How To Use A Sensor To Find A Septic Tank? (Solution found)

6 Steps to Locate a Septic Tank

Find Your Main Sewer Drain Line. Sewage from your toilets, sinks, and showers collects into a main drain line.
Check Permits and Public Records.

Determine Septic Tank Material.
Time to Dig.
Mark the Location for Future Maintenance.

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Electronic drain pipe sensors and locating probes can be used for the purposes of finding a septic tank. You can also find the septic tank by flushing some dye tablets down the toilet. Homeowners can also call their county building office and ask where the septic tank is on their property.

What can I use to find my septic tank?

In most cases, septic tank components including the lid, are buried between 4 inches and 4 feet underground. You can use a metal probe to locate its edges and mark the perimeter. If you do not find the lid by probing, shallow excavation with a shovel along the tank’s perimeter should reveal the lid.

How do you find a septic tank in an old house?

Look for the 4-inch sewer that exits the crawl space or basement, and locate the same spot outside the home. Septic tanks are usually located between ten to 25 feet away from the home. Insert a thin metal probe into the ground every few feet, until you strike polyethylene, fiberglass or flat concrete.

How do you probe a septic line?

Follow the pipe by sticking a thin metal probe (known as a soil probe) into the ground near the sewer line. Probe about every two feet. Most septic tanks are around 10-25 feet away from your home, and cannot be closer than five feet.

Will metal detector find septic tank?

If it’s Concrete or Steel, Use a Metal Detector. Based on your conclusions in Step 3, if your septic tank is likely made from concrete or steel, a metal detector can make the task of locating it much easier. But not just any metal detector will do.

Are septic tank locations public record?

Contact your local health department for public records. These permits should come with a diagram of the location where the septic system is buried. Depending on the age of your septic system, you may be able to find information regarding the location of your septic system by making a public records request.

How do you tell if your septic tank is full?

Here are some of the most common warning signs that you have a full septic tank:

Your Drains Are Taking Forever.
Standing Water Over Your Septic Tank.
Bad Smells Coming From Your Yard.

You Hear Gurgling Water.
You Have A Sewage Backup.
How often should you empty your septic tank?

Can you have a septic tank without a leach field?

The waste from most septic tanks flows to a soakaway system or a drainage field. If your septic tank doesn’t have a drainage field or soakaway system, the waste water will instead flow through a sealed pipe and empty straight into a ditch or a local water course.

Should septic tank lids be buried?

In most cases, all components of the septic tank including the lid are buried between 4 inches and 4 feet underground. Unless the septic tank has special risers that position the lid at ground level, you’ll have to dig for it.

How much does it cost to pump a septic tank?

How much does it cost to pump out a septic tank? The average cost is $300, but can run up to $500, depending on your location. The tank should be pumped out every three to five years.

How often should a septic tank be pumped?

Inspect and Pump Frequently The average household septic system should be inspected at least every three years by a septic service professional. Household septic tanks are typically pumped every three to five years.

How far down is a leach field?

A typical drainfield trench is 18 to 30 inches in depth, with a maximum soil cover over the disposal field of 36 inches.

What do lateral lines look like?

Lateral lines are usually visible as faint lines of pores running lengthwise down each side, from the vicinity of the gill covers to the base of the tail. Most amphibian larvae and some fully aquatic adult amphibians possess mechanosensitive systems comparable to the lateral line.

Can you walk on a leach field?

Your family can walk on a well-maintained drain field without fear of encountering puddles of affluent and dangerous bacteria. Bicycles and tricycles are also acceptable because they are not heavy enough to compress or disturb the soil.

How to Use Special Equipment to Find The Septic Tank or Septic Waste Lines

POSTPONE a QUESTION or COMMENTabout how to locate a septic tank using basic tools or more complex electronic equipment or cameras for locating septic tank pipes

InspectAPedia does not allow any form of conflict of interest. The sponsors, goods, and services described on this website are not affiliated with us in any way. Equipment for finding septic tanks: A septic tank may be located with the use of several basic instruments and technologies, which are described in this paper. This article explains how to locate a septic tank when the position of the tank is not previously known or when the location of the septic tank is not readily apparent from the surrounding area.

ToolsEquipmentto Find theSeptic Tank

The following section discusses sewage tank finding tools and equipment. If you have not already done so, please read our more basic method to locating your septic tank by visual inspection: SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND. Remember to use caution while probing or excavating a septic tank, drywell, or cesspool, especially if you are not convinced that the installation has a safe and secure cover. Probing or excavating over a failing septic tank or cesspool, or even drywall, can cause the system to collapse, which is potentially lethal.

Some inspectors or septic service firms use a basic septic tank finding probesuch, instrument as a 1/4″ steel rod or a heavier steel wrecking bar, to probe the earth around a suspected septic tank site. Keep an eye out for: An oversized wrecking bar driven into the ground can perforate a steel septic tank lid or shatter a terra cotta septic drain line
OrORANGEBURG PIPEseptic drain line. These approaches, on the other hand, can be beneficial if applied with caution in soft or moist soils. A wrecking bar was used in a similar septic application, the inspection of septic fields, to make holes in a drainfield, but not directly across a drain line, in order to examine soil conditions. A failed septic system may cause wastewater to rise to the surface through an opening of this nature.)

Using a shovel is a low-tech and high-sweat technique of locating any buried thing, provided that you have a basic concept of where the object is hidden. Our contractor utilized a backhoe to “discover” the sewage tank when we conducted our first septic tank search in 1969. He “discovered” it by driving over and collapsing an old steel septic tank, which he had been looking for. I wished we’d begun with a shovel a little more slowly
Using a metal detector, you may locate certain septic tanks that have steel tank tops or manhole covers that have been utilized to cover the entry port to the tank. Drain Pipe with Electronics To locate the septic tank, use your senses: The septic tank may be pinpointed with pinpoint accuracy using technological means: Some plumbing contractors can locate the precise position of the septic tank at this stage by inserting a special plumbing snake into the main home drain pipe and running it through the house. In either case, the plumbing snake is placed into the drain line from a suitable point and then stretched until it encounters an impediment, which might be an obstruction in the drain line or it could be that the snake has extended into the septic tank and struck it. The metal plumbing snake receives an electrical signal that is supplied into it. The signal from the plumbing snake may be detected by a receiver located outside. The precise course of the snake in the underground drain line may be traced all the way to the tank by passing the receiver, which functions as a type of electronic metal detector, over the surface of the land. More information may be found atDRAINFIELD PIPE LOCATION, PRECISE
For the purpose of locating the septic tank, ground scanning radar was used: Hidden septic tanks, underground oil tanks, and other items beneath the surface of the earth can be detected using radar. Many of the companies who provide underground oil tank finding services are also capable of delivering this (more expensive) service.

Warning about using metal detectors or electronic pipe sensors to find Septic Tanks

Metal detectors or probes that indicate the course of an underground pipe are great and quick methods of locating buried drain and septic system components, as well as other buried infrastructure. However, on an older property, we’ve had an odd problem that may have been quite disastrous. If your property is old, it may contain numerous generations of underground cables and pipes, which can cause errors in the readings from sensors such as those for buried pipe or buried septic tank monitoring.

After attaching a transmitting unit to a pipe at the gas meter, the technician proceeded to paint a yellow line over our (at the time frozen) earth with a paintbrush.

We started digging 18 inches deep using a jackhammer to break through frozen earth in order to locate a water pipe “a safe distance away from the yellow line indicating the gas line As one might expect, we came across the gas line itself while we were excavating!

Keep an eye out for: Excavation equipment such as backhoes, wrecking bars, and jackhammers should not be used in areas where potentially dangerous utilities are underground.

SEPTIC LOCATION VIDEOS includes videos that demonstrate how to locate a septic system, septic tank, and septic drainfield, among other things.

Reader CommentsQ A

Please accept my apologies, but I am not familiar with the term “dry tank.” I know where the septic tank is, but I can’t seem to locate the dry tank. My home was constructed in the 1960s. I’m trying to locate the health department because I want to put up a vehicle awning for my camper. In order to determine the *exact* position of the entrance and exit of a septic tank, you must first locate the tank. 2. Remove the cover from the risers or cleanout apertures depending on the tank type and size, there may be two, three, or more of these openings.

I normally take measurements from the building’s nearest corners and develop a diagram for future reference.

Those measuring methodologies are described in greater depth in the preceding article.
It is reasonable to assume that the septic hookup would be near to the edge of the actual RV rectangle if the location where the RV was parked can be identified and identified.
A plumber can install a buried drain tracing wire at the septic tank and use an above-ground detector to trace the course of the plumbing.

There were two RVs here a few years ago, but no hookups can be discovered now.
The ground is quite difficult!
How can I locate the septic tank if a septic line runs down into a cement pad and is not visible?

Alternatively, choose a topic from the closely related articles listed below, or browse the entireARTICLE INDEX.

Suggested citation for this web page

DISTANCE TO SEPTIC TANK; FIND MAIN WASTE LINE EXIT; POSSIBLE SEPTIC TANK LOCATIONS; SEPTIC TANK COVERS; SEPTIC TANK DEPTH; SEPTIC TANK DESIGN DEPTH; SEPTIC TANK LOCATING EQUIPMENT; SEPTIC TANK LOCATION SKETCH; SEPTIC TANK RISERS; SEPTIC TANK GRASS

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES:ARTICLE INDEX to SEPTIC SYSTEMS

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Save Time Hunting for Hidden Tanks With a Flushable Locator

Get articles, news, and videos about Onsite Systems delivered directly to your email! Now is the time to sign up. Plus, there are Onsite Systems. Receive Notifications The bulk of septic tanks in the Phelan, California, area were made of steel, so when Martin Ruiz established his septic service business there in 2011, he employed metal detectors to find septic tanks to save time and money. However, by the 2000s, several of those tanks had failed or collapsed and had to be replaced with concrete or plastic tanks, which was a costly and time-consuming undertaking.

It was frequently time-consuming, inefficient, or outright ineffective in its results.

He picked a Prototek system that included the AR1 battery-operated receiver and the ATP12 flushable transmitters, which were both designed by Ruiz.
In order to begin, the transmitter must be delivered to the tank.
In order to restrict the search, the equipment offers near/far sensitivity settings as well as beeping and needle movement on the meter to indicate the position of a storage tank.

The flushable units helped him discover a tank that had already been visited by many businesses in an attempt to locate, he explains.
“After that, I went around the land in a circle, beginning 5 feet away from the structure.

“They do an excellent job,” he says. More information about Septic Control may be found in this month’s edition of Pumpermagazine.

How to Find a Septic Tank With a Metal Detector

For sewage treatment in the United States, around 48% of households in rural and outlying regions depend on septic tanks or septic systems. Many of these systems have been operating without regular maintenance for many years. It is necessary to locate your septic tank in the event that sewage is backing up into your home or if your main drain line has become obstructed. Throughout this post, we’ll go over the basics of how septic systems function before showing you how to identify your septic tank in six simple stages.

How do septic systems work?

A septic system is made up of two parts: the septic tank and the drain field (or leach field).

Septic Tank

Waste from toilets, sinks, and showers is sent down a main sewage line and into a holding tank known as the septic tank. A septic tank is a large, subterranean container that acts as the initial stage of a home’s sewage treatment system by collecting and treating sewage. Watertight containers such as concrete, steel, plastic, and fiberglass are used to construct the tank. Until the particles and liquids separate into three different layers, sewage is allowed to remain in the septic tank. This picture shows how sewage from the home drains into a two-compartment underground septic tank.

The liquid wastes are subsequently discharged into the drain field.

The bacteria produce a sludge that is “digested” and stays in the tank until it is drained.

This stratum is referred to as effluent in most circles.

Drain Field

Drain fields are composed of layers of gravel and dirt that allow liquid sewage to flow down. It eventually becomes part of the groundwater supply. Aerobic bacteria (bacteria that require oxygen to survive) and other microbes decompose the organic debris that remains.

What happens if a septic tank gets too full?

In the event that your septic tank becomes overflowing, sewage may back up into your home. It is more difficult to breakdown sludge than it is to collect it. If the sludge isn’t cleaned, the solids will build up until they overflow into the drain field, causing the drain to back up. This has the potential to clog pipes and produce a backup. The sludge must be cleared on a regular basis in order to avoid this.

Many households only get their tanks emptied after the system malfunctions. Waiting until that stage can result in repair expenses in the tens of thousands of dollars. Every three to five years, we suggest that you have your septic tank pumped.

6 Steps to Locate a Septic Tank

Water from your toilets, sinks, and showers is collected in a main drain pipe and disposed of properly. This line departs your home and enters your septic tank through the basement or crawl area where it was installed. Find the line in question. Afterwards, walk outside and look for the identical location on the opposite side of the wall. Make a note of this spot since you’ll need it in a moment.

2. Check Permits and Public Records

The majority of county health agencies keep public records of septic system installation permits on their websites. These permits must be accompanied by a schematic or design depicting the proposed location of the septic tank and drainage field systems. They also give a description of the tank’s dimensions and construction material. Having this information can be quite beneficial when trying to locate a submerged tank lid. In some cases, depending on the age of your septic system and the digitization efforts of your county’s health department, you may be able to do a public records search online.

If you live in Colorado, we’ve provided links below that will allow you to check septic records in a few different areas.

Colorado’s counties of Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas Colorado Septic Records Search

Colorado Permits Search
El Paso County Records Search
Jefferson County Septic Records Search

Jefferson County Records Search
Mesa County Septic Systems Search
Pueblo County Records Search. Colorado Septic Records Search

Pueblo County Records Search

3. Determine Septic Tank Material

If you’ve located your septic permit, you’ll find information about the size, shape, and material of your septic tank there as well. But don’t be concerned if your septic data aren’t readily available. We can perform some basic detective work to determine what material your septic system is built of. Let’s start with a look at the materials.

Types of Septic Tank Materials

Construction of septic tanks is mostly done using four types of materials: concrete, steel, fiberglass, and polyethylene plastic. Until the 1880s, the most extensively used septic tank material was concrete, which was then replaced by steel. These tanks have a lifespan of around 40 years and are built to last. They are susceptible to cracking, however, in locations where temperature variations are strong and frequent. Concrete tanks are frequently required by municipalities that have strict requirements on septic system construction.

Steel septic tanks begin to corrode within 20 to 25 years of installation in most regions.
If a human or animal walks across the weakened tank, it may collapse under the weight of the person or animal.

They will not break or corrode, however, in contrast to concrete or steel tanks.
PlasticSeptic tanks made of polyethylene have been in use since the 1980s.

They are not susceptible to rusting and are less prone to break when compared to concrete. They are, however, not quite as long-lasting. Because of the weight of the earth above them, or because a vehicle passes over the area where they are buried, plastic tanks are susceptible to collapse.

How Old is Your House?

Next, let’s determine the approximate age of your home. In some cases, all you need to do is take a glance at the house’s façade to get an idea of how old it really is. However, you may examine the tax assessor’s records in your county to get a more precise assessment. Similarly to searching for septic records, your mileage may vary depending on which county’s digitized documents you are searching for. Let’s go over an example search utilizing Boulder County’s Property Search tool so that you can have a better sense of what you should be looking for.

Look up your home address on the internet. When searching for a home, some programs provide separate areas for your address and street name, while others (such as Boulder County) merge the two into a single search box. Look for information on Deeds and/or Sales Records in the public domain. You’ll find a list of transactions here, with dates showing when the property was purchased and sold. Find the transaction that occurred on the earliest possible date. This is most likely the year in which your home was constructed.

This information allows you to make an informed guess regarding the sort of material that your septic tank is built of.

4A. If it’s Concrete or Steel, Use a Metal Detector

After coming to the conclusion that the tank is most likely built of concrete or steel in Step 3, a metal detector may be used to make the work of locating it much simpler. But not just any metal detector will do. It must be the right one. Standard metal detectors have a depth range of 6 – 8″ (15 – 20 cm) below the surface of the ground. As previously stated, the majority of septic tanks are placed 1′ to 3′ (0.3 m to 1 m) underground, putting them outside of the acceptable range. An advanced sort of metal detector known as a Magnetic Locator, which can detect objects as deep as 16′ (4.8 m), is available for purchase.

How to Use a Metal Detector to Search for a Septic Tank

If you have a septic permit record, you may refer to it to figure out how far you need to go to install a septic tank. Start at the point where the drain line meets the home and work your way out to where the septic tank is shown on the diagram. Keep in mind that this graphic depicts the proposed installation area and may not accurately depict the actual ground conditions on the site. We’ll have a look at the illustration below. One inch (2.5 centimeters) is equivalent to fifty feet (50 meters).

By using a ruler to measure the design, we’ve determined that the septic tank should be roughly 13′ (3.96 m) away from the home.

To begin, start at the location you highlighted in Step 1 where the sewage drain line leaves the home. From here, you may switch on the locator and adjust the gain to a high setting. Walking over the search area, sweep the locator from left to right, as if looking for anything. As you go, make a note of the regions with the strongest signal strength. It is most likely that the tank-iron lid’s handles will be located in one of these positions

As soon as you’ve exhausted the search region in one direction, sweep over it perpendicularly and make note of the spots with the strongest signal strength. Continue on to Step 5

4B. If it’s Plastic or Fiberglass, Probe Gently

Septic tanks made of plastic or fiberglass are typically buried one to two feet (0.3 to 0.91 m) below ground level. They feature circular covers made of green or black plastic that are roughly two feet (0.91 m) wide and have a diameter of around two feet (0.91 m). Due to the fact that these tanks are totally made of plastic, a metal detector will not be of use in locating them. In this situation, a soil probe is really useful. An inexpensive soil sampling instrument, soil probes are comprised of a 4′ (1.2 m) metal rod with a pointed tip on one end and are used for soil sample.

Gently poke the earth with a soil probe every 2 to 3 feet, using a light touch (0.61 to 0.91 m).

Make a note of any areas where you encounter resistance and continue exploring around in your search area. The use of a soft touch is essential here, since the metal tip of the probe can cause damage to plastic septic tanks (and sewage lines) if too much force is used.

5. Time to Dig

Following the placement of an amagnetic locator (or the probing of the ground) to record the places with the highest signal strength, you are ready to begin digging. Septic tank lids can be located anywhere from 4″ (10 cm) to 4′ (1.2 m) below the surface of the ground.

6. Mark the Location for Future Maintenance

Having discovered your septic tank, you’ll want to ensure that it can be readily detected and accessed in the event that it has to be repaired or replaced. You may accomplish this by installing a septic tank riser. Sewage Tank Risers are devices that provide for easy access to the septic tank from the ground. They are shafts made of plastic or concrete that link the top of the tank to the surface of the ground below the tank. The tank lid will no longer require you to dig to access it whenever maintenance is required.

How To Locate a Septic Tank

Customers frequently inquire about the location of a septic tank. Unless your septic tank is equipped with special risers that elevate the lids above ground level, you may need to enlist the assistance of a qualified professional. However, there are a number of things you may do to prepare yourself before calling for assistance. When it comes time to have your septic system repaired, being how to find your own septic system will save you money. Public health records can be obtained by contacting your local health department.

These permits should be accompanied by a graphic depicting the location of the septic system’s burying spot.
Public Records Request for the County of Nevada Request for Public Records from the County of Placer Examine the findings of your inspection report.

Make contact with the construction company that built your home.
Find the location of the main sewer line.
Locate the 4 inch sewer pipe that runs through your basement or crawlspace and take a measurement of the point at which it leaves the home.

By carefully probing the yard every few feet and following the septic pipe across your yard, you should be able to detect any problems.
The majority of septic tanks are placed 1 to 3 feet below and are located roughly 10 to 20 feet away from the house.

An electronic metal detector can find the reinforcing bars in a concrete tank if it is built out of concrete.

Please contact us.

We have specialized technology that we can use to pinpoint the location of your tank.

You should make a note of the position of your tank for future reference if you were successful in discovering it.

A riser elevates the septic lid above the ground, making it easier to find and access your septic tank and its contents.

As a result, you will not have to pay a professional to identify and dig up the lids every time your septic system is repaired, which will help to protect your landscape and save you money.

23 Best Septic Tank Tools for 2022

It is necessary to have the proper equipment to perform septic system inspection, maintenance, and installation in order to keep customers’ household waste systems clean and in excellent functioning condition. Aside from being protected against infectious illnesses, hazardous gases, and electrical shock, septic tank service professionals must also be protected from a variety of other health concerns. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, septic systems are used by more than one in every five residences in the United States to treat their wastewater.

To see a demonstration, please click here.

The Septic Tools List

First, take a look at the list of the 23 top tools for septic tank service providers, which you can find here. We’ve provided further information on each below so that you may go deeper into the facts and determine what your septic service still need in order to be successful. Locator for Septic Tanks

Metal detector, flushable septic tank locator, electronic septic tank locator, plumbing cleanout snake, ground-scanning radar, and a variety of other tools are available.

Septic Probes are used to test for bacteria in the intestines.

Soil probe rods, steel probe rods, and septic tank probe rods are all options.

Septic Inspection Instruments

A long wooden pole or a sludge judge may be used. Inspection of baffles, tees, and walls with a visual inspection

The use of video inspection equipment

Cleaning Equipment for Septic Tanks

Pump truck, high-capacity vacuum, sewer jet, or high-velocity water jet are all examples of equipment. Muck rake, Wayne ball, Wrecking bar, and power rodding are all useful tools. Riser pipes for septic tanks

Products for Septic Tank Maintenance

Alarms and control panels
Effluent filters

Vent pipe odor filters
Septic business software
Effluent filters

Septic Tank Locator Tool

Sewage holding tanks or separation chambers, which are often buried underground and composed of materials such as concrete, fiberglass or polyethylene, serve as a holding tank or separation chamber for wastewater that is drained down drain pipes. Solid debris sinks to the bottom and congeals to produce sludge, whereas fats, oils, and grease rise to the surface and congeal to make scum. In a drain field, the liquid effluent that remains after the tank has been emptied. Some visible signs, such as snow melt, rectangular depressions in the soil, regions of reduced grass growth or areas of lush growth, or pipes poking out of the ground anywhere from 10 to 20 feet from the residence, can serve as a basic septic finder.

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For example, consider the following methods for locating a septic tank using a metal detector:

Septic tanks and septic tank covers that are made of metal might be discovered with the use of a metal detector. A concrete septic tank may be located by utilizing a metal detector to find the steel reinforcing bars that support the tank’s concrete shell. It is possible that your septic tank does not contain enough metal to be detected, in which case you will need to use a plumbing cleanout snake to snake the sewage line. When the cleanout snake reaches the septic tank, it comes to a complete stop, and you may use a metal detector to find the end of the snake.

Other choices for a septic tank finding equipment include the following:

In order to trace the signal from an electronic septic tank tracker, you must flush it down the toilet and track its whereabouts using a receiver. Generally speaking, you’ll locate the septic tank wherever the strongest signal from the septic locator transmitter may be found. Ground-scanning radar, which is frequently employed by industries to discover subsurface oil tanks, may also be used to detect the presence of septic tanks. Just keep in mind that this service may come at a higher cost to clients.

An important point of caution: When utilizing metal detectors or electronic septic tank finding equipment, be in mind that older properties may have several hidden cables and pipes, which can cause misleading readings.

Also, be cautious not to excavate using backhoes, wrecking bars, or jackhammers in locations where potentially dangerous utility lines are buried, or in regions where septic tank failure has deteriorated the ground.

Septic Tank Probe

When septic professionals inspect a customer’s property, they will often utilize a soil probe rod or a ground probe rod to discover underground drain lines. An experienced septic contractor will locate the drain lines by placing a thin metal rod or steel probe rod into the ground 10 to 15 feet away from the home’s foundation and digging down to the sewer pipe exit point. Then they’ll follow the lines all the way to the underground septic tank to finish the job. The tank may be located with the use of an electronic probe in some instances.

A septic probe may also be used to determine where septic tank field lines are located, which is useful information.

The presence of luxuriant vegetation, soft spongy ground, a sewage stench, or effluence at the surface are all indicators of a likely septic tank failure.

Septic Inspection Tools

As soon as the tank has been discovered and gained access, the liquid levels in the tank are measured before any cleaning equipment is used to clean the tank. Inserting a long wooden stick into different parts of the tank will allow you to determine the levels. Depending on how much sludge and scum is on the wooden pole as you take it out, you can determine how much cleaning is required. For approximately $75, you can purchase an asludge judge (a long hollow plastic tube with a check valve at the bottom), which will serve the same purpose.

It is necessary to pump the tank, according to EPA guidelines, if the bottom of the scum layer is within 6 inches of the bottom of the outlet or the top of the sludge layer is within 12 inches of the outlet.

The condition of the baffles and tees (which prevent sewage from backing up into the inlet or outflow pipe) as well as any evidence of cracks in the tank’s walls are all checked during a septic tank inspection.

Septic Tank Cleaning Tools

Septic tank service companies remove waste from septic tanks with the use of a pump vehicle equipped with a high-capacity vacuum. To clear obstructions or access hard-to-reach sections of the tank, they may also utilize various septic instruments such as a sewage jet or high-velocity water jet, among other things. Other septic tank instruments that are commonly utilized on the job include as follows:

Septic tank service providers remove waste from septic tanks using a pump vehicle equipped with a high-capacity vacuum. To clear obstructions or access hard-to-reach regions of the tank, they may also employ various septic instruments such as a sewage jet or high-velocity water jet. In addition to these, the following septic tank tools may be required:

Septic Maintenance Products

The alarms and control panels of a septic system govern and monitor all of the functions of the system, including warnings for high water, air pump failure, and submersible pump failure. Effluent filters are devices that are attached to the outputs of a septic tank and are used to minimize the amount of particles that flow out of the tank and into the drain field. In order to reduce or eliminate odors from septic tanks, activated carbon vent pipe odor filters are utilized.

Septic Business Software

Better productivity and higher customer service are achieved via the use of septic service software in your company’s everyday business operations. Using online scheduling and dispatching, as well as mobile estimates and billing, you can make running your septic treatment business a lot more organized endeavor.

Additional ServiceTitan solutions, such as Marketing Pro, Phones Pro, and Pricebook Pro, assist septic firms in increasing their lead generation and increasing their net profit margins.

Business Valuation Calculator

Do you want to discover how much your septic repair company is worth right now? Use the freeServiceTitan Business Valuation Calculator to uncover crucial criteria for tracking growth and profitability, as well as to determine how much your local septic business could be valued if you decide to sell it.

Invoice Generator

Distribute to your septic team a mobile tool that allows them to quickly and conveniently produce and save bills, then email or text them from the field with ServiceTitan’s free Invoice Generator Tool. Reduce paperwork, expedite invoicing, and provide consumers with a quick, professional digital invoice that they can pay online or on the job site by eliminating paper-based processes.

Labor Rate Calculator

With ServiceTitan’s free interactive Labor Rate Calculator, you can see how much each person really costs your septic service company and figure out how much to charge clients. Plugging in essential variables, such as overhead expenses and ideal net profit, allows you to calculate the billable hourly labor rate necessary to pay the costs of running company while also maximizing profits.

Pipe Volume Calculator

By utilizing the freeServiceTitan Pipe Volume Calculator, you can determine how much liquid waste a piping section can carry as well as how much those pipes weigh when they are completely filled. A septic tank professional can quickly and effectively convert pipe volume and mass using six distinct measurement units, allowing them to save time, decrease waste, increase accuracy, and certify that the pipe size is adequate for any septic operation.

ROI Calculator

With the help of our online ServiceTitan ROI Calculator, you can ensure that your septic firm can fully benefit on all of the capabilities offered by ServiceTitan’s field management platform and generate a favorable return on investment. Increase your earning potential by increasing your average ticket size and increasing the number of daily calls, scheduled appointments, estimates, and jobs sold.

Service Business Grader

The Service Business Grader Tool from ServiceTitan allows you to evaluate the success of your septic service company. You may find out how your septic tank service techs and dispatchers are doing in less than a minute by comparing average ticket sales and other critical indicators with those of your competitors.

Mobile AppTablet

Create a mobile tablet application that allows clients to easily order, purchase, and pay for your company’s septic services with a single tap, click, or swipe on their mobile device. Techs provide tiered estimates in the field using the ServiceTitan Mobile App, which includes bright photographs, manufacturer videos, and full product information, allowing consumers to browse and purchase at their own leisure, much as they would when buying online. Make it possible for your electrical clients to receive the mobile-driven service they desire by including ServiceTitan’s Mobile App in your technicians’ toolbox.

With just a few taps on their mobile tablet, techs may have access to all of the information gathered by CSRs, including customers’ names and addresses and contact information
Outstanding estimates
Job histories
Property data
Past bills
Call recordings
And comments. Adding your own forms and pricebooks to the ServiceTitan cloud-based system makes it simple to manage pricing and product adjustments across the whole system. Job automation is a term used to describe the process of automating a job. Automate the appearance of particular forms as the project advances, so that technicians are aware of the procedures they need to do at each stage—from diagnosis and repair to billing and requesting a customer review
Make mobile payments more efficient by scanning checks and credit cards using the mobile tablet’s camera, or by using a credit-card swiper in addition to the camera. In the event that clients choose to pay in cash, techs may take it as well and instantly document payment while on the job site.

How to locate your septic tank and your drainfield

Septic systems on-site are used for accepting and treating wastewater in homes that are not linked to the municipal wastewater management system. A septic system is comprised of three components: a septic tank, a drain field, and piping. As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to properly operate and maintain your septic system in order to avoid system failure. For example, depending on the legislation in your area, you may be compelled to pump it on a regular basis.

It is impossible to perform maintenance operations, however, if you do not know where the tank is located. You can identify your septic tank by following a few simple procedures, which are outlined here.

Steps to follow to locate your septic tank and drain field

The contractor that designed and constructed the septic tank on your property should have submitted an as-built diagram with the local health authority before starting work on the project. In the event that you have the contractor’s contact information, you can ask them for a schematic, which you can then use to pinpoint the location of your septic tank. If you do not have a copy of the schematic, you can request one from the local authorities. Depending on whether the installed system included electrical components, the schematic may be available at the regional building department offices.

If you are unable to locate the tank using this diagram, you will need to do more research on the land in order to determine its position.
This pipe is commonly found in the basement of a home, and it is a 4″ black pipe with a cleanout at the bottom.
Simply look for possible access coverings or a structure that might be concealing it.
These pumps are used to remove waste from the building.
It is supposed to be connected to the sewage output pipe.
As soon as you’ve discovered the sewer outlet in your basement, you may use it to figure out where the sewer line departs your home through an outside wall.
As a result, it is probable that the tank will be positioned around the corner from the building.

Tips for locating your septic tank

Using the sewer outlet in your basement as a guide, you may establish where the sewer line departs your home through an outside wall. The septic tank will be located a few meters away from the home, and the outflow pipe may be at an angle of 30 or 45 degrees to the ground. As a result, it is conceivable that the tank will be positioned around the corner from where the tank is currently. Start from the outlet and make your way around the house in a circle until you find the septic tank.

It may be possible to discover the septic tank lid underneath using a metal detector if it is buried. Prevent wearing footwear that contains steel or any other metal in order to avoid interfering with the readings of the detector
Instead, you can use a flushable transmitter that is flushed down the toilet and then tracked with a receiver. When it comes to septic tanks, the strongest signal will be seen close to the intake region of the tank.

Depending on whether the septic tank is above or below ground, you may have to dig to get to it. Construction materials for septic tanks include concrete, fiberglass, or plastic, and their shapes can range from oblong to cylindrical to rectangular. The majority of modern septic tanks will have their lids positioned in the center of the tank, and the lid should be within three feet of the ground surface in most cases. However, depending on a variety of conditions, such as farming and other human activities on the property, it is conceivable that it will be significantly deeper.

Prevent being overly harsh with your shovel in order to avoid causing harm to the pipes. Additionally, you may use a small steel rod to probe the earth in order to pinpoint exactly where the tank is located as you continue digging.

Inspecting the tank

It is critical to thoroughly inspect and evaluate your septic tank and its contents when it has been identified. First and foremost, you may unscrew the lid to inspect the scum and sludge layer beneath it. In addition, the use of tracer dye tablets allows you to check the septic tank without having to dig it up. If you use tracer dye pills, all you have to do is flush them down the toilet and wait for a maximum of two days. Because of the way the tablets dissolve in water, if there is a problem with the septic system, you will see that the leach field has a glowing green hue surrounding it.

Conclusion

You can identify your septic tank without assistance from a professional, but it is a good idea to have someone who is properly educated in septic tank maintenance examine and maintain your septic tank on your behalf. The effluent filter in your tank should be washed into the open septic tank rather than on the ground in your yard if your tank has one. It may also be a good idea to make a note of the position of the septic tank when it has been discovered. This will be beneficial to anyone else who may require access to the septic tank in the future.

Septic tanks release combustible and hazardous gases, and as a result, they must be located in an open area.

Electronic Tank Locating in Northfield

You can identify your septic tank without assistance from a professional, but it is a good idea to have someone who is properly educated in septic tank maintenance examine and maintain your septic tank on an ongoing basis for you. If your tank is equipped with an effluent filter, it should be rinsed into the open septic tank rather than on the ground in your yard. In addition, it may be beneficial to make a note of the position of the septic tank after it has been discovered. The information provided here will be useful to anybody else who may require access to the septic tank in the future.

The presence of septic tanks in the open is required due to the release of combustible and hazardous gases.

How Does Electronic Tank Locating Work?

The majority of the time, we employ a flushable transmitter to assist us in locating the position of your septic system. This procedure is quick and simple, and you may get your tank pumped or fixed as soon as possible after that.

Make sure your Rowell’s plumber has access to a bathroom. We’ll need to get the transmitter into your sewage system, and this is the quickest and most straightforward method. Turn on the Prototek transmitter if it is not already on. The majority of them have a black power button that is difficult to overlook
Keep an eye out for the LED. When the transmitter is turned on and functioning properly, it should flash. If the battery indicator is red, the battery has died. Using your toilet, flush the transmitter down the toilet. Find the transmitter and the Prototek receiver and connect them. After the transmitter has made its journey down your toilet and through your sewage pipes, it should arrive at its destination in your septic tank in a couple of minutes at the most. Once it has arrived, we will be able to identify its signal using our receiver. Using this information, we can determine the location of your septic tank. Locate the access lid and close it. The majority of household septic tanks are rectangular in shape and measure around 5 feet by 8 feet in size. Once you’ve determined where your tank is located, it’s typically very simple to determine the limits and outline of your tank. From there, we’ll look for possible lid locations by probing them.

Once we’ve figured out where the lid is, you’ll know almost all there is to know about your septic tank.

Make a note of the location in case more pumping or repairs are required, and be sure to notify the future owners where it is when you sell the property to avoid confusion. They will not have to go through the same procedure again as a result of this.

Benefits of Electronic Tank Locating

There are various methods of identifying your septic tank, but we prefer to utilize electronic tank locating since we feel it is the most convenient alternative for both you and our plumbers in this situation. The reason behind this is as follows:

It is a low-cost option. Because it does not necessitate a significant amount of time or digging, electronic septic tank locating is more affordable than many other methods. Unless you have historical designs for your property, this is certainly the cheapest and most expedient technique available
It is also the quickest. Most of the time, it just takes a few minutes for the transmitter to find its way to your tank, and a few more for it to locate you. Instead of poring over maps or attempting to trace your pipes, you may locate your septic tank quickly and easily
It is less time consuming. Electronic tank locating involves less physical effort – and notably less digging – than most other methods of tank location. All you have to do is flush and walk away, with the possibility of prying the lid open.

If you need assistance locating your septic tank, contact Rowell’s Services right now! We’ll get to you as soon as possible and assist you in determining the exact position of your tank so that it may be cleansed or fixed as soon as possible. More information about our septic services may be found here, or you can contact us online to make an appointment.

What do I do if My Septic Alarm is Going Off?

In the event that your septic alarm goes off, it may surely create some anxiety and uncertainty; and if you happen to be experiencing this right now, then you’ve arrived to the correct location! Don’t be concerned; it does not necessitate urgent action. Instead, take your time to go through this full essay so that you will be prepared to act now or in the future if the situation arises. What Septic Systems Are and How They Work The alarm works in conjunction with the septic system to alert you when the water level within the pump tank has increased to an unsafe level or has decreased to an unsafe level.

The timer is in charge of regulating the time intervals during which the pump is permitted to pump wastewater into the drainage system.
Thus, during periods of excessive water use, the drain field is kept from getting overflowing, which might cause damage to the drainage system.
A large amount of water is injected into the system in between pumping cycles for whatever cause, and the water has nowhere else to go but back into the system’s pump tank.
Depending on how much water was and continues to be put into the system and how the pump is set up to operate on a timer, it may take many pumping cycles until the water levels are returned to normal.

There is an excessive amount of water being put into the septic system. This is the result of excessive water use, which might be caused by multiple loads of laundry, an excessive quantity of dishwashing, or a disproportionate number of long showers.

Somehow, groundwater is making its way into the system. If there is an excessive amount of standing water surrounding the septic tanks, whether generated by rain or another source, the water may seep into the tanks and cause the internal water level to rise.

In some way, groundwater is making its way into the system, which is a problem. If there is an excessive amount of standing water surrounding the septic tanks, whether due to rain or another source, the water may seep into the tanks and cause the internal water level to rise.

The Best Thing to Do If Your Alarm Goes Off Alternatively, if you hear an alert, you should press the red button or turn on the alarm box. The alarm will be turned off as a result of this action. There should be a red light and a green light on the alarm box, which should be situated someplace on the unit. The green light indicates that the alarm is operational and should be left on at all times. It is shown by a red light if the alarm is getting a signal from the pump tank indicating that the water level is increasing above or decreasing below what is expected.

If the breaker occurs to be tripped, look around the septic tanks to see if there is any standing water.
It is possible that the red light on the alarm box will go out on its own after allowing the septic system to operate for a couple of pump cycles (which should take approximately 10-15 hours).
If the red light turns off, it signifies that the system is operating properly and that it only needs to catch up with the extra water that has overflowed into the storage tank.
To be clear, an alarm signal from the septic system does not always imply that sewage is about to back up into the house right away.
Do you require septic system repair on a regular basis or emergency service?

To arrange an appointment, please call (804) 581-0001 or send us an email through our contact page. Want to learn more about septic systems? Explore our septic system web sites by clicking on the “Septic” navigation option in the top navigation bar.

How to Find Your Septic Tank

Many folks have contacted me through e-mail (typically from across the nation) to inquire about the location of their septic tank. “I have no idea,” I generally say as a helpful response to the question. I really want to add something like, “It’s just off your driveway, near that bushy thing,” or anything along those lines. But, truly, even for the most experienced searchers, septic tanks are difficult to come by. The following are some strategies you might employ to assist you in locating your tank.

Precaution should be exercised before you get started.
So, proceed with caution!
Please let me know if you have any queries or need assistance.
Get to know the beast!
tanks are normally buried 4 inches to 4 feet below the surface of the ground.
You might be astonished to hear that someone knows exactly where it is hidden in plain sight.
It is against the law to dig or probe in your own yard without first locating and marking the underground services.

You will receive the following tools to aid you in your search: Measurement tape, tile probe, and a shovel (if you are ambitious) The following tools are required: a metal detector (borrow or rent one since septic tanks often include iron steel rebar in the lids), and a hoagie sandwich (because locating sewage tanks makes you hungry.trust me on this).

Examine the basement wall to see where all of the pipes join together and exit through the basement ceiling.
If you don’t have a basement, walk outdoors and check for the roof vents on your house.
Ordinarily, the sewage line that leads to the septic tank will exit the home right below this ventilation opening.
On sometimes, the ancient proverb “The grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank” is true.

Your tank may be located by probing or digging for it, and with luck, you will locate it. Keep in mind that not everything that seems to be a septic tank actually is! It’s possible that you came upon one of the following instead:

Rubble buried in the ground (not to be confused with Barney Ruble)
SepticDrywell
An old foundation
In case you happen to live in a cemetery (which is spooky), you may use a grave vault to keep your belongings safe.

After a few hours of hopelessly digging about in your yard, it will be time to eat your hoagie and take a little sleep. Following that, it will be necessary to rent or borrow a metal detector. In the event that your next-door neighbor loves Star Wars action figures or has more than three unidentified antennae on his roof, there is a significant probability that you can borrow his metal detector. If you’re lucky, the metal detector will really assist you in finding your septic tank, rather than simply a bunch of old buried automobile parts.

According to local legend, a pumper known as “Zarzar The Incredible” can locate sewage tanks using a metal measuring tape spanning 30 feet in length.

Continue to press your commode (“commode” sounds sophisticated) tape deeper and farther down the pipes until he “feels” the bottom of the tank with his tape.

I recently acquired locate equipment that can be used to locate septic tanks, and I’m excited about it.

For further information, please contact me at 574-533-1470.

After that, you may have a movie of the inside of your sewer pipes created!

Related: Visit our Septic System Maintenance page for more information.

Services provided by Meade Septic Design Inc.

Both Clients and Projects are included.

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