Posted by MDR in MN on January 16, 1998 at 11:46:41:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: clean out valve for septic tank posted by Brian Evans on January 09, 1998 at 10:23:06:
: : :
: : : : how far from the house should the clean out be in
: : : : the septic tank,and how deep
: : : :
: : : :
: In my house, there is a right angle joint in the main drain line as the line exits the house to go to the septic tank. There is a removable cover. Is it likely that this is the clean-out point, or must there be an external access point also?
: I thought that possibly I would have to uncover the tank to access the tank cover inorder to have the tank pumped out, which I'm told should be done every ten years or so.
: Any advice?
: Brian
The cover in the line where it exits the house is probably a cleanout plug that you would remove to clean out a clog between the house and the tank. To pump the tank, you'll have to dig down to find the tank cover (unless a tile or something has been used to bring the cover up closer to the surface). You want the tank opened up enough that the pumper can use a spoon or other tool to stir up the muck at the bottom as well as wash out the pumped tank with a hose. In regard to how often to pump the tank, I'd be wary about having it down only every 10 years. The installers and health inspectors in my area (southern MN) recommend pumping every couple of years, depending to some extent on how many people are in the household (i.e., how much the tank gets used). I once had a septic tank that appeared to have not been pumped in almost 30 years when I bought the house, and the system worked OK. But better to be safe than sorry -- it's a lot cheaper to pump the tank once every two or three years than to replace the system.