is there any way of mitigating the odor from the septic system vent?
i had a house built in 02 in NH and because of the site the septic system goes into a tank next to the screened porch and the pumped up hill to the back of the lot to the leach field. i suspect that the waste water in the uphill pipe rushes back into the tank when the pumps shuts off and the vent then does its thing. it is particularly annoy when lots of kids take showers and lots of clothes are being washed.
pier7
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Replies
Where is odor occuring? At the tank itself?
Is there a vent pipe installed at the tank? If so, you can obtain a charcoal filter that will fit on the pipe. In my experience, septic systems are just vented through the building waste piping and the main vent stack.
If there is no vent at the tank, then the access lid for the pump may need to be sealed--usually with a gasket material that leaves the lid easily removed. A septic system installer should be able to do that easily.
If the odor is a recent occurence, it may be that the system did vent properly through the building system, but that there is partial clog somewhere in the septic tank baffles that prevents gas from flowing easily through system and out the stack, forcing it out at the tank. Could also be a sag in the pipe so that liquid stand in the pipe and acts like a trap.
There are a few different possibilities, but without seeing the system or knowing exactly how it is installed, I'm just giving some "shot gun" approach possiblities.
I'm a bit puzzled about the effluent from the pipe flowing back into the tank. Most pump systems include a check valve downstream of the pump to prevent that. Could be a regional thing, I suppose, that they aren't used in your area.
One more question: does your system have a septic tank plus a separate tank for the pump? Or is this one of the newer-fangled systems with the pump installed directly in the septic tank?
there is a separate vent for the tank, a candy cane of 4" pipe hidden in a dry stack of boulders
there might be a check valve in the pipe
the system was designed and inspected as per NH regs
I have never heard of the charcoal filter . is that an off the shelf item?
pier 7
Charcoal filters for septic systems are sold by several manufacturers. One source is Orenco. Here's a link: http://www.orenco.com/catalog/PF26PT109.asp?pf=26
You may need permission from the local permitting authority to alter the design of the system. I don't know if the filter will work on the downturn of your vent.
If you can hear effluent flow back into the tank, the system may have a check valve, but the valve may not be functioning properly. That might contribute to the odor, it also makes the pump work just a little bit more, since the pump has to pump the volume of the pipe, in addition to the dosing volume, every time it kicks on.
I have a similar septic odour problem and after reading your reply to Pier7 I see you we think along the same lines. Perhaps you or someone else has an opion on my problem as my plumber & I are both perplexed. I am attaching pix to clarify. My new lake shore residence (under construction) septic & separate pump chamber are under my deck in the "Venting" picture and are vented through the house system with the stack located on the second highest roof line. Everything functions perfectly (red arrows)until the wind blows toward the lake which then brings the septic odour down onto my deck on the R side of the pictures (hilighted in blue). Of course this always happens in late afternoon and evenings as the wind blows offshore when we want to be enjoying the evening on the deck. I located the stack on that side of the roof expecting this prevailing wind would keep odours moving in that direction (ie toward the left)! I think the wind(green arrow)must be causing a turbulence because of the design of the roof and drawing the odour back toward the deck(the opposite side of where the vent emerges)-doesn't go well with the rum! I can move the stack (as the inside is not finished) but where? Raise it higher? further left? lower? Any similar experiences and resolutions anyone?
I too had a problem with the order waffleing down onto the deck from the roof stacks. Pretty annoying, but what a great way to keep the neighbors from sticking around too long. My trips to get more beer have dramatically decreased since the neighbor can only stick around for one beer, then he cant stand the smell and leaves.
I think you can use this to your advantage.
However the the lady who is really in charged tasked me to find a solution, so i posted here.
Put a septic treatment additive to your system. You've got to charge the system, give the bacteria a boost to start working more efficiently.
Worked for me and Im back to the liquor store more often again.
GoodLuck
Hey thanks, I'll be trying that. It just seems too easy.. I thought for sure it called for scaling my 10/12 again (it's 45' to the ground from there) to test a couple of new locations for the stack. I'd much rather spend the time ON the deck with a cold one or three. If you're in the area drop by, the beer is always cold!
If the charcoal filter doesnt work, would it be feasable to move/extend the vent further away from the house?
not really an option
it took $11000 in explosives to get a hole big enough to site the foundation . the house sits on a massive ledge and and extension of the line would require further blasting the charcoal filter sounds like the most feasible (and economical) option
Had some trouble with that for the first year or 2 we lived in this house (newly constructed. In our case, I think it was coming out of the vent stacks as shown in previous poster's drawings. Then, on advice from someone else - can't remember who, started using that septic tank additive every 3 to 6 months. It's that stuff you just flush down the toilet. You get it at a hardware or big box store. No significant problems since. Now maybe use the stuff once a year. I think it helps maintain the "health" of the septic system. Strange to think of bacteria as health :-), but with all the bleach and other chemicals we send down the drain it's no wonder that a sys might need a little help....