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This article discusses the diagnosis and correction of sewer gas or septic odors (and other building smells and odors with focus on diagnosing odor sources and causes in cold weather. Some of the diagnostic steps pertain to all seasons.

The photograph at page top shows green septic dye appearing in a septic system drainfield during a septic loading and dye test. Even before we performed this test to confirm that the liquid found on the surface of the drainfield area was indeed septic effluent (coming from the septic tank), sewage odors in the drainfield area outdoors told us that the septic field was in trouble. Readers who need a complete guide to inspecting the septic drainfield should see SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION. Also see ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE for procedures to diagnose and cure all kinds of odors in and around buildings.

Also see our broad-scope article on diagnosis and cure of sewer gas and septic odors: Sewer Gas Odors diagnosing, finding, and curing septic tank and sewer line smells. Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted.

Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical reviewers are welcome and are listed at "References." This is a chapter of Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems an online book on septic systems.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

How to Investigate & Repair Failed Drainfields and Septic Odors

Notice sewage odors present outdoors, strongest in and traced to the known or most-likely area for the septic drainfield or leach field, also called the soakaway bed or soil absorption system.

There will be additional evidence of septic field condition in the D-box; if the box is flooded either these lines are blocked (such as by poor, uneven installation, tree roots, or a collapse, something not too likely unless you drove a truck over the fields), or the field has stopped percolating and needs replacement. If on opening the D-box or excavating a drainfield line you see standing water in the leachfield line, either the field is saturated - lost perc - or the line has collapsed nearby and is not flowing. You can test this by running a hose into the leach line from the D-box or from your point where you've cut it open. Sometimes you'll see that only one field line is saturated and failed - you can close it off in the D-box and just use the others to give the saturated one a rest, but at the end of the day, you probably need a new drainfield. See SEPTIC D-BOX INSPECTION for help in finding and inspecting the septic system drainfield distribution box.

Septic Repair Shortcuts and Septic Treatment Products and "Magic bullet" septic repair products and procedures like chemicals, additives, root killers, or soil restorers are mostly ineffective, waste money, and in some cases are illegal as they contaminate the environment. If the septic system drainfield is blocked or failed, most often the property needs a new drain field.

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Questions & answers about septic or sewage odors traced to septic system drainfields.

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Technical Reviewers & References

• InspectAPedia.com^® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
• InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
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• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

SEWER GAS ODORS
  Backdrafting & Sewer/Septic Odors
  Building Drain & Sewer Line Odors
  Cure Odors in Septic Systems
  HYDROGEN SULFIDE GAS
  Other Odors Blamed on Septic / Sewer
  PLUMBING FIXTURE TRAPS
  Plumbing Vent Definitions, Types
  PLUMBING VENT DEFECTS & NOISES
  Septic System or Sewer Piping
  Site, Weather, or Failing Neighbors
  Tests for Indoor Sewer Gas
  Tracking Odors to Source
SEWER GAS ODORS in COLD WEATHER
  Short Answer in Cold Weather
  Diagnosing Sewer Odors
  Cold Weather Plumbing Vent Blockage
  Trap Siphonage and Sewer Gases
  Building drain odor source
  Fixture versus system blockage
  Odors in Wet Weather
  Indoor Septic Odors Outdoor Causes
  Outdoor Odor Sources
  Sewer Odor Tracking
  Remedies for Sewer Odors
  Odors and Drain Lines
  Failed Drainfields and Odors
  TOXIC GAS TEST PROCEDURES
SMELL PATCH TEST to Track Down Odors
SULPHUR & SEWER GAS SMELL SOURCES

• Herb Reed County Extension Director, Agricultural and Natural Resources Educator, Calvert County Maryland - private email to DF 9/5/2006 adding comments about odors and partial blockages.
• Sewer Gas Odors diagnosing, finding, and curing septic tank and sewer line smells.
• Drain Noises: may indicate defective or clogged plumbing: how to diagnose and cure drain sounds
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• calculating septic tank volume from size measurements
• Septic Tank/Soil-Absorption Systems: How to Operate & Maintain [ copy on file as /septic/Septic_Operation_USDA.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.
• Ten Steps to Keeping a Septic System Working, suggestions from the U.S. EPA, edits and additions by DJF
• Pennsylvania State Fact Sheets relating to domestic wastewater treatment systems include
• 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.)
• ...

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• 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.
• Inspecting Septic Systems: Online Book, Inspection, Test, Diagnosis, Repair, & Maintenance: our Online Septic Book: Septic Testing, Loading & Dye Tests, Septic Tank Pumping, Clearances, details of onsite waste disposal system inspection, testing, repair procedures.


• Advanced Onsite Wastewater Systems Technologies, Anish R. Jantrania, Mark A. Gross. Anish Jantrania, Ph.D., P.E., M.B.A., is a Consulting Engineer, in Mechanicsville VA, 804-550-0389 (2006), Advanced Onsite Wastewater Systems Technologies. Outstanding technical reference especially on alternative septic system design alternatives. Written for designers and engineers, this book is not at all easy going for homeowners but is a text we recommend for professionals--DF.
• Builder's Guide to Wells and Septic Systems, Woodson, R. Dodge: $ 24.95; MCGRAW HILL B; TP; Quoting from Amazon's description: For the homebuilder, one mistake in estimating or installing wells and septic systems can cost thousands of dollars. This comprehensive guide filled with case studies can prevent that. Master plumber R. Dodge Woodson packs this reader-friendly guide with guidance and information, including details on new techniques and materials that can economize and expedite jobs and advice on how to avoid mistakes in both estimating and construction. Chapters cover virtually every aspect of wells and septic systems, including on-site evaluations; site limitations; bidding; soil studies, septic designs, and code-related issues; drilled and dug wells, gravel and pipe, chamber-type, and gravity septic systems; pump stations; common problems with well installation; and remedies for poor septic situations. Woodson also discusses ways to increase profits by avoiding cost overruns.
• Country Plumbing: Living with a Septic System, Hartigan, Gerry: $ 9.95; ALAN C HOOD & TP; Quoting an Amazon reviewer's comment, with which we agree--DF:This book is informative as far as it goes and might be most useful for someone with an older system. But it was written in the early 1980s. A lot has changed since then. In particular, the book doesn't cover any of the newer systems that are used more and more nowadays in some parts of the country -- sand mounds, aeration systems, lagoons, etc.