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SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING
  TANK PUMPING FREQUENCY TABLE
  WHY DOES A TANK NEED PUMPING?
  EFFLUENT RETENTION TIME
  WHEN NOT TO PUMP A SEPTIC TANK
  SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS
SEPTIC TANK SAFETY
SEPTIC VIDEOS
INSPECTING SEPTIC TANKS
  SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION CHECLIST
  STEEL SEPTIC TANKS
  CONCRETE SEPTIC TANKS
  FIBERGLASS / PLASTIC SEPTIC TANKS
  HOME MADE SITE BUILT TANKS
  SEPTIC TANK BAFFLES
  SEPTIC TANK SOLIDS & SCUM
  SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS
MEASURE SCUM & SLUDGE
CLEANING SEPTIC TANKS
SEPTIC PUMPING CONCLUSIONS
SEPTIC LIFE EXPECTANCY
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
SEPTIC TREATMENTS

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LARGER IMAGE: of a home made or site-built septic tank being excavated after failure.

Septic Tank Condition - How to Inspect Home Made or Site Built Septic Tanks
InspectAPedia®  -    

  • Characteristics of home made or site-built septic tanks
  • Types of Septic Tanks: steel septic tanks, concrete septic tanks, fiberglass septic tanks, home made septic tanks - definitions and characteristics of various types of septic tanks
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/appointment.htm.

This document describes how to inspect the condition of a septic tank, providing special considerations for inspecting home made or site built septic tanks. Inspecting home made septic tanks is a key component in onsite wastewater disposal systems and can involve special risks of collapse or early failure since often home made septic tanks are constructed too small, or are built using marginal materials or have unsafe tank covers.

The photo shows a home made septic tank which was being excavated after discovery of sewage effluent in the drainfield. This is a chapter of Septic Systems Inspection, Testing our online book about septic system inspection procedures, defects in onsite waste disposal systems, septic tank problems, septic drainfield problems, checklists of system components and things to ask.

Also see The Septic Information Website our main page of articles and information about septic systems and onsite wastewater disposal systems inspection, testing, diagnosis, maintenance, and repair.

© Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links 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.

HOME MADE, SITE BUILT SEPTIC TANKS - Home made or "site built tanks

PHOTO of a completely impacted, failed, home-made septic tank.

Site built systems, in my experience, are often under-sized and worse, dangerous. There is a serious risk of collapse of old rotting wood covers, collapsing concrete block dry-laid tank or "cesspool" walls, etc.

The septic tank shown in this photograph was "home made" using concrete blocks stacked to form the tank sides (and maybe bottom) and covered with a poured-concrete lid which has been tipped over and can be seen on-edge in the left side of this photograph.

The home made septic tank was so small that it would need to be pumped more frequently than normal to protect the drainfield.

In this particular case the home made septic tank was found to be completely filled with solids, and the leach field was found to be filled with solid waste as well. An improperly-conducted septic dye test failed to detect this condition even though even a small and inadequate test, had dye and water been run into the main waste line, would certainly have caused a backup - which is what happened within hours of the new buyers moving into the home to which this septic non-system was attached.

While building your own septic tank is not an impossible task, proper sizing of the tank, and construction of materials to be sure that the tank and its cover are safe from collapse, are critical considerations.

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Use links just below or 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.

SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING
  TANK PUMPING FREQUENCY TABLE
  WHY DOES A TANK NEED PUMPING?
  EFFLUENT RETENTION TIME
  WHEN NOT TO PUMP A SEPTIC TANK
  SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS
SEPTIC TANK SAFETY
SEPTIC VIDEOS
INSPECTING SEPTIC TANKS
  SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION CHECLIST
  STEEL SEPTIC TANKS
  CONCRETE SEPTIC TANKS
  FIBERGLASS / PLASTIC SEPTIC TANKS
  HOME MADE SITE BUILT TANKS
  SEPTIC TANK BAFFLES
  SEPTIC TANK SOLIDS & SCUM
  SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS
MEASURE SCUM & SLUDGE
CLEANING SEPTIC TANKS
SEPTIC PUMPING CONCLUSIONS
SEPTIC LIFE EXPECTANCY
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
SEPTIC TREATMENTS

The Septic Systems Online Book - Where Are We?

SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME

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More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

  • Inspecting Septic Systems: 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.
  • NewTank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
  • Septic Tank Pumping Frequency Table
  • GOTO our MAIN SEPTIC INFO PAGE: The Septic Information Website The Septic System Information Website - Extensive, Detailed Consumer and Industry Information on Septic System Inspection, Testing, Maintenance, Alternatives for on-site waste disposal
  • Alternative & Advanced Designs for Septic Systems for discussion and links to (on-site waste disposal) System Designs for Problem Sites & Soils. Books, Consultants, Engineers, Designers. Alternative septic system designs can substantially reduce the normal required distances between septic system components and wells, lakes, streams, and property boundaries.
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GO TO the MOLD and INDOOR ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION CENTER for in-depth advice on avoiding testing for or cleaning up mold and other indoor environmental hazards, odors, gases, contaminants
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What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
GO TO MOLD TEST KITS: This expert-recommended mold test kit is cheap and yet top performing *IF* you use a competent analysis laboratory!
Use this simple, economical mold test kit
by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab
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10/23/2009 - 07/03/1995. InspectAPedia.com/septic/homemadeseptictanks.htm chapter of septbook.txt 11/4/95
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