Sewer line

Old560 · Sep 22, 2016

I'm having to do some sewer line work to my septic tank I'm thinking a backfilling The trench with sand so it has a smooth surface to lay the pipe on has anybody else done this you think it will make a good bed for the pipe. Right outside of the tank the pipes is starting to sag I believe due to poor compaction when installed The guy who sucked it out a couple days ago said the angle of the pipe inside the tank was wrong should be level not sticking up so much I could post a picture of it but you probably don't want to see that

John730D · Sep 22, 2016

It should be laying on a sand bed, and sand backfill to at least halfway up the pipe in a ditch. The problem you have was caused by to much over dig at the inlet of the tank. I always supported the inlet pipe at the over dig with compacted sand or pea gravel. I always placed the inlet of the tank as close to the edge of the hole as possible. What has happened to your pipe is the dirt has settled and the pipe is either sagging down or it has broken. Also a lot of people didn't use the right schedule of pipe from the house to the tank. It should be a minimum of schedule 40 pvc. I would dig up the whole pipe and replace it if needed, and yes it would be bedded in sand or pea gravel.
I have been a licensed septic contractor for over 30 years.

showcrop · Sep 22, 2016

The pipe sloping up inside the tank is not unusual. Many dirt contractors can't be bothered with proper compaction, so they just backfill around the tank up to where the pipe goes, put in the pipe and cover it. In a year or two settling forces the pipe down outside the tank so the end inside goes up. Sand is good for bedding pipe. When I was on the pipe crew for road construction as well as for various projects since, we always used sand. BUT, be sure that the earth underneath, if it has been disturbed, is compacted well first.

Northvale - PA · Sep 22, 2016

Stone chips are self compacting. Sand needs to be tamped.

Old560 · Sep 22, 2016

Yeah I think that's exactly what happened the ground wasn't compacted and it's just settling in I think I drove to close with the tractor and sort of pushed one of the lines down there now it's tractor related. We dug them up nothings broke Just settled

casenut1 · Sep 22, 2016

Just a poor instillation job.Should not over dig the trench.All pipe is schedule 40. Did a lot of septic installs back in the 70's.

Sewer line

Old560

Member

John730D

Well-known Member

showcrop

Well-known Member

Northvale - PA

Member

Old560

Member

casenut1

Well-known Member

Similar threads