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How to Record the Septic Tank Location
Make measurements & a sketch to make finding the septic tank & cleanouts easy
- POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about how to measure off and document the exact location of the septic tank and its cleanouts or access covers
How to record the location of the septic tank so that it can be located again in the future for pumping, inspection, or maintenance.
This article explains how to measure-off and write down the exact septic tank location (or the location of other buried septic system components.
Writing down the septic tank location can save trouble and cost when septic system components need to be serviced or repaired in the future.
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How to Measure, Sketch, & Record the Location of a Septic Tank (so that it can be found again)
This septic tank pumpout article series provides a step by step, photo-illustrated guide to opening, pumping, and inspecting septic tanks, how a conventional septic tank is located, opened, pumped out, cleaned, and inspected.
When the septic tank has been located and its cleanout port found, if one does not already exist, make a drawing
showing just where the tank is located to assist the owner/septic service company in the future.
The photo above shows how we measured from a nearby garage wall to the septic tank cleanout cover.
We measured at a right angle to the garage wall the distance from the wall to the center of the cleanout cover.
We recorded that distance (in this case, 78 inches).
More details about how we measured and documented the septic tank location and the precise spot of the septic tank cleanout openings are just below.
Then we measured from the garage rear corner to the point along the wall from which we measured out from wall to tank (in this case, 90 inches.) Since the garage is a fixed site feature, we can easily locate the septic tank cleanout cover again with just these two numbers.
We also buried a square of yellow plastic right at the tank cover so that when excavating it in the future we'll readily see that we've found the right location.
Finally, having recorded the septic tank cleanout cover location, we covered the septic tank cleanout access port with several inches of top soil and re-seeded with grass seed.
"Septic Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank" provides additional explanation and illustration of recording the location of septic system components.
Advising Owners About Septic Tank Conditions and Safety Hazards
Tank and Field Conditions: Inform the owner of the condition of the septic tank and of any indications of leach field failure
such as back flow into the tank during pump-down or damaged baffles.
Inform the owner of the approximate level of sludge and scum found in the tank. This information assists in determining the actual tank pumping frequency needed for the property.
Inform the owner if obvious clearance violations were observed between the tank and other site features such as a nearby well - health hazards may be present.
The photo shows the septic service operator recording the results of the septic cleanout on the client's bill.
In addition to telling the client orally of any unsafe or other important conditions observed, the operator must provide exactly the same information in writing. Writing this data clearly on the invoice is often sufficient.
See SEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCES.
Watch out: Safety: If immediately dangerous conditions exist, such as a missing or unsafe septic tank cover or a collapsing or risk-of-collapsing septic tank, seepage pit, drywell, or cesspool are observed, the operator should close off and prevent access to the area and notify the appropriate people including property occupants, owners, and authorities.
Provide the results of what was learned during septic tank pumpout and issue any appropriate Safety Warnings to Owners
This guideline is intended for septic pumping tank truck operators and as general information for homeowners or septic service companies concerned with septic system care.
Below at in the form of individual detailed articles are the Steps in Septic Tank Cleaning Procedure in the order that they should be performed
...
Continue reading at SEPTIC PUMPING CONCLUSIONS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.
Or see these
Septic Pumping Procedure & Pumper Truck Operation Articles
- SEPTIC COMPONENT LOCATIONS
- SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE
- CLEANING SEPTIC TANKS
- WHEN to CLEAN THE SEPTIC TANK
- WHEN NOT TO PUMP A SEPTIC TANK
- FIND the SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO
- HOW TO OPEN a SEPTIC TANK
- INSPECT the SEPTIC TANK BEFORE PUMPING
- SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE
- SEPTIC TANK LEVELS of SEWAGE
- PUMPER TRUCK OPERATION PROCEDURE
- PUMPING the SEPTIC TANK
- RECORD SEPTIC TANK LOCATION
- SEPTIC PUMPING CONCLUSIONS
- SEPTIC TANK SAFETY
Suggested citation for this web page
RECORD SEPTIC TANK LOCATION 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
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Citations & References
In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
- New York State Department of Health, APPENDIX 75-A WASTEWATER TREATMENT STANDARDS - INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD SYSTEMS , [PDF] New York State Department of Health, 3 February 2010, retrieved 3/1/2010, original source: https://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/nycrr/title_10/part_75/appendix_75-a.htm
- Special thanks to M & O Sanitation, Dutchess County NY (845) 471-0308 for permitting us to photograph steps during septic system service at our demonstration property.
- SEPTIC TANK/SOIL-ABSORPTION SYSTEMS: HOW TO OPERATE & MAINTAIN [PDF] - , Equipment Tips, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 8271 1302, 7100 Engineering, 2300 Recreation, September 1982, web search 08/28/2010, original source: http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/pdfimage/82711302.pdf.
- 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.)
- "International Private Sewage Disposal Code," 1995, BOCA-708-799-2300, ICBO-310-699-0541, SBCCI 205-591-1853, available from those code associations.
- "Manual of Policy, Procedures, and Guidelines for Onsite Sewage Systems," Ontario Reg. 374/81, Part VII of the Environmental Protection Act (Canada), ISBN 0-7743-7303-2, Ministry of the Environment,135 St. Clair Ave. West, Toronto Ontario M4V 1P5 Canada $24. CDN.
- Manual of Septic Tank Practice, US Public Health Service's 1959.
- Septic Tank/Soil-Absorption Systems: How to Operate & Maintain, Equipment Tips, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 8271 1302, 7100 Engineering, 2300 Recreation, September 1982, web search 08/28/2010, original source: http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/pdfimage/82711302.pdf
- The NSFC Products List has an excellent list of design manuals/modules National Small Flows Clearinghouse (NSFC) now (2019/12/13) hosted at http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/ Tel: 304-293-4191 e-mail info@mail.nesc.wvu.edu.
he National Small Flows Clearinghouse (NSFC) was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help America's small communities and individuals solve their wastewater problems through objective information about onsite wastewater collection and treatment systems. NSFC products and information are the only national resource of its type, dealing with small community wastewater infrastructure. or by telephone 800-624-8301 - Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
- 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
CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES.
- 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.
Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The HOME REFERENCE BOOK - the Encyclopedia of Homes and to use illustrations from The ILLUSTRATED HOME .
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.
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