If sewage is backing up into your home or surfacing around the septic tank you might have a problem with the outlet baffle or effluent filter.
Septic tank clogged baffle.
Sometimes they become clogged with items that should not have been flushed such as tampons wet wipes condoms or paper towels.
Just a reminder this video is not an inspection.
Where a replacement pvc plastic septic tank tee is installed into a steel or concrete septic tank the outlet or inlet tee is a standard pipe tee typically of the same diameter as the incoming sewer line placed at the inlet of a septic tank to prevent the inlet sewer line from being clogged by floating scum and waste in the tank resulting in.
A true inspection will involve sludge and scum.
The septic tank vent is blocked.
And this advice could save you money in a case of a backup.
Part of the drain inlet or outlet of the septic tank is clogged.
If you want trees or plants keep them at least 20 30 feet 6 1 9 1 m away from your septic system so the roots aren t able to grow inside.
A block in the distribution box.
The tank was backed up due to a clogged inlet baffle.
Plant roots can also grow into the pipes or septic tank and cause them to easily clog.
Finally check the inlet baffle to the tank if you have access to it.
Use a snake or water jetting to unclog the main drain.
This means they float inside the septic tank rather than falling to the bottom with the rest of the solid waste.
You can see that both of these septic tank baffles or tank tees keep the floating scum and grease from blocking the septic tank inlet at left and importantly the tee or baffle keeps the floating scum and grease from exiting the septic tank outlet where it would clog the drainfield.
In most cases wall baffles also consist of concrete and are built directly into the side of the tank.
You can always cut roots out of your pipes with a mechanical auger but they will grow back if left untreated.
This homeowner called us out for a pumping and thought his septic tank needed cleaned.
The septic tank or septic vents have frozen due to low temperatures.
The baffle is designed to keep solids from getting into the vulnerable leach field lines but if there are a lot of solids they can actually cause the baffle to clog up.
It did need cleaned but for other reasons.
The outlet baffle is often considered to be the most important baffle because it keeps solids from exiting the tank and making their way to the leach field where they could clog up and effectively destroy the leach field system.
Ways to unclog a main drain or full septic tank.
Older septic tanks especially those made from concrete tend to contain wall baffles.
