Your septic system is a big part of your home and proper maintenance of your septic tank is crucial to protecting the investment in your home. Having it inspected every 3 to 5 years can prevent costly replacement of the entire system later on.
Why You Need to Know Where Your Septic Tank Is
As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to know where your septic tank is located. You need to know where your septic tank is so that you can tell if there are signs of potential problems, so you don’t accidentally plant anything over it or dig it up, and to have it pumped, repaired and inspected when needed. The location of your septic tank should be marked somehow, but sometimes they aren’t and you’ll have to do some detective work.
How To Find Your Septic Tank
Septic tanks can be buried at varying depths underground. The top of the tank can be anywhere from 4 inches to 4 feet underground and most counties now have regulations that septic tanks must be at least 10 feet from your home.
Here are some clues to look for when trying to find your septic tank:
- If you have a basement, look to see where the sewer exits the basement. Looking 10 feet from the exit point from the basement is a good place to start looking.
- If you don’t have a basement, look for a roof vent which is usually located right on top of where the sewer line comes into the house. Look 10 feet out from this point to start looking for your tank.
Once you think you’ve found the general location of where your septic tank should be, use a long metal probe to push into the soil in various places until you hear it hit the top of the septic tank. You can then use a shovel to dig down until you’ve found the lid.
How To Mark Your Septic Tank Once You’ve Found It
Once you’ve found your septic tank you’ll want to make sure it is easily found and easily accessible in the future. One of the best ways to do this is to have risers installed. A riser is a pipe placed over the septic tank opening to extend the opening closer to the ground surface. This allows easier access to the tank when it needs to be pumped as well as a lid close to the surface that can be seen.
If you still have trouble locating your septic tank and need help or need it to be inspected or pumped, give Fletcher’s Plumbing & Contracting, Inc. a call at 530-673-2489. Visit our website to learn more about our septic system services.