Sewer Line Replacement Procedure - how to measure and document buried plumbing & septic components InspectAPedia® -
Step by step main drain line replacement, house to septic tank (or sewer)
How to document the location of buried plumbing & septic components
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This article describes how we measure and document the location of buried items when a sewer pipe or "drain line" is replaced. 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. Also see Backups and Clogged Drains diagnosing septic backups and septic system failures versus clogged drains.
Documenting the Location of Buried Site Components
We took advantage of having excavated and exposed the septic tank as well as the drain line
to photograph, sketch, and mark the exact location of these components to make future
repairs easier.
In this case we simply measured the distance from the garage wall out to the
septic tank cleanout as shown in the photo.
That measurement, combined with this measurement along the garage wall to the point on its side in line with the septic tank cover (i.e.
where to measure "out" from the garage over to the tank) was sufficient.
Here's our sketch that locates the septic components at this property.
It's rough, ugly, but accurate. We simply documented measurements to the center of the septic tank from the garage rear corner and measurements to the seepage pits from the garage and from a fence post.
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Thanks to Thomas Gleason, excavators, Poughkeepsie, NY 845-454-3730, for the excavating work at the project photo documented here in September 2006
Thanks to Cleveland Plumbing, the prime plumbing contractor, Staatsburgh, NY 845-485-7700 for the plumbing work and drain clog diagnosis work documented here in September 2006
Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-161, Septic System Failure: Diagnosis and Treatment
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