digging and laid pipe and connected into an second existing line. The old outlet pipe remained.

This second, very lightly used line has 4 RV sites (basically no one using them) and 1 cabin that is rented on weekends, etc.

Since we did this the cabin gets invaded with odor. Now, yes, there were some cabin ventilation/plumbing issues which we corrected.

I Installed 3 Studor Vents. The Shower did not have a P trap and the drain vent did not go all the way up to the grate in the side of the cabin.

2004 cabin, poor craftsmanship. AND, the cabin is the last drain/edifice on a line with what is now 17 RV sites all going into a 1500 gallon tank. Since the connection, there has been no visible change or odor to that tank.

It handles the extra. Gas is escaping through the cabin side vent now (not particularly where I want it wafting over).

Never before, anywhere, have we had an odor problem like this. The cabin now does not have odor, but the gasses are still present and I need to determine where they are coming from.

My thoughts are: let's go back to that first tank; the old drain pipe is still there, running into a failed drain field which (I believe) is eminenting gasses as things break down.

Could they be traveling back up to the tank? Then following flow down the new Line, past the cabin? There is no gas smell in the 2nd tank and it's in good condition. Or....that 1st tank is just sitting there, full of stuff.

We cannot detect gas there, just sewage. Basically just the water makes its way to the second tank.

I understand certainly is not the preferred method of solving the whole issue. We went on advise of a septic guy, in the middle of a busy camping season, with a limited budget.

We needed a fix. So, if the gas is coming from that original drain pipe, should I cap it? Will eventually half the Park explode? Could it not be coming from there? If so, where?

Aside, the new connecting pipe (50ft long) does traverse over top of the original failed drain field. Is gas following the void created by digging for the new pipe?

Why now/where is this gas coming from? And how can I safely control it? Maybe just connect the 1st line directly to the 2nd. Instead of 1st draining into tank, and 2nd draining out.

Thank you all, this has been a nightmare (just getting the odor to stop going into the cabin). On 2016-09-30 by Joe W

Reply by (mod): warnings about your septic system

Before inventing a solution and guessing, we need an onsite expert to map your whole septic system and, based just on the clues in what you've written, we need an assurance that your septic system design is adequate and that you've got a proper maintenance plan.

Several of the details in your note raise concerns:

1. You said: I treat and stir and take care of all tanks.
   
   Watch out: you should not be stirring your septic tanks. Doing so increases the risk of sending floating solids out into the drainfield(s), clogging the soil and thus shortening the drainfield life, leading to an earyu and costly failure
   
   Watch out: unless you are using a special aerobic or other septic treatment system, you don't need and should not be using "septic treatments or chemicals" -
   
   See details at CHEMICALS & TREATMENTS for SEPTICS
2. You said: That 1000 gal tank serviced 12 RV sites well.
   
   Watch out: at SEPTIC TANK SIZE you will find septic tank size guidelines based on either the number of occupants (users) or the daily / maximum wastewater inlet flow.
   
   Even if your RV sites only had one person on each, here is no way that one 1000-gallon septic tank could adequately treat and handle a dailuy sewage input volume rom twelve people. You may think it's "working" but you're pushing untreated solids into your drainfield(s), shortening their life and leading to costly repairs.
   
   
3. A more careful diagnosis of your sewage/septic odor complaint is needed before we spend your time and money on a solution.
   
   Start by reviewing the diagnosis and correction advice at|
   
   SEPTIC SYSTEM ODORS - home
   
   and
   
   ODOR CONTROL for SEPTIC TANKS
4. Ultimately you may find it more efficient and less costly in the long run to consider installing a system like those we describe at
   
   SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS, RESIDENTIAL
   

...

Continue reading  at SEPTIC FAILURE SPOTS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see

• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST - home
• SEWER GAS ODORS
• SEWER GAS ODORS in COLD / WET WEATHER
• METHANE & SEWER GAS HAZARDS
• SEPTIC / SEWER ODOR SOURCE TABLE - where smells may originate inside or outside of buildings
• SEPTIC SYSTEM ODORS - home

Suggested citation for this web page

SEPTIC ODORS INDICATING DRAINFIELD FAILURE 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

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.

---

 

IF above you see "Comment Form is loading comments..." then COMMENT BOX - countable.ca / bawkbox.com IS NOT WORKING.

In any case you are welcome to send an email directly to us at InspectApedia.com at editor@inspectApedia.com

We'll reply to you directly. Please help us help you by noting, in your email, the URL of the InspectApedia page where you wanted to comment.

Citations & References

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

---

ADVERTISEMENT

---