Diagnose the cause of soakbed or leachfield failure:

This article explains how to detect and diagnose a clogging failure of the septic drainfield or leachfield as one of the 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"?

How can you distinguish between a blocked pipe, a septic tank that needs pumping, and a clogged drainfield that needs replacement? This is an important question as it distinguishes between relatively low cost maintenance or repair task and a costly septic leach field replacement.

Evidence of Septic System Effluent Disposal or Drain Clogging Failures

In simplest terms, there are several visible septic effluent or onsite wastewater disposal failures accompanied by several other indicators that the soakaway bed, drainfield, or leaching beds are in trouble:

[Click to enlarge any image]

• Slow drains 
  
  are the symptom of septic system field failure that people often notice first, though slow drains can also be caused by drain blockages or plumbing vent defects. If you have to flush a toilet repeatedly to get waste to exit the bowl and provided that the water volume used is normal at each flush, then there's a problem not to be ignored.
  
  Wait too long and a slow toilet flush becomes a costly sewage backup cleanup project or if not repaired promptly you may face a building flood and mold contamination cleanup project in addition.
  
  Watch out: pumping the septic tank can give temporary, emergency relief to a slow flush or drain backup problem due to a failing septic system, but depending on the daily volume of wastewater produced, the tank will fill up again in just a few days (or less).
  
  Pumping the septic tank doesn't fix anything. If you are pumping the septic tank at abnormally frequent intervals the septic system is in trouble and needs repair or replacement.
  
  Pumping the septic tank on regular schedule (SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE) can extend drainfield life but if the field has already failed all you obtain is temporary relief - and the ability to flush toilets until the septic tank fills again in 1 to 7 days.
  
  Sorry but SEPTIC DRAINFIELD RESTORERS? are also not likely to fix the trouble and some contaminate the environment and are illegal in most jurisdictions.
• Toilets or other fixtures back up
  
  into the building when the drain blockage or septic failure is more extreme - but before assuming a slow drain or backed-up toilet is due to a failed septic system, first
  
  see CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR then return here using your browser's "BACK" button.
  
  You may also need to
  
  see TOILET REPAIR GUIDE.

• Effluent or sewage appears at the surface of the yard,
  
  or the neighbor's yard! or in a nearby stream, river, lake, pond, etc. (Also called septic breakout or effluent breakout).
  
  At SEPTIC FAILURE SPOTS we describe where effluent typically shows up when the disposal field is failing.
  
  At above left we show septic effluent flowing over rock down-hill and some distance from the actual septic tank and seepage pit.
  
  You may find evidence of septic failure by improper effluent discharge that is not immediately obvious, such as effluent showing up in a nearby drainage ditch or even as abnormal algae growth in a nearby lake, stream, or pond (photo at left) where high levels of nitrogen in the wastewater encourage an algal bloom like this one.
  
  When there is an argument about whose septic system has failed, yours or your neighbors, or when we're not sure if the wet area is due to surface runoff or to septic system failure, a septic dye test can sort out the question.
  
  See SEPTIC DYE TEST PROCEDURES
  
  If you find these conditions the septic system has probably been in failure for some time in that it has not been adequately treating the effluent.
• Distribution box abnormal conditions:
  
  check the distribution box that feeds individual absorption field lines for tipping, effluent back-flow from the fields, solid sewage, or inadvertent un-balanced flow into the various drainfield lines or sections.
  
  See SEPTIC D-BOX INSTALL, LOCATE, REPAIR
• Greener grass:
  
  is the grass greener over the septic tank? Not necessarily, both because soil backfill depth may be less in that location and because while effluent may leak out of a septic tank more often it leaks to the ground surface in the area of the disposal field itself.
  
  See SEPTIC TANK GRASS or SNOWMELT - melting snow can also show where warmer wastewater is reaching the ground surface.
• Noises: gurgling burping drains may indicate a septic field failure, though partial drain blockages and vent system defects
  
  See PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE DIAGNOSIS.
• Septic odors
  
  may also indicate a system failure or an imminent failure. Septic or sewer odors are not always noticed when a drainfield has failed nor when drains are clogged. And such odors may also be produced by defects in the plumbing vent system or other site conditions.
  
  Watch out: Beware, sewer gas contains methane and is explosive if it reaches a dangerous concentration inside a building.
  
  
  See SEWER GAS ODORS and SEPTIC SYSTEM ODOR CURES
  
  and METHANE GAS SOURCES
• Septic tank inspection
  
   can also give evidence of drainfield failure such as abnormally high sewage levels in the tank (over the baffles) or wastewater re-entering the tank from its outlet during tank pumping
  
  See INSPECT the SEPTIC TANK DURING PUMPING
  
  High wastewater may also be due
  
  to SEPTIC TANK LEAKS into the septic tank not just due to a failed drainfield.
  
  Discovery of very high sludge levels or scum layer thickness (MEASURE SEPTIC TANK SCUM & SLUDGE ) indicates that the tank was not pumped often enough.
  
  Failure to maintain enough open or free area in the septic tank pretty much guarantees that solids have been flowing into and shortening the remaining life of the absorption bed or drainfield.

Understand the Cause of Septic Field Failure to Determine What Repair is Needed

Typical causes of septic system disposal field failure range from things that are easy and cheap to repair, to a need for complete system replacement:

• Clogged building drain
  
   or septic system effluent distribution pipes - see
  
  CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR
• Broken drain pipes or septic effluent distribution piping
  
   anywhere in the system, starting between the building and the septic tank or even inside the building.
  
  SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND and related articles can help trace piping.
• Damaged septic tank
  
   - if the tank baffles are damaged it's easy to replace them, and not costly, but you may have already sent sewage solids out into the drainfield, reducing its future life.
  
  If your septic tank is a multi-chamber tank that uses an effluent pumping chamber, there may be a filter betwen the main treatment chamber and the effluent pumping well; if that filter becomes clogged the septic tank can clog and back up into the building.
  
  See SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE
  
  and SEPTIC TANK BAFFLES
• Tipped septic effluent distribution box
  
   - find and inspect and fix the D-box and you may be back in business. Often a tipped D-box is sending all of the septic wastewater down just a portion of the drainfield, overloading it and causing an apparent failure.
  
  See SEPTIC D-BOX INSTALL, LOCATE, REPAIR.
• Clogged/broken leachfield or drainfield soil absorption piping
  
   - find, diagnose, and repair the pipe and you're back in business
  
  See CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR
• Clogged drainfield or soakaway field absorption soils around the drainfield piping or trenches, (often by salts, grease & solids, or by an over-aged too-thick biomat)
  
  Watch out: it is very tempting to try magic bullets, additives, restorers, but despite testimonials and advertising by companies selling these restorers, we have had few reports of lasting, effective success. You may need a new septic drainfield, or you may be able to switch to an alternating drainfield or set of trenches to rest and recover the sluggish section.
  
  See SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LIFE.
  
  See SEPTIC DRAINFIELD RESTORERS.
  
  Also see septic drainfield clogging at SEPTIC DISPOSAL FIELD CLOGGING INSPECTION.
  
  Drainfield soils can become clogged or drainfield pipes can be broken and crushed by driving equipment over the drainfield -
  
  see DRIVING or PARKING OVER SEPTIC.
• Water-saturated drainfield soil absorption area 
  
  - you may need to replace the entire drainfield, switch to an alternating bed or set or septic fields, or it may be possible to direct surface and subsurface water from other sources away from the drainfield area.
• Septic Tank Back-Flooding:
  
  a flooded septic tank - that is a tank at abnormally high levels or a septic tank that back-floods during or soon after it has been pumped out may explain both sewage backups in a building and might indicate a septic soakbed that is in failure.
  
  At SEPTIC TANK BACK FLOODING we explain the causes of abnormally high sewage levels in septic tanks.

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2022-10-24 by InspectApedia (Editor) - smell from neighbor's septic system

@Sam,

Call your local health department to report a septic failure and open sewage discharge.

On 2022-10-24 by Sam

Our neighbor cut down huge old trees on their side property where their septic and drain field are. Since then we started smelling septic whenever the wind blows our way. It progressively got worse until we cannot open our windows or be in our back yard without gagging.

Then the next day it would be less smell or the wind would change. Then we started to hear gurgling sounds coming from the area of their drain field and septic. After the gurgle there would be a big whiff of either septic smell or strong detergent. This mostly happened at night but has now started during the day.

We asked the neighbor if they noticed anything and if so would they fix it. They said they had their septic tank pumped out and all was fine. We are having to live with the smell off and on mixed with detergent.

We finally called the board of health and they sent out someone who didn’t know septic systems and was only looking for puddles so didn’t find much. The smell that day wasn’t as bad.

They seem to have a pump with their septic and a pipe vent near their septic tank. We are at a loss as to what to do. Where they cut down the 100 plus year old trees there is a 1 ft gig by 29ft wide mound of sawdust and leaves etc.that could be absorbing and septic.

We cannot talk with the neighbor as they bully us. Any thoughts on what might be going on?

On 2022-09-12 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - no evidence for drainfield rejuvenation

@Anonymous,

You'll find HOW TO FIND THE D-BOX in our Index to Related Articles.

About rejuvenating drainfields, in now 50 years of working on this topic I've seen lots of claims, some manufacturer-paid-for white papers, but not one bit of evidence of lasting durable drainfield rejuvenation with the sole exception of a design that provides alternating drainfield areas and allows for years of drainfield "rest".

On 2022-09-12 by Anonymous

@InspectApedia-911,

Thanks so much you've been very helpful!

I believe our next move is the D box hopefully we can find it as our blue print that was given to us never showed where that would be. I've seen alot of successful stories on people rehabilitating their drain field, so I'm hoping and praying for the best at this point.

On 2022-09-10 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - is water in drainfield inspection port normal?

@Kell,

Not quite.

If we're looking into a drainfield trench, especially if we're looking near the END of the trench it would be normal to see some effluent accumulation, BUT over a few hours, particularly if no additional water is being sent down the building drains, that liquid level ought to drop.

If it is NOT dropping in the drainfield then the field is clogged - at least in the area of the inspection port. (That doesn't mean that higher-up drainfield trench sections may not be working)

If the inspection port is at the entry or up-slope end of the drainfield trench then that trench is not working.

I'd start by finding the Distribution Box and inspecting conditions there. Let us know what you find.

If you have trouble locating the D-box check our D-BOX LOCATION article in the Index to Related Articles.

On 2022-09-10 by Kell

@InspectApedia-911,

That's the inspection port looking down into the drain field.

So is the bottom supposed to be dry or is it normal to have fluids sitting? We've have zero problems otherwise. As to why I'm so confused and not sure where to go from here.

On 2022-09-09 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)

@Kell,

I'm not sure what we're inspecting in that vertical pipe: is that into a septic tank or is it an inspection port in the drainfield or somewhere else?

Basically, if the water level in the septic TANK is abnormally high then there is either a blockage in the outlet piping OR the drainfield is failing.

Pumping the tank won't fix those conditions.

Root killer won't fix those problems.

If roots have invaded effluent piping enroute to drainfield those pipes need to be replaced. with new water-tight lines.

If roots are in the drainfield itself, you are likely to need a drainfield replacement. Sorry I know that's bad and costly news.

AND you'll need to remove trees or other plants whose roots are invading the drainfield.

So some further investigation and more details are needed.

On 2022-09-09 by Kell

@InspectApedia ,

We just bought our house and last known septic cleaning was 2016 a guy just came and was shocked we had no back ups, pooling, slow drains or smells. I guess the level was up towards the filter. And he said that the drain field could be failing.

He looked into the inspection ports and there was visible water way at the bottom. He said to take a hose and start sucking it out. That the water should be clear. And that's what we did took hours and hours, the hose couldn't suck up any more but there was still water at the bottom.

We added root killer being there's a tree right between two inspection ports! Today there is still water at the bottom. I'm so confused on what to do! Im very unhappy and have been trying to research as much as I can. It could be a great deal of things and I'm not sure where to start.

Are these supposed to drain relatively fast? Is it normal to have water at the bottom? I've read so much to where I'm just confused because some say it can take weeks to dry up. And wetness on the bottom is normal. Then it's like nope it's supposed to be dry!

We have a 1,000 gallon conventional septic with no alarm, and I'm pretty sure no distribution box.

If you zoom in you can see the water at the bottom

On 2022-01-04 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator

@Mark,

If a sewer cam does not find a broken or blocked line then

Wet soil, failed seepage pit, not a good design for the site

On 2022-01-04 by Mark

@Inspectapedia Com Moderator, Ah, I think you are right, of course.

So, what could be the issue with drainage if they are both relatively new?

On 2022-01-04 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - slow drainage, gurgling toilets, and frequent clogging

@Mark,

If your system uses a seepage pit, I suspect there is no leach field.

On 2022-01-04 by Mark

I had a septic back up several years ago and the plumber I hired replaced the tank (I think it's 1500 gallons), as well as built a new pit, as the wall on the old one was collapsing.

After about two years I started having slow drainage, gurgling toilets, and frequent clogging. I pump a few times a year, whereas before I could easily go a couple of years between pumping.

The system stops working as soon as there is good rain. I have added both bacteria sold specifically for septic application, as well as bacteria I sometimes add to clear a natural pond, which digests organic matter.

I've called three plumbers and after spending several thousand on unclogging, I am left with varying recommendations about opening up and/or rebuilding the tank or pit (both are reasonably new). I keep thinking it's the leaching field, although I don't really know where it is on the property.

The tank and the pit are close to the house where there is flat land which continues for about 30 feet before starting to slope down at maybe 45 degrees for about 100 yards. The grass is not greener anywhere in the flat area and I don't really see anything particularly green down the hill.

Any suggestions, or any recommendations in Los Angeles (West)? Thank you.

On 2021-06-25 by inspectapedia.com.moderator - sand in the diverter

@Chad Simerson,

Ick.

1. Dig out the sand from the D-box where you find the diverter

2. Look at the two branches out to two drainfields where the lines leave the diverter: if you see by mere peering into them that those pipes have sand blockage you need help from an excavator to dig out and clear out blocked lines lest you have a sewer backup;

3. See why your diverter got sand-filled

4. If the blockage goes way into the lines and it's sand I suspect you're going to need more-extensive field line scoping (sewer cameras, digging)

and repair

5. BUT IF WE"RE LUCKY the lines look clear you can just switch to the larger field.

On 2021-06-25 by Chad Simerson

I just bought a new to me home. There are two drain fields and a diverter. When I took the lid off the diverter pipe it had sand in it covering the diverter completely. What should I do? I believe my septic is going to the smaller of my two fields and I'd like to switch it to the larger one.

On 2021-04-11 - by (mod) -

@Pat, yes, email is at the page top or bottom CONTACT link.

Document the conditions thoroughly in writing by independent experts to avoid any argument.

On 2021-04-11 by Pat

Thanks. I’ve been fighting with the builder on this and it’s going nowhere fast. I’ll keep you posted and thanks for your time. I’ll be happy to send you the video via email if you’d like? Crazy how the “just throw dirt on it” attitude exists. Sad!

On 2021-04-11 - by (mod) -

@Pat,

We don't have a shred of information that would provide a basis for having an opinion about exactly what the problem is at your septic. However any breakout of effluent at the surface is a sign of failure and of course a health code violation and of course is unsanitary and a health risk to people nearby.

It's possible that the problem is something as simple as a blocked line or broken pipe or could be that the original design or construction of the septic system were inadequate. It's certainly the case that dumping more dirt on top is never going to be a fix. If you don't enough dirt on top so that the problem appeared to be hidden you simply pushed it underground.

Watch out: You still risk a sewage backup in the building or a septic system that is so deep that it fails to treat the effluent. What's needed at this point is an on-site investigation probably starting with an inspection of conditions in the septic tank to see if there's a side of back up followed by running a sewer line camera through the drain lines or septic lines to see if we can determine the exact problem. Let me know what you find and we can discuss it further.

On 2021-04-11 by Pat

Apologies. You can get the idea here. The video illustrates the water bubbling up through the hole and how much is actually coming out.

On 2021-04-11 by Pat

Any idea what is causing this issue? The home was built just over 1 year ago and there’s obviously a major problem. By the way, the dirt is the builders idea of a solution.

On 2021-02-10 - by (mod) -

Adding soil atop an existing drain field, provided that field was built to proper engineering specifications, is likely to damage its operation by blocking necessary oxygen.

When the drainfield trenches are too deep and there's not sufficient oxygen the aerobic bacteria needed to break down sewage pathogens die off and you are discharging contaminants into the environment.

On 2021-02-09 by William

Can adding extra soil on top of the drain field effect the efficiency of the system? I need to build up the grade in my yard and this could add as much as two feet over top of the drain field.

On 2020-12-31 - by (mod) -

John

Typically the thickness of soil over the drainfield trenches is 6 to 12 in. If your drain field is wet on top adding soil will not fix the problem. That's because the purpose or intent of the drain field is to dispose of effluent by allowing it to seep downwards into the soil. When you are seeing liquid on top of the trenches we know that the trenches are blocked or not working.

This article Sherry is good reasons for drain field failure. On a new Greenfield I would expect that it wasn't properly installed. Earlier I suggested examples of mistakes such as installing a drain field in an area of wet soils were too close to the seasonal high water table or failure to direct surface runoff away from the field.

Adding soil on top of a field or incorrectly installed drain field will not fix those problems.

What's needed is an on-site inspection and investigation by an independent septic designer or expert or engineer to diagnosed the trouble. I suggest looking for such a person. Please let me know what you're told and I may be able to make additional suggestions.

On 2020-12-31 by John

Thank you for your respond checked toilets there are no leaks No dripping on faucets but 6inches of soil on top of drain field enough?

On 2020-12-30 - by (mod) - Diagnose & cure a flooding failure of a new septic drainfield

John

Diagnose & cure a flooding failure of a new septic drainfield:

If the drainfield is wet it is in failure; that might be from improper construction or from running toilet(s) or from groundwater that was not directed away from the fields.

It's reasonable that we don't want too much soil atop the drainfield trenches; otherwise there isn't sufficient soil oxygen to feed the aerobic bacteria group, one of the two groups (the other is anaerobic bacteria) needed to break down sewage pathogens as effluent is discharged into the ground.

But the field could still have construction problems: too small, too close to high seasonal water table, insufficient length or width, etc.

If a soil percolation test was done and if the septic plans were approved by your local authority, then the first focus ought to be on building plumbing and second on site drainage control.

A running toilet can flood the drainfield and is often hard to spot because the toilet may be running slowly enough that it's not obvious. We use a tiny bit of septic dye in the toilet cistern (tank) to look for dye appearing in the toilet bowl - proof that it's leaking at the flush valve or fill valve; food colouring might also work to spot this problem.

Please read the details given in these articles:

TOILET RUNS CONTINUOUSLY (diagnose and fix)

SEPTIC LEACH FIELD FAILURES (a brief summary)

and please don't hesitate to ask follow-up questions as needed.

On 2020-12-30 by John

Please answer I had a new drain field put in but I notice water spilled out of the side of drain field was told that my toilets where constantly running so I replaced all the guts out of my too its

and then water still comes out of the side of drain field I opened the plug to see if there was running water and there was not I'm thinking they did not put enough soil on top of drinfield was told its only supposed to be only 6 inches of soil on top please help if you can thank you

On 2020-12-10 - by (mod) - does standing water in the drainfield always mean it has failed?

Eva

Unfortunately standing water in the drainfield means that the drainfield is not working.

It cannot treat sewage pathogen's in that condition which means that the drainfield is releasing contaminants to the local ground water and potentially two nearby streams or other waterways.

From the single inspection point and photo no one with any experience should claim that they know exactly what's wrong with the drainfield.

It could be something as simple as a broken pipe that can be fixed at modest cost or it could be that in fact the drainfield is at the end of its life, the soil is clogged, and it needs to be replaced.

You might want a plumber or septic contractor who has a sewer line camera to inspect the drainfield lines from inside the piping.

If I were the contractor on site I might also excavate a crossed section of the drainfield trench to examine the condition of the soil and to determine if it's a field failure or a local failure that can be repaired.

Watch out: It is a little curious that the excavation to explore the condition of a septic system seems to have been dug where I see what looks like a water supply pipe.

What is that pipe? If it's a water pipe, is it leaking?

Let me know what you're told and I may have some other suggestions or questions to pose.

On 2020-12-10 by Eva

So our house just failed inspection for a failed leach field. We are getting a fix assessed but I would like an opinion. They found a few black rocks and some water in the top right of the field. The tank was good, no signs of slow drainage in the house, no signs at all.

Does it definitely mean a failed field? No pipe inspection either. How do I diagnose fix? Pics attached. Thx

On 2020-10-24 - by (mod) -

A reasonable Next Step would be to have a sewer line camera run through your lines to see whether there is a root blockage or a broken line or whether the field is flooded.

On 2020-10-23 by Sarah Boucher

We just had our septic system pumped- we usually do it every 2-3 years. When we moved into this house, we had a problem with a valve, and have wanted to stay on top of things. Today- the septic pumper said our tank was over full.

He said he thinks our drain field has failed. We have had no odor, no problem with slow drains, no green grass around the septic field despite very dry weather, no wetness in the yard. The septic tank is behind our house, and the area around it is sloping.

The people we bought the house from did a lot of planting near the tank- some bushes that have gotten quite large, and other smaller shrubs. I personally think that we have a plugged outlet pipe, or that the roots have done some damage.

What is the next step for us. The septic man was convinced our field had failed- but that does not make sense to us and we have not noticed any problems. What are your thoughts?

On 2020-08-23 by Ron G.

We had a backflow system installed a couple of years ago to get rid of the sediment (mica) in our well water. It was installed to drain the sediment into out septic tank. Could this cause problems in the future? Thank you!

On 2020-07-13 by Joe

I've found the articles very helpful, and the information has helped me question the reasons I've been given. I think at this point I need to get a second opinion and hire someone else to open the D-Box. I don't want to say these guys are being dishonest, but I don't feel like they are showing me strong evidence. I appreciate the comprehensive information you have here. Thanks again.

On 2020-07-13 - by (mod) -

Joe

I don't blame you for being cautious about the advice that you've been given. I can't make much sense of it either. For example finding the d-box and inspecting there is fundamental and simple. If there is no sewage backup, no effluent seeping to the surface, then I'm not clear on what signs there are of a septic system failure.

There's additional very helpful diagnostic information I can't simply by opening an inspecting conditions in the septic tank, particularly at the inlet and Outlet bathrooms. The details are described in this article series.

On 2020-07-13 by Joe

Thank you in advance for your consideration of my question. I've searched and searched but cannot find much information about a "probe" test that a local septic company used.

They inserted a quarter-inch pipe about five feet into the ground. They looked at the soil and said that because there was dark soil present, the leach field was bad and needed to be replaced. They also said that it was not worth exploring and evaluating the D-Box and to avoid that cost it wouldn't be worth doing.

There are no other signs of a leach field failure other than the visual inspection during pumping that stated the scum level was high. What is this soil "probe" and is it a conclusive way to identify a failed leach field?

Thank you again.

On 2020-05-14 - by (mod) - alternative is water conservation and tank pumping until drainfield can be fixed

Thanks for the question, Steve.

I'm doubtful that jetting the drainfield works for long, though with some processes like Terralift you might get temporary help.

An alternative is water conservation and tank pumping.

How big is your septic tank? And whats the charge to empty it weekly vs other options?

What climate? If not too cold,
A rental Portapotty or even rental RV with a shower and toilet is an option.

Also, please see our suggestions for emergency toilets at

DISASTER ZONE TOILET GUIDE

On 2020-05-14 by Steve H

Hi! I have a 30 year old septic system serving our 3bdroom house. About 2 months ago we had the tank pumped and inspected as we got back flow into the downstairs tub and toilet. It was indicating that our drain field has failed. We are in the process of getting a new Glendon system installed, however with Covid and the county permitting, it’s expected to be at least 4 more weeks until we’re back online.

We’ve been extremely conservative in our water use to limit as much as we can more stress in the already failed drain field, but after a few days of heavy rains, we’re back to water being above the outlet pipe and 1/4” above the bottom lip of the inlet, close to where we were when we got the back flow.

What can I do besides rent a hotel for the next 4 weeks to get by until the new system is installed? Would it be worthwhile to pay the 900 bucks I was quoted to pump the tank empty and “jet the lines” Considering having no functional water in essence for 2 kids and 2 adults in quarantine for 4 weeks sounds like a nightmare?

On 2020-01-04 - by (mod) -

It seems unlikely that we're going to find a water sensor that we can leave into an in-use drain. They may be such products but I do know that. I'm concerned that the underlying problem is a damaged drain line or a failed septic field. That's going to need to be addressed.

On 2019-12-29 by Metz

I have a drain pipe from the house to a septic tank. This pipe has filled up and backed up water through a) a blockage b) freeze up during extreme cold c) septic pump failure. I would like to install an alarm if this pipe plugs up again for any reason. Where can I get such an alarm and how would it install?

On 2019-10-29 by (mod) - where to find the basics about septic systems

This basic article will help you understand the basic parts of a septic system & how septic systems work and how they are maintained.

See HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS inspection & testing - what to do, step by step to inspect and test a septic system when buying a home

Chamber systems are simply an alternative method for disposing of septic effluent - allowing it to seep into the soil.

Chamber septic systems are described at

GRAVELLESS SEPTIC CHAMBER SYSTEMS

On 2019-10-28 by Greg

I was not living in the home when the system was installed. My understanding from my girlfriend is that there are half dome like chambers buried in the front yard and that the waste from the back tanks are pumped into those chambers via some sort of line that then disperses the liquid into the chambers.

On 2019-10-28 by (mod) - sinkhole forming at the septic "drain"

Greg I'm not sure I understand your septic design but I too am a bit worried that a pipe is broken or open and drain lines are filling with sand.

Is this a sand bed filter septic? A mound system?

Ask your septic contractor to check the sewage levels in the tank and then perhaps check the condition of a drainfield line at or near its end.

On 2019-10-28 by Greg

We have a septic tank in the backyard that pumps to a drain field in the front yard. The system was put in roughly 5 years ago. I am seeing a small sink hole form near one end of the drain field. When I removed inspection pipe caps all are filled with sand. Any ideas what might be happening?

On 2019-10-28 by (mod) - signs of a failed leachfield

Yes it sounds as if your leach field has failed. You'll still want to inspect the septic tank or have your septic contractor do it to be sure that the tank baffles are in place since a missing tank baffle can send solids to the field which of course speeds its demise. But most likely you need a new drain field.

On 2019-10-28 by Adam B.

My septic system was full, we had it pumped due to water coming out of the lid. Then a week later noticed the area where the tank is was saturated. So we excavated the tank and chased the line.

It has 3 Ys off the main line from the tank. We reached the end of the main line and a 90° that connects to a black leach chamber. I poked with my shovel and a few hundred gallons flowed out from the surrounding soil bed. No water has back up in the house yet thank god!

But I'm stumped as to what to do next. Do you think the leach bed soil is clogged?

The leach field was built on a sloping yard orginally but the previous owner leveled the yard out the leach field is under about 4 - 5 feet of soil. Please help I live in Wyoming and winter is here lol

On 2019-08-23 2 by (mod) - slumping at the drainfield

Anon

I don't know - and, with regret, can't make a useful diagnosis of sinkholes or collapsing septics from a brief e-text, but

Watch out: a failed or failing cover on a septic tank or seepage pit etc. can be fatal if someone falls into the tank or pit. Rope off the areas, keep people away, and ask your plumber or excavator to investigate further:

- trace or use a sewer cam to check out the condition of the lines to see if there's a broken pipe

- find and have the septic tanks and D-boxes inspected for abnormal sewage levels & for damaged or unsafe covers

- if you live in an area where sinkholes are common that's an independent possibility - search InspectApedia.com for SINKHOLES to read more detail

On 2019-08-22 by Anonymous

I have two septic tanks and drain fields, the back yard drain field has a slumpig on each side of the field almost looks like the start of sink hole, the holes are circular shaped and sunken in,my drains and toilets are working fine but they do smell occasionally , what does this mean? Pease reply thank you

On 2019-07-14 by (mod) - what does this septic inspection report tell me?

The sludge clogged line itself is a problem, and it could indicate a drainfield failure. Further investigation is needed, starting with the D Box.

On 2019-07-14 0 by Haven

Hi,
Please see attached. Any suggestions on how to proceed? This is the inspection report. Does the distribution box sound like an issue? It's a 50 year old system but supposedly runs fine. Also is it an issue the leach field is under pavement?

[Click to enlarge the report image below]

On 2017-09-15 by (mod) - inspect the septic tank or the distribution box for signs of flooding

It should be possible to inspect the septic tank or the distribution box for signs of flooding which would tell you that either the drainfield is in failure or a line between septic tank and drainfield is blocked. If you don't find those conditions and given the history that you report I suspect that a sewer line is broken and collapsing or is partly blocked by tree roots.

You might ask your plumber if they can provide a sewer line camera to inspect a piping in that case to find the location and nature of the trouble

On 2017-09-15 by Khloe - bathtub clogs and sewage water leaks at toilet base

Our septic tank was pumped about 2 years ago. We have had the line snaked about 3 times in those 2 years.

Every few days now, the bathtub stops draining and water is forced up from under the toilet creating a puddle on the floor.

We have used a blow bag to clear out the main line which solves the problem for a few more days. Our best guess is a clog at the tank end of the line. If you flush the toliet while its clogged water is pushed up into the bathtub. I'm losing my mind! Advice would be appreciated.

On 2017-06-23 by Christina

I've lived in my house for five years. It was built in the 1950's. Two weeks ago I had our septic tank pumped because I noticed standing water in my yard directly above the lid. The company that pumped it asked if I had anything backing up in my house or gargling in my pipes, I do not.

They pumped the thank and now two weeks later I have water pooling about the lid. My husband raised the lid and it is full again. I called this morning to have the company come back out and look at it but have t heard back yet. The rest of our yard is dry even surrounding the septic tank area. It's just wet and pooling directly above the lid. Any thoughts?

On 2016-08-28 by (mod) - backflow into septic tank

Roland

I suspect that the soil around the drainfield trenches has become clogged - a normal effect of drainfield aging or something that happens faster if solids and grease enter the soakbeds.

Pumping the tank extends drainfield life by avoiding pushing solids into the drainfield, but pumping the septic tank will never fix a clogged, failed drainfield.

On 2016-08-28 by Roland

My septic system is back flowin into the septic tank. I found a spot over the field which was spongy so I dug up that area. I found the pipe which had a lot of waste water around the pipe. I cut out a 40" section and removed the pipe and upon inspection, saw nothing blocking it. I then ran water through the pipe from the tank end and it flowed freely.What else could cause the back flow issue? (Tank was pumped out yesterday)

Question / Comment:

(May 14, 2011) Timbo68 said:

This series of articles has been EXTREMELY helpful. I discovered some nasty water oozing inot my yard. Research from these articles helped me to troubleshoot the problem and orchestarte and solution. Thank you SO MUCH!!

Question / Comment:

(July 22, 2011) ROBERT said:

What size of pipe would you need id you have 200 gal.A day waste water?

Reply:

Robert 200 gallons a day of wastewater is very small - about one person's worth of use. But you want to be asking what size drainfield is needed, not pipe size (diameter);

The required drainfield size (feet of pipe in appropriately constructed trenches, for example) DEPENDS on soil conditions - if the soil has slow percolation rate you need more.

If the wastewater is gray water - sinks, tubs, laundry - an ordinary drywell might suffice.

Question / Comment: A septic tank (or a pair of them in your case) is normally ALWAYS FULL

(Aug 9, 2011) KZach said:

I have two concrete block septic tanks (a gravity system) at my home and both have been pumped in the last three months. My main septic tank recently started backing up in the yard after lots of water usage indoors (laundry, showers, etc). We have also had a lot of rain recently. I know the septic tank backed up in the yard because the soil directly over the tank was wet and it smelled bad.

There was no backup in the house drains, however, the drains have been running slowly for the past few weeks and just before discovering the water in the yard I heard the toilet bubbling as I showered.

Since the tank was recently pumped, I would assume that it is not full. I have a small pipe that I can open and view the water line into the septic tank from the house and it had evidence of scum in it and it has a constant water level filling about half of the pipe. The man that pumped the tank felt that the drain field was okay. He made no mention of the baffles.

Does this sound like a drain field problem? A problem with the baffles? An overloaded system? Thanks so much for your advice!

Reply:

Not quite KZach.

A septic tank (or a pair of them in your case) is normally ALWAYS FULL of septic effluent and sewage. In normal family use it takes just a few days for the tank to re-fill after being pumped. The job of the tank is to retain solid sewage and perform partial treatment of the septic effluent - the liquid portion of wastewater.

The effluent then flows out of the tank into a drainfield for further treatment by and disposal into the soil.

If your tanks are made of concrete block that sounds like a home-made system, maybe undersized septic tanks or leaky tanks that admit groundwater into the tanks during wet weather. If the tanks are flooding from groundwater that can saturate the drainfield too and lead to total system failure.

Some floating scum and settled sludge are normal in a septic tank. When those layers get too thick the septic tank stops working and sends sewage solids into (and ruins) the drainfield. That's why we pump septic tanks on a schedule. On this page we provide

an ARTICLE INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES that includes a live link to - SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE.

Septic tanks MUST have baffles to keep solid waste out of the drainfield. OTherwise it's ruined. Your pumper should have looked at those components and would surely have told you if they were missing (common on home made septic tanks) or damaged.

IN sum, sewage backups in the yard and odors are a failure that needs diagnosis. Just pumping the tank won't fix that problem.

Question: septic system is full again - is something wrong?

(Oct 13, 2014) Anonymous said:

I have a 500 gallon septic tank that serves one single wide mobile home. I had it pumped a month ago, then again 5 days ago and it is full again. Is it possible that the lateral line is clogged and if so what can I do to unclog it?

Reply:

Anon: a conventional septic tank in proper working condition is always full of sewage - wastewater - from which it discharges clarified effluent (i.e. not solids) into a drainfield or absorption bed. See

SEPTIC TANK LEVELS of SEWAGE

More about pumping septic tanks is at

SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE

On 2014-03-27 - by (mod) -

Jill,

It sounds as if your septic drainfield has been flooded and saturated. When the ground actually freezes the system may stop draining at all, so when more wastewater tries to enter the septic tank it may find that receptacle full (tanks are nearly full all the time in normal operation) thus backing up into the building.

When the ground is not frozen the flooded drainfield may be slowly draining the tank and wastewater.

An increase of flow of warm (showers, baths, etc) wastewater into a nearly-frozen wastewater system may also cause thawing and limited effluent disposal. That might explain "nocturnal draining" but it's just a guess.

Unfortunately your system may need a costly repair including not only drainfield replacement, but steps to direct surface runoff away from the fields. Even if you are successfully "disposing" of effluent, the system is contaminating the environment if it's flooded.

On 2014-03-27 by Jill-PA/USA

This is probably a strange question, but this is the only site I found with relevant and enlightening information, so I'm going to ask anyway. We have been having a rough winter, and on top of that we had some new neighbors who flooded our yard with either pool or some other source of water hours before the temp dropped below zero. We had an "ice-skating rink" for weeks in our yard from that, then we had several feet of snow.

Our septic, which no one seems to really know much about, (I've only been part of the picture for a few years now)was pumped in the tail end of November (2013). Now it's been only a few months, and we have had several problems and the latest is backing up sewage.

However, the really wierd thing is that when it's slightly warmer, the sewage/drains all drain slow throughout the day and night, and recently it got cold again and the daytime didn't seem to drain very much at all but every night around 8pm-9pm (dark out) the water drains PDQ. Is there a reason for the Nocturnal Draining?

I haven't been able to determine yet if the baffles are broken, the drain field is toast, or a blockage is occuring. I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas, as I have very limited income and five young children. Thanks in advance :)

On 2012-11-05 - by (mod) - diverter valve in my septic system

John,

Excellent question - but i just don't know the answer as we know nothing about the system design, usage, soils, capacity.

We want to balance two factors

Waiting longer gives the prior field more time to recover, but waiting too long gives trouble with field B.

With no other info I would wait 5-7 years before trying field A
But I would watch closely for trouble with B and switch back to A promptly if B begins to back up or break out.

If switching back and forth no longer works, unfortunately it's time for more thorough analysis and probably file repair or replacement.

Pumping the tank on schedule and adding an effluent filter plus water usage restrictions and keeping surface runoff away will do the most to extend septic field life.

On 2012-11-03 by john p

I bought a house and was not aware that there was a diverter valve in my septic system, so I never switched it from field A to B. I had the tank pumped last year and the guy told me I needed to switch every year because field A was failing (he switchhed the valve to field B).

I did no switching for 4 years. Is it safe to go back to field A or should I wait another year for field A to regenerate?

Thanks

On 2012-11-05 - by (mod) - pouring a solution into the septic tank won't cure clogged drains

Robin, septic tank solution is not a solution

I suspect your septic system needs repair

On 2012-08-30 by Robin

We bought a new washing machine about 1.5 years ago. After that, the toilet closest to the washer started gurgling and suds came up in the toilet during the rinse cycles.

Then the dishwasher started doing the same thing, making the toilet gurgle. We had the septic tank emptied since the house was approx 8 years old and probably never emptied. From that point on, I used a monthly septic tank solution but the toilet still gurgles.

NOW, the last few months, not only has our toilet gurgled but I smelled septic at the tank. Not along the drain field. Not in the house. Just at the tank, so we had it emptied again! The company doing the work last year put in some kind of filter to keep the solids out of the leach field. We had them remove that this year to see if that could be the problem.

The odor is back within a month of emptying. Is there a way to see if possibly the connection from the tank to the drain lines has been compromised? Is there a way to see if a drain line itself has been destroyed? There is NO water or seeping anywhere along the drain field.

Just an incredibly terrible odor at the tank lids, but no water. Help me decide what to do next without spending in upward of 3K to replace the field. Particularly if that isn't the problem. Thank you so much!! Robin

On 2012-08-08 - by (mod) - "Wet areas" can be a failed field, end of life - or a broken or clogged pipe

Jeff, you can't be confident of a proper and economical repair until you are reasonably confident in the diagnosis of the field. "Wet areas" can be a failed field, end of life - or a broken or clogged pipe.

I have no idea where the cap is of which you speak, but a guess would be that the end of a drainfield line was exposed somewhere - and capped so that effluent would go into the soil - the ends should be buried and capped.

If one removed the cap from the end of a drainfield line and water (effluent) came out for 45 minutes, the field was and probably is saturated - and needs replacement. The cap doesn't cause the damage, it shows the problem.

Of course if the "cap" was on some other water source that floods your drainfield, that's another matter.

On 2012-08-08 by Jeff

Let me first say any information that can be passed along is greatly appreciated, as I have no experience with this sort of thing. The background is that we bought a house two years ago that was built in 2007. I understand the basics of how a septic system and drain field work.

There is a raised bed drain field and over the two years we have been here I have found that the ridge of the hill where the drain field is located seems to either be very wet or very soft to the point you wouldn't want to walk there. I'm not sure what would case that or what the solution would be?

Secondly my father was helping out and taking a look at it for me while I was at work. He said that he accidentally knocked a cap off and a lot of water ( grey water I'm guessing?) came out under pressure. He said it did this for about 45 min.

Then the draining / pressure stopped. I been looking at diagrams but I haven't found anything referencing a "cap". So, is the system supposed to be under pressure in the drain field?

What did this "cap" come off of? And did we cause further damage? Or was relieving this pressure a good thing? Should we attempt to divert or drain off the water from the drain field area or do we need to replace the "finger" in the drain field.

Any clarification that can be given as to what's going on would be greatly appreciated. I'm not really sure where to start with this. Thank you for your time and information. Jeff

On 2012-08-04 - by (mod) - no baffle in the septic tank inlet or outlet leads to clogging and septic field failure

Donna,

The root of the problem you describe is probably that there is no functional baffle in the septic tank - that's where the system is intended to prevent solids from leaving the septic tank and flowing through piping, D-box, and fields. The more solids have flowed into the drainfield the shorter its remaining life.

Start at the septic tank - finding out what kind of material is used (steel tanks have baffles that rust off) and making sure that the tank is safe and has a safe secure cover against collapse or someone falling in - which is fatal. Keep everyone away from the septic tank area until you know its condition and safety.

Then if the tank is intact, have your septic contractor install a new baffle or Tee at the tank outlet.

That plus pumping the tank on schedule are the key steps to keeping your system working as long as possible.

On 2012-07-30 by Donna

After buying our home, we discovered a problem with the septic d box: solid waste had passed from septic tank into d box.

We thought we might be able to clean it up but the farther into it we got, the more it looks like the leach pipes have also been fouled by solid waste. Is it possible to clean clogs out of leach pipes or is the only solution putting in new drain pipes? We think the system is 20+ years old.

...

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

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - home
• HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS
• HOME SELLERS GUIDE TO SEPTIC INSPECT
• SEPTIC BIOMATS
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST - home
• PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE DIAGNOSIS.
• SEPTIC DISPOSAL FIELD CLOGGING INSPECTION
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE CAUSES
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS
• SEPTIC ODORS INDICATING DRAINFIELD FAILURE
• SEPTIC TANK GRASS or SNOWMELT
• SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS, OTHER
• SOAKBED SOIL CONDITIONS
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LIFE
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LOCATION
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD RESTORERS?
• SOIL PROPERTIES & BUILDING FAILURES

Suggested citation for this web page

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

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to SEPTIC SYSTEMS

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