Septic tank filter

[GerryM]

So, have a 5 year old system in our vacation home in Central Ontario. It had frozen a few years back where the pipe comes out of the house. I was using straw then dug down this year and insulated the pipe. It froze!! I thawed it and the level was still too high. I took off one cap and found the level half way up the riser. Spoke with a septic guy, he advised. that there is a filter on the outlet to the bed- I wish the installer had told me that- and after 5 years it could be clogged. I need to thaw the ground around the second lid to get it off.... and get some long gloves to each in and pull the filter and clean it. Hope this is the issue. I would try to get it pumped but everyone is too busy this year. This spring I was due to get it done...... Not fun.
The only thing with pulling the filter is that the flow will quickly fill the tile bed if it isn't frozen. Wish me luck

 

[RockyMtnGriz]

It's unlikely the filter is completely plugged, unless it's frozen too. If not completely plugged up, the water level should drop over time if you stop the inflow. Ideally, you wouldn't want all the extra water rushing out to your field, because it's going to carry all the stuff with it that the filter was stopping.

Mine started to clog up after 4 years or 5 years (full time home), luckily I caught it during a summertime check. I try to have a look at what's going on every 2 years, and maybe clean the filter.

I think that sometimes vacation home filters have it worse, since a lot of people bring many other people with them on a holiday, which really pushes the water through the tank in a hurry.
.

 

[peakbagger]

Sewer lines rarely freeze unless there are low spots. Any resistance that slows the flow down makes it more prone to freezing. If you have problems with frozen pipes or sewerlines, lay sheets of foam a minimum of 2' wide on top of the lines before burying. The deep ground is warmer than freezing so all you need to do is keep that heat from being sucked into the air.

 

[zrock]

If your going to dig it up again the above works well. As a back up you could also install a heat tape and just plug it in if it for some reason it freezes up again

 

[GerryM]

I think for the old college try, I will slowly pull the filter, then set a piece of 6" pipe in the upper outlet if it starts flowing and let it drain down from the bottom. I have a feeling it may be frozen, the guy was 50/50 on it being so....

 

[shoot-straight]

My filter has clogged before, yes when you pull it, some solids can get into the field, but not alot. Run a hose out of the house with hot water, spray it down in the tank. It will help. You can also use a stick or similar to help brush the filter off. Newer systems have an air filled ball that pops up when you pull the filter that keeps the flow from rushing into the drain field.

I pull and clean my filter every year and pump every 3-4.

 

[BrownT10]

Filters are bad news. I have designed hundreds of systems and and do not recommend them. I prefer to pay the couple hundred dollars extra and getting a 2 compartment tank. People generally do not maintain filters, that is if they even know they are there. Certainly, the average homeowner is not going to pull the septic cover and tepla e or clean a filter. Not in these parts at least.

 

[mcdougy]

Filters are bad news. I have designed hundreds of systems and and do not recommend them. I prefer to pay the couple hundred dollars extra and getting a 2 compartment tank. People generally do not maintain filters, that is if they even know they are there. Certainly, the average homeowner is not going to pull the septic cover and tepla e or clean a filter. Not in these parts at least.

Here, they are 2 compartment tanks with a filter as well at the discharge of the 2nd compartment heading to the drain field. I have heard some installers pull the filter after inspection and "forget" to put it back. 🤔 Not sure how each risk stacks up with each other? It's a crappy deal for sure🤓

 

[zrock]

Filters are bad news. I have designed hundreds of systems and and do not recommend them. I prefer to pay the couple hundred dollars extra and getting a 2 compartment tank. People generally do not maintain filters, that is if they even know they are there. Certainly, the average homeowner is not going to pull the septic cover and tepla e or clean a filter. Not in these parts at least.

Where i live 2 compartment tank with filter is code... If a customer is having their tank pumped every 3-5 like they should be the pump company should be cleaning the filter.. I have seen the filter save a lot of fields due to what peoples kids were flushing down the toilet

 

[Mt Bob]

Where i live 2 compartment tank with filter is code... If a customer is having their tank pumped every 3-5 like they should be the pump company should be cleaning the filter.. I have seen the filter save a lot of fields due to what peoples kids were flushing down the toilet

Yep,same code in this part of my state. What has become very common, especially by intelligent contractors, are the access extensions that sit flush sometimes, but usually above ground. Even in this cold climate area. Seem to be no freezing issues.

 

[zrock]

yep that makes it nice... I use to leave the raised lids about 2" below ground level so the customer could grow grass over it and still be easy to find..

 

[clancey]

When I was young I walked over a board of some type and tripped and fell into a hole with one of those metal pipes but did not get hurt--scared me--it was about 4 feet down in the ground I guess and those pipes I think should be high up like yours and easy to find and work on like yours...clancey

 

[GerryM]

The drain field is frozen, filter was fine.... drained the tank, getting a steamer to blast the pipe, hopefully frozen before the distribution box

 

[Mt Bob]

The drain field is frozen, filter was fine.... drained the tank, getting a steamer to blast the pipe, hopefully frozen before the distribution box

Good luck. Septic system regulations are still a guessing game, it seems to me. Every 5-8 years, new "thoughts" come out, and legislators/regulators jump on the bandwagon, even if unproven. I honestly believe they want nobody to have one, just storage tanks, to be pumped.

 

[zrock]

Good luck. Septic system regulations are still a guessing game, it seems to me. Every 5-8 years, new "thoughts" come out, and legislators/regulators jump on the bandwagon, even if unproven. I honestly believe they want nobody to have one, just storage tanks, to be pumped.

haha i agree with that one its just a money grab... Look how many old systems are still working perfectly fine and have never had a issue..

 

[zrock]

The drain field is frozen, filter was fine.... drained the tank, getting a steamer to blast the pipe, hopefully frozen before the distribution box

thats not good... all the systems i have installed never have had a field freeze and the newer one's that are pumping to a raised bed are only around 6" below the surface. Making me think your field was never installed properly and you have water sitting in the pipes, or your field is at the end of its life..

 

[mcdougy]

thats not good... all the systems i have installed never have had a field freeze and the newer one's that are pumping to a raised bed are only around 6" below the surface. Making me think your field was never installed properly and you have water sitting in the pipes, or your field is at the end of its life..

You could be right......but since it's a cottage I'm thinking the bed not being "used" or constantly active is posing the most difficulty. The ground around the tile is becoming completely frozen while sitting stagnant and when it does get put into use the lines are filling with gray water, but a lack of "weeping" is hindering performance .......the sand in the filter bed could be the largest contribution to the issue.......

 

[peakbagger]

A past girlfriend has horses and decided to "pasture" them out on top of the leach field in the winter. It got quite cold in VT on clear cold nights and the horses kept the snow packed down. That field froze solid. She had a pump up system so the tank behind the house overflowed until spring thaw. Knowing the quality of local contractors there could have been many shortcuts taken to build the system.

My neighbor also had a field freeze, he had gray water running down into the woods into the lot behind him. Luckily the house was not occupied. In the spring when it thawed, he just covered the ditch with loam and seeded it. There is a new owner of the house and I will put odds the prior owner did not disclose anything. The system is 30 years old and was probably undersized for the house so I expect a new field will be going in one of these years.