[OP]
Member
Fifteen years ago when the septic system was installed the house was equipped with American Standard 5 gal. Flush toilets. I finally had the tank pumped and there was a 4in. "crust" on the top. The septic system has been trouble free in all this time. Am I better off switching to modern low flow toilets or staying with the old high volume ones?
Contributor
Not sure about your area, but I know in the States there are at least some states, if not all, that do not allow the installation of the old 5 gallon toilets.
Do you use anything like Ridex or other enzyme treatment in your system?
Did the person doing the pumping say anything about the "crust?"
Was there a problem that brought you to the point of having the tank pumped?
Inquiring minds want to know.
BTW, we are on a septic system and know nothing having grown up in the city. So far our septic system has given us less trouble than our old city sewer system.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
Often, the only reason to reduce water flow to a septic system is if the system is failing, or if the system is undersized for the amount of water being used in the house.
I bought a foreclosed house with septic system. The system had been replaced in 2011. I found out the reason the system was replaced is because the leach field was allowing sewage to seep up onto the ground. The previous owners were dumping their laundry water outside to reduce the load on the septic until they could replace the septic. The owners divorced not long after replacing the septic system and the wife couldn't keep up the house payments by herself.
Contributor
The 4"crust is not a bad thing, it means the system is working. Which toilet that you use will probably not affect how the septic works, but you may have a hard time finding a 5 gallon flush toilet.
When I built my own house last year I asked the plumbing contractor I use what toilet currently made that they had the least problems with and he told me Mansfield tall toilets. I like the tall toilet and they had a very nice looking one in a classic style that was only $160 my cost. It has a 1.5 gallon flush but has a 1.5 gallon reserve that can be used by holding the handle down. No problems.
Larry
[OP]
Member
I toss in a packet of septonic once a year. I had it pumped after hearing discussion about the necessity of pumping regularly and out of curiosity to see how it was performing. The pump truck driver considered the amount of crust to be normal. I just want to know whether the septic system would perform better and last longer if I flush more water or less water into the tank.
Contributor
I would try to stay with the high volume toilet. People are having trouble in older homes with the waste piping not having enough flow to keep the sewer clear. This happened to my son. So now he and I in our respective homes flush twice to get adequate water flow to move the waste along. My house is newer and has the proper pitch to the drains for the low flow toilet but I still flush twice.
The plumber that cleared my sons blockage told him the combination of his house built in the late 50's combined with the new low flow toilet and a new water saving washing machine contributed to his problem.
George
Making sawdust regularly, occasionally a project is completed.
Contributor
You can make the system last a lot longer by pumping more often than once every 15 years. I pump mine every year or two.
Member
If a septic is designed and installed properly, what kills it is if solids start to get into the leech field. That normally happens because the tank is too full with solids. The idea of the septic is the solids settle and the liquid goes out into the leech field. I don't see any reason given the basic way a septic works that the size of the toilets makes a difference. I'm on a septic and have two old high gallon toilets and one newer low flow. When I redo the bathrooms with the high flow toilets they will get replaced with low flow units. The old ones do not flush very well and are low. All new toilets now are low flow. Good ones flush well.
Member
Unless your "gray water", i.e. washing machine, possibly shower/bath, dishwasher etc, is delivered to a separate tank (this was only done on very old homes, and now the standard is running everything together into the septic tank), you will have plenty of water running through your system, making the choice of toilets one of preference, or of necessity.
Septic systems need a certain flow of water in order for them to operate properly. You will get a sufficient amount via your shower and kitchen sink.
Basically, how a system works is that as bacteria works on the discharged fluids and solids, sludge settles to the bottom, and scum rises to the top. Clear effluent is drawn off from under the scum layer and discharged into a leech field or a sand mount. Scum on top indicates that the system is working fine, and it's generally the sludge layer that determines the need for pumping.
Lastly, some things build up your sludge layer and should be monitored. One of the biggest are disposable wipes. Some are biodegradable (not really) and others aren't. Also, kitchen waste through a disposal, will add to your solids build up, and factor into your schedule of pumping/cleaning.
Contributor
Septic and sewer systems are not the same animal. Low usage units are causing problems in CITY sewer systems.Originally Posted by George Bokros
We have a 1.5 gal toilet, and a water saving washer feeding our septic system. It doesn't care how much, or little water is going to it, and has been happy for the 25 years it's been there. Our first system failed because the tiles collapsed, and POs had no clue how to care for them. We get it pumped every 3 years..
Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night
Contributor
I think the issue of not enough slope in plumbing lines can happen regardless of septic or city sewer. The problem is usually lines inside the house.
I have to dig up and replace all the sewage lines under my house this summer. It won't be all that much fun. In 1980 plumbing codes still required cast iron under concrete while the rest of the plumbing is plastic. The cast iron is having all kinds of issues that lead to clogs. The line to the septic once it leaves the house is plastic. The joint between the plastic and the cast iron is letting roots in.
Contributor
A lot has to do with how your system is designed .... such things as type of soil, size of leach field all are factors. If your system is on sand or well draining soils then the amount of water is not a problem. Mine is on clay and using less water is a good thing.
Pumping the tank on a regular basis depending on how many people are using it is a really good idea.
Contributor
I am not cautioning about the impact on the septic but on the issue of inadequate pitch on his sanitary sewer piping.
George
Making sawdust regularly, occasionally a project is completed.
Contributor
A much more common problem is too much rather than too little pitch. The liquids run off, leaving the solids behind. The standby 1/4" per foot (for small drains) seems to be a fairly magical number, where everything works as its supposed to.
Contributor
The first house I bought had the drain line from the kitchen running at a 30% angle to meet the sewer connection in the basement. I have to believe it clogged up a lot. It was one of the many reasons why the house got torn down and I built a new one on the lot. (City was going to condemn the house.)
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