Pumping Out a Septic Tank

[Mekong Bob]

Big tank truck comes thru village, barking out "sup suam", (empty septic tank).

Price is 600 baht for a small tank, 800 baht for large tank.

I believe a large tank is 1600 liters.

Anybody have any experience with this service in Chiang Mai area? Comments?

[CMSteve]

usually cheaper inside the city area. Around 400 and 600. Don't pay for any of the extras (E.M., sweeping/brushing.)

[eyecatcher]

As above...that price stinks

[sharktooth]

My subconscious rhyming slang brought me to this thread with the wrong expectations...

[BonnieandClyde]

usually cheaper inside the city area. Around 400 and 600. Don't pay for any of the extras (E.M., sweeping/brushing.)

That sounds about right. We recently had two small tanks done for 300 baht each. The arrangements were made by our old Kohn Muang housekeeper who is wonderful in getting us the Thai price for things like that.

Incidentally, we are in the Wat Muang Guy/Sanam Golf area near Nong Hoi.

[noikrit]

Haven't pumped mine out for 4 years ... Maybe a design or a paper issue ...

[wayned]

If your septic system is designed and installed properly you should actually never have to pump it out or at least not for many years. Once the septic tank is full and the system is working properly, it will remain full and the overflow should go into either a leach field or cesspool. Mine goes into a cesspool and I have to occasionally have the cesspool pumped as the ground where I live is clay and drainage is not good. It costs me 100 baht/tank, but I live in the boonies.

I've had my house in Bangkok for 15 years and the tank has never been pumped.

[MrBrad]

OK, somehow I think the answer to this could be obvious, but, here goes anyway.

• How does one know when the tank needs to be pumped out?
• What's the worst that can happen?
• And, before the worst happens, what are the clues that pumping time is near?

Thanks.

[Thighlander]

Toilet will back up. As stated, you can go years without pumping, but here is why they overflow: People mistakenly drain their washing machine water into them, when it is a lot better to drain it onto plants away from the house.

[Dante99]

Any sensibly plumbed house has a septic tank/system for toilet waste and a separate tank or system for other household waste water. Thais have been putting in these dual system for decades, certainly not all but it has been common known practice.

[wayned]

If you drain your "gray water", that from sinks, showers and washing machines into the septic tank, the chemicals in the water will defeat the operation of the septic system by not allowing the bacteria that "eats" the solid wastes to form. Gray water should be drained directly into the cesspool or leach field! Most Thais in rural ares drian their toilets into the Thai style cesspools, concrete rings, and other water directly onto the ground. Many of the systems installed in non-rural ares are not installed correctly with both draining into the pit which requires frequent pumping.

The system in my house in Bangkok has the toilets draining into a septic tank and the overflow and gray water draining directly into the surface drains which then drains into the klong down the road. Not the way to do it but that's how it's done in a development with 100s of houses.

[Mekong Bob]

I have DOS septic tank (photo attached), and am now being told that this type of septic tank does not need to be pumped out . . . ever!

Is that possible? I guess I need to go to HomePro and ask for more details.

[Oscar2]

good timing on this thread as we need to get our tanks pumped out; maybe even today. been at least 8 years since they were pumped out last time. so thanks, as i was curious about prices. we didn't have any problems with toilets backing up but we had reconstruction going on here for a couple of weeks and one of the workers suggested we check our tanks. it took him a good hour to free the brass covers. we can look into the tanks and see that one is almost completely full while the other is not nearly as full.

[Greenside]

The septic tank should always appear full (assuming it's in regular use) - it's only if the liquid draining out from it starts to smell that you should be thinking of having it pumped out.

[Mekong Bob]

If your septic system is designed and installed properly you should actually never have to pump it out or at least not for many years. Once the septic tank is full and the system is working properly, it will remain full and the overflow should go into either a leach field or cesspool. Mine goes into a cesspool and I have to occasionally have the cesspool pumped as the ground where I live is clay and drainage is not good. It costs me 100 baht/tank, but I live in the boonies.

I've had my house in Bangkok for 15 years and the tank has never been pumped.

I have now learned that, in addition to a septic tank (pictured in previous post), I have a small concrete-enclosed cesspool for "overflow."

My system is three years old, and we've never had it emptied. Is it time? Need to empty both septic tank and the adjoining cesspool?|

I'm not sure why we were quoted a big tank vs little tank price, with no mention of cesspool, but we'll certainly ask for clarification.

[Thighlander]

Here is the key...Are they filled with solids? If yes, then pump, if not quit putting so much grey water in them. Do you have leach lines running off your cesspool into the leach field. One of my systems had the 500 gallon tank, then what flowed off the top, would go into the distribution box, with two leech lines running off it, into the leach field. If your leach field is completely saturated, the box will become full. The box enables the flow into the field to be slower and steadier, allowing the field to absorb it, as opposed to being flooded ever time you use a lot of water.

Also, if the problem started about the time you had people working back there, they could have easily crushed the connector from the tank to the box. Pick up trucks will frequently do this.

It will take some digging, but isn't catastrophic.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Thighlander

[Dante99]

If your septic system is designed and installed properly you should actually never have to pump it out or at least not for many years. Once the septic tank is full and the system is working properly, it will remain full and the overflow should go into either a leach field or cesspool. Mine goes into a cesspool and I have to occasionally have the cesspool pumped as the ground where I live is clay and drainage is not good. It costs me 100 baht/tank, but I live in the boonies.

I've had my house in Bangkok for 15 years and the tank has never been pumped.

I have now learned that, in addition to a septic tank (pictured in previous post), I have a small concrete-enclosed cesspool for "overflow."

My system is three years old, and we've never had it emptied. Is it time? Need to empty both septic tank and the adjoining cesspool?|

I'm not sure why we were quoted a big tank vs little tank price, with no mention of cesspool, but we'll certainly ask for clarification.

If water drains and toilets flush easily and there is no stink outside near the tanks, you do not need to do anything. A little septic tank maintenance goes a long way so do it a couple of times a year by adding some of the liquid or solid stuff to promote the bacterial action. That usually will deal with bad odors and helps keep the tank working. I have not pumped out tanks in 7-8 years.

[Mekong Bob]

for those homeowners still following this thread, the proper name for my "cesspool" unit is a septic distribution box.
It's a concrete box, couple of meters deep, attached by drain pipe from septic tank. Handles overflow from septic tank.

[Naam]

I have DOS septic tank (photo attached), and am now being told that this type of septic tank does not need to be pumped out . . . ever!

Is that possible? I guess I need to go to HomePro and ask for more details.

if the tank does not overflow into a drain field it will have to be pumped out regularly.

[Thighlander]

for those homeowners still following this thread, the proper name for my "cesspool" unit is a septic distribution box.

It's a concrete box, couple of meters deep, attached by drain pipe from septic tank. Handles overflow from septic tank.

and that is exactly what I called it, two posts earlier. The question is, do you have proper leech lines running from the box into a leech field, that is not saturated.

[circusman]

Is it true that the grass is greener over the septic tank ?

[FolkGuitar]

When I had a house in the US, I used to flush a packet of ordinary baking yeast down the toilet every 6 months. I never had the tank drained in the 12 years I owned the house. I always thought that septic tanks needed some 'special' bacteria to operate correctly, but apparently the yeast served as 'vitamins' for the bacteria, or complimented their activity somehow, and the system worked flawlessly.

Edited January 4, 2014 by FolkGuitar

[Thighlander]

there is a product called Ridx for that. That will dissolve solids, but won't do anything to evaporate water.

[annabel]

Anybody know of a good professional company in Chiang Mai to deal with a big problem with a septic tank.? I have a huge problem with smell and have tried about everything to get rid of it including emptying it twice, adding EM every 2nd day to digest whatever is blocking and causing the smell. Nothing has worked so I think the problem is within the plumbing and draining line so need a professional to come and check it out... Please anybody???

[kaptainrob]

Anybody know of a good professional company in Chiang Mai to deal with a big problem with a septic tank.? I have a huge problem with smell and have tried about everything to get rid of it including emptying it twice, adding EM every 2nd day to digest whatever is blocking and causing the smell. Nothing has worked so I think the problem is within the plumbing and draining line so need a professional to come and check it out... Please anybody???

Smell inside house or outside, near septic tank?

Either way you have a venting problem. Easily fixed.

[96tehtarp]

Anybody know of a good professional company in Chiang Mai to deal with a big problem with a septic tank.? I have a huge problem with smell and have tried about everything to get rid of it including emptying it twice, adding EM every 2nd day to digest whatever is blocking and causing the smell. Nothing has worked so I think the problem is within the plumbing and draining line so need a professional to come and check it out... Please anybody???

Smell inside house or outside, near septic tank?

Either way you have a venting problem. Easily fixed.

annabel: Please take note of one of the previous poster's comments on grey water. This grey water should not be going into your septic tank, rather instead drain it into your flower bed or herb garden.

There is no need for a professional company. Find the cap or cover of your septic tank, then have someone fit a piece of blue PVC pipe into-onto the tank and place a Tee joint on the top of it. The Tee joint should be downwind and higher than the nearest window. Then you'll have no smell.

There is no need to hire a western educated English speaking contractor to do a job that should cost you no more than 200 baht. Of course you will have no trouble finding someone who will sell you a new sewer system for 10k+ baht if that's what you decide to do.

To the OP: The only time I ever have to pump our tank is after a big three day party with 60+ guests, or after many days of heavy rain when the ground becomes totally saturated with water. Here I pay 700 baht. Everybody does. It's not Issann.

Edited March 14, 2015 by 96tehtarp

[Dante99]

As stated, Vent it and Run grey water out separately. Local handy man should be able to vent it and set up drain of grey water. But you should understand what you want done to insure it is done properly.

Do not use chemical toilet cleaner, the chemicals will mess up the septic tank digestion process.

Check bathroom floor drains, if the smell is coming from there, they need to be trapped or water put in the traps and the grey water from those drains be piped into the garden, not the septic tank as above.

Maybe you have some ineffective EM.

Since the smell is very persistent, you may check to insure that the piping from the toilet is not leaking or open at the toilet in which case the smell would not be coming from the septic tank. Seen this before where the toilet was not properly seated/sealed into the drain pipe.

One unusual possibility is if the toilet drains were vented into the house or into the walls of the house. I have seen a pretty good plumber vent them into the cavity of a double brick wall when they should have been vented high outside.

Follow your nose to find where the smell is strongest and inspect. Good luck.

[annabel]

Anybody know of a good professional company in Chiang Mai to deal with a big problem with a septic tank.? I have a huge problem with smell and have tried about everything to get rid of it including emptying it twice, adding EM every 2nd day to digest whatever is blocking and causing the smell. Nothing has worked so I think the problem is within the plumbing and draining line so need a professional to come and check it out... Please anybody???

Smell inside house or outside, near septic tank?

Either way you have a venting problem. Easily fixed.

Hi Rob... was initially inside the upstairs bathroom and I have somehow managed to comtro the smell up there //// but downstairs where the actual septic tank is outside in the ground near our main house entrance the smell remains and is most pungent in the morning for some odd reason....

I have as I said emptied it twice whilst the 2nd time they poured more water in and then drain it out again 3 times and then filled it again with another 3 liters of EM..... Was ok for a couple of days but it is now back again OUTSIDE..... and quite nauseating ...... I then tried putting bleach into the tank and again was ok but only for a couple of days... you are right Rob and I also agree that it is a Venting problem but I have zero knowledge on how to get it fixed with local labor.I really feel that I need a professional Co to come and eveluate and suggest what to do and yes ultimately totally rip me off as usual ... but I need to solve this as I feel it is somewhat of a health hazard for all of us here.

Thanks for your help Rob

[kaptainrob]

The bleach has most likely killed the EM but will have dissipated now so you can add fresh EM to restart the bio process.

Trace the vent pipe, usually ~ 35mm blue pipe running horizontally from top of tank to a hedge or garden area where a vent pipe should stand up well above ground level.

Ideally, the vent pipe should have fall toward the tank so as to self drain any water though in Th this is seldom achieved. In a previous house I found ant nests had blocked the vent pipe top which was well hidden in a hedge some 8m away and the pipe was full of water. I cleared the pipe and raised it above hedge top.

There should also be a vent pipe in the WC waste pipe, often not installed in Th, and this may be rectified by installing one outside, as close to WC as possible, with a pipe run up the side of house. In other words, 2 vents, one on each side of septic tank.

The cost of installing or rectifying vents is minimal ... Less than 1k baht for a local tradesman.

[cmsally]

Tesabahn have a service to pump tanks - should be 400 Bt large one.

Don't normally need to be emptied, have had to pump in the past when one of the toilet seals is old and lets water leak into the toilet drain pipe. Takes a while to trace the problem!