How do I even begin to replace a septic tank?
February 28, 2022 7:06 AM Subscribe
I don't even know where to begin. I'm imagining at least 20K. I have a 300-year-old tree right next to the septic, which is in my small front yard and somewhere down there is an electric line that feeds a lamp post in the front yard on the side of where I believe the septic ends.
What else should I steel myself for?
My septic tank is dying a slow death. I've owned this house for 20 years, never had a problem. Now my septic is filling about every two months (we are two people in a 2-BR house). The last time it was pumped, the guy said this is what happens to septic tanks -- they die slowly and just little by little become less effective -- is this even a thing? We are very careful about overusing and never put things down there like baby wipes and condoms, etc. We know how to live with one, so I don't think we are abusing it.
This is one of those houses where nothing is standard or coded. I've replaced almost everything in this house except the framing and foundation over 20 years and not a single thing has been easy. I am so tired of hearing "well if it was done right the first time . . ."
This is paralyzing me. I'm imagining a nightmare. How long does it take? Are there better times of year? Do we have to move out? We have dogs. How does one even shop around for something like this? How do I trust anyone? I just went through replacing an interior staircase that was supposed to take 2 days and became three weeks because "well if it was done right the first time . . ."
I know nothing about septic design and is it "this" versus "that," so I cannot answer any questions related to that. It has a lid that we open and pump. I have no idea when it was originally built. For all I know it's a troll living in the ground eating my waste and honestly it wouldn't surprise with this house!
I'm expecting to lose my landscaping and possibly even this enormous majestic maple tree -- but what else can I expect?
My septic tank is dying a slow death. I've owned this house for 20 years, never had a problem. Now my septic is filling about every two months (we are two people in a 2-BR house). The last time it was pumped, the guy said this is what happens to septic tanks -- they die slowly and just little by little become less effective -- is this even a thing? We are very careful about overusing and never put things down there like baby wipes and condoms, etc. We know how to live with one, so I don't think we are abusing it.
This is one of those houses where nothing is standard or coded. I've replaced almost everything in this house except the framing and foundation over 20 years and not a single thing has been easy. I am so tired of hearing "well if it was done right the first time . . ."
This is paralyzing me. I'm imagining a nightmare. How long does it take? Are there better times of year? Do we have to move out? We have dogs. How does one even shop around for something like this? How do I trust anyone? I just went through replacing an interior staircase that was supposed to take 2 days and became three weeks because "well if it was done right the first time . . ."
I know nothing about septic design and is it "this" versus "that," so I cannot answer any questions related to that. It has a lid that we open and pump. I have no idea when it was originally built. For all I know it's a troll living in the ground eating my waste and honestly it wouldn't surprise with this house!
I'm expecting to lose my landscaping and possibly even this enormous majestic maple tree -- but what else can I expect?
BTW: their backyard was over 1/4 of an acre, and still not enough space without lots of destruction for the drain fields. If your yard is small, I'd be really worried, and start researching options.
BTW: sidewalks, sprinklers, and electrical lines are no big deal to the professionals. Those would be minor concerns.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:46 AM on February 28, 2022
BTW: sidewalks, sprinklers, and electrical lines are no big deal to the professionals. Those would be minor concerns.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:46 AM on February 28, 2022
My parents faced something similar on moving into their house and found it more cost effective to join up with the town sewer. Any chance that’s an option for you?
Less optimistically, start with finding out municipal requirements on septics. In a town we recently moved out of, they had recently increased the distance required between septic and anybody’s well. So then lots of septics became out of compliance and there were all kinds of hassles for homeowners.
posted by Tandem Affinity at 7:50 AM on February 28, 2022
Less optimistically, start with finding out municipal requirements on septics. In a town we recently moved out of, they had recently increased the distance required between septic and anybody’s well. So then lots of septics became out of compliance and there were all kinds of hassles for homeowners.
posted by Tandem Affinity at 7:50 AM on February 28, 2022
As you probably know there are two components in play: the tank itself, and the leach field which drains the outflow from the tank. You most likely will replace both, so you should find out what area the new leach field needs so you can estimate how much of your plot needs to be disturbed (i.e dug for drain lines).
We had a system replaced some fifteen years ago; it cost then about $7,000, and was extra complicated by the plot being small and on a hillside so the leach field was more complex (kind of bent round corners).
(Just noticed that The_Vegetables mentions the drain fields)
There are bacterial additives sold which claim to improve the action of septic tanks & leach fields. I'd try those for a few months; it's be a minor cost compared to the system replacement.
posted by anadem at 8:18 AM on February 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
We had a system replaced some fifteen years ago; it cost then about $7,000, and was extra complicated by the plot being small and on a hillside so the leach field was more complex (kind of bent round corners).
(Just noticed that The_Vegetables mentions the drain fields)
There are bacterial additives sold which claim to improve the action of septic tanks & leach fields. I'd try those for a few months; it's be a minor cost compared to the system replacement.
posted by anadem at 8:18 AM on February 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: There is zero option to connect to the town sewer line. I have made peace with losing all of my landscaping. I'm imagining someone telling me there is no way to fix this and handing me a bucket.
posted by archimago at 8:36 AM on February 28, 2022
posted by archimago at 8:36 AM on February 28, 2022
We are very careful about overusing and never put things down there like baby wipes and condoms, etc. We know how to live with one, so I don't think we are abusing it.
I assume you know not to use any sort of anti-bacterial soaps, hand cleaners, gels, etc, right? Those can kill the microscopic critters working in the tank.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:42 AM on February 28, 2022
I assume you know not to use any sort of anti-bacterial soaps, hand cleaners, gels, etc, right? Those can kill the microscopic critters working in the tank.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:42 AM on February 28, 2022
Best answer: I just had my field replaced in an old house. If your experience is the same it will look something like this.
First, you'll call a septic / excavation contractor. They'll pop open the tank and look at it, and most likely tell you that either your leach field is no longer working or that it might be no longer working but they need to dig some to tell. They will attempt to find the leach field based on the direction of the outbound pipe from your tank, which is a large area of your yard, most likely with no trees on it somewhere level or slightly downhill from the tank and a few hundred feet away from the well if you have well water. They will quote you a price (with a range, depending on what they find when they dig up the leach field) and put you on the schedule.
On the day of or the day before a few things will happen. First, someone from your local utility company will come by and spray paint mark where your underground electrical and gas lines are. This is a free "call before you dig" service that your septic company is required to coordinate. Second, someone from a pumpout company recommended / coordinated by the septic company will come by and pump / inspect the tank. This will be an extra standard pumpout fee. Then the septic company will start digging.
Beyond that it's going to be variable depending on the condition of your field, local town building codes, etc. As described above, it could be anything from "dig up, replace, put back" to "dig up, have to move to a different part of your yard" to "dig up, can't move to a different part of your yard, have to deal with major system changes, etc". A good installer should be able to give you a decision tree with price ranges, something like "If we find it's just an issue with the distribution pipe or the tank, it'll cost between $X and $2X and take a day. If the field has failed, but we can just move it over 50 feet or so, it'll cost between $Y and $2Y and take a week. If we can't move it, we have to talk to the town / install a new complicated system which will cost between $Z and $2Z and take a few months for approval and installation, during that time you will be able to use the system but [restrictions].
You should also ask them what they do to replace landscaping - typically, reseeding - and any what limitations on your usage you will have during the process. They should also be able to tell you if the tree needs to come down, and if they coordinate that or you do. I would get a second opinion if the first company says that it does. You shouldn't have to move out, but you might have some limitations on periods of water use or need to get the tank pumped out more often during the process.
Lastly, I think you're one state over, which probably means you can't use the company I used. If somehow you could, I highly recommend them. I've worked with a lot of contractors, and they've been one of the best. The up front communication wasn't the best (a bit casual as opposed to contractual), but he really went above and beyond to handle some tricky on-site conditions. If he doesn't serve your area perhaps he can recommend someone who does.
posted by true at 9:10 AM on February 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
First, you'll call a septic / excavation contractor. They'll pop open the tank and look at it, and most likely tell you that either your leach field is no longer working or that it might be no longer working but they need to dig some to tell. They will attempt to find the leach field based on the direction of the outbound pipe from your tank, which is a large area of your yard, most likely with no trees on it somewhere level or slightly downhill from the tank and a few hundred feet away from the well if you have well water. They will quote you a price (with a range, depending on what they find when they dig up the leach field) and put you on the schedule.
On the day of or the day before a few things will happen. First, someone from your local utility company will come by and spray paint mark where your underground electrical and gas lines are. This is a free "call before you dig" service that your septic company is required to coordinate. Second, someone from a pumpout company recommended / coordinated by the septic company will come by and pump / inspect the tank. This will be an extra standard pumpout fee. Then the septic company will start digging.
Beyond that it's going to be variable depending on the condition of your field, local town building codes, etc. As described above, it could be anything from "dig up, replace, put back" to "dig up, have to move to a different part of your yard" to "dig up, can't move to a different part of your yard, have to deal with major system changes, etc". A good installer should be able to give you a decision tree with price ranges, something like "If we find it's just an issue with the distribution pipe or the tank, it'll cost between $X and $2X and take a day. If the field has failed, but we can just move it over 50 feet or so, it'll cost between $Y and $2Y and take a week. If we can't move it, we have to talk to the town / install a new complicated system which will cost between $Z and $2Z and take a few months for approval and installation, during that time you will be able to use the system but [restrictions].
You should also ask them what they do to replace landscaping - typically, reseeding - and any what limitations on your usage you will have during the process. They should also be able to tell you if the tree needs to come down, and if they coordinate that or you do. I would get a second opinion if the first company says that it does. You shouldn't have to move out, but you might have some limitations on periods of water use or need to get the tank pumped out more often during the process.
Lastly, I think you're one state over, which probably means you can't use the company I used. If somehow you could, I highly recommend them. I've worked with a lot of contractors, and they've been one of the best. The up front communication wasn't the best (a bit casual as opposed to contractual), but he really went above and beyond to handle some tricky on-site conditions. If he doesn't serve your area perhaps he can recommend someone who does.
posted by true at 9:10 AM on February 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
Best answer: We only had to replace the drain field. The tank itself was fine. It cost about $6,000 and they tore up part of the lawn. We used temporary fencing around that area as it regrew. It took them two days and we were never in a situation where we couldn’t use household water - they got it all ready and swapped a connection. (Ok maybe we had a half hour where we weren’t supposed to use the drains - it was minor.)
We just called a few different places and got estimates, like any home repair. There are different types of drain field techniques so we did a little research and then pulled the trigger.
It was so much less bad than I thought it would be. And we were in the same state as you - kept having to have the tank emptied. The tank itself is now 23 years old - it was 17 when we had the field replaced and they felt it was in good shape.
This may be less expensive and less hassle than it currently seems like. I was really worried too and it was just fine.
posted by hilaryjade at 9:38 AM on February 28, 2022
We just called a few different places and got estimates, like any home repair. There are different types of drain field techniques so we did a little research and then pulled the trigger.
It was so much less bad than I thought it would be. And we were in the same state as you - kept having to have the tank emptied. The tank itself is now 23 years old - it was 17 when we had the field replaced and they felt it was in good shape.
This may be less expensive and less hassle than it currently seems like. I was really worried too and it was just fine.
posted by hilaryjade at 9:38 AM on February 28, 2022
Sounds like your house was built by one of my uncles. If it wasn't worth doing with baling wire, spit, and no plan, it wasn't worth doing at all. If you trust the company that's been doing your pumping, maybe it's worth hitting them up for a contractor recommendation? (Unless I've totally misread your post and you've already done that; I've been having that sort of day.)
posted by The Underpants Monster at 1:29 PM on February 28, 2022
posted by The Underpants Monster at 1:29 PM on February 28, 2022
Don't assume the tank itself needs to be replaced and don't let anyone talk you into that without confirming the reason - as long as it doesn't leak etc, it will be fine. It's just a tank.
The dispersal beds are most likely the issue and there will be lots of possible options that may or may not work for your property, so don't just take the first quote - specifically ask about options that allow retention of the tree, because there will likely be at least one.
At least as an interim measure, check out whether you can supplement the bacteria in some way to reduce the pump-out frequency.
posted by dg at 4:34 PM on February 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
The dispersal beds are most likely the issue and there will be lots of possible options that may or may not work for your property, so don't just take the first quote - specifically ask about options that allow retention of the tree, because there will likely be at least one.
At least as an interim measure, check out whether you can supplement the bacteria in some way to reduce the pump-out frequency.
posted by dg at 4:34 PM on February 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
Good advice above. As noted, the path to success is finding a good contractor.
I'm just going to add that one thing that might happen, especially if the leeching field has to be moved, is you might need a percolation test to see if the ground will absorb water quickly enough. That's just a hole about a yard across that gets filled with water, and then watched to see how long it takes for the water to disappear. Evidently, your lot passed one once, so no big deal, but it be a day's delay.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:50 PM on February 28, 2022
I'm just going to add that one thing that might happen, especially if the leeching field has to be moved, is you might need a percolation test to see if the ground will absorb water quickly enough. That's just a hole about a yard across that gets filled with water, and then watched to see how long it takes for the water to disappear. Evidently, your lot passed one once, so no big deal, but it be a day's delay.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:50 PM on February 28, 2022
Best answer: Ask around about septic companies, get 2 or 3 of them to assess it and give you quotes. The tank is a concrete box, it can fail by cracking, but pumping should fully empty any solids that have accrued. I'd consider trying a different pumping company. The leach field can get clogged and require replacement. Town code regulates how the leach field is implemented; go talk to the town code staff; ideally they'll be helpful and know who does this work.
posted by theora55 at 6:03 PM on February 28, 2022
posted by theora55 at 6:03 PM on February 28, 2022
Lot of good advice above. I will add that I had mine done a few years ago. Due to new environmental regulations, I ended up spending almost $30k for a 2 bedroom house.
One of the other things that was surprising to me was that the contractors broke up the old concrete tanks and reburied the pieces in my back yard - it was much cheaper than having to dispose of it off site.
posted by niteHawk at 7:03 AM on March 1, 2022
One of the other things that was surprising to me was that the contractors broke up the old concrete tanks and reburied the pieces in my back yard - it was much cheaper than having to dispose of it off site.
posted by niteHawk at 7:03 AM on March 1, 2022
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They didn't want the yard destroyed, so they had to replat their side property as a part of the main property so the septic tank and drain field would be part of the same property. This took 4 months in a low-regulation country small town. They did this to completely avoid destroying everything in their backyard. So yeah, if you don't have a side property, then expect your backyard and everything in it to be destroyed including trees.
That was by far the biggest hurdle, and I expect it to be yours as well. Septic tanks are pretty terrible environmentally, so most states have cracked down hard on the land required to use one and the drain fields are large, even for single family homes.
The actual digging of the septic tank and drain fields took 2 days but the side yard fit a backhoe, so very little handdigging. Yours might take longer.
Who did it? Well they live far from a city, so they just called plumbers until they found one willing to travel.
Yes, septic tanks do become less effective - in that the drain fields where the water drains to collapse and then the bacteria needs a moist not necessarily water-filled environment to do their work.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:43 AM on February 28, 2022