Septic Systems

DRD

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
2,755
Reaction score
5,457
Location
Red Deer County
Think my field might be pooched, not draining like it should. Tank is concrete and should be replaced. What's the ball park cost for a new systems these days? Any way to clean older fields or is it dig up and replace?
 

niner

Active VIP Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
Messages
8,675
Reaction score
62,539
Location
lacombe
F8AE9E68-42DB-4611-AC04-B9A9C8F97370.jpeg

Message Catman10 on here. He does fibreglass tanks. Has a system that will pass inspection for septic fields.
 

Trashy

Super Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Messages
132,812
Reaction score
105,464
Location
Fort Macleod
X2 with Catman10

He helped us with our cistern 2 years ago and I can't say enough good about him. 100% great guy!!!
 

Cyle

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
Messages
7,182
Reaction score
4,762
Location
edmonton
No experience with fields I only do holding tanks, but they aren't cheap. As far as using fiberglass, i'm not a fan. You have to be so careful backfilling (more expensive using washed rock and extra fill to haul away) and not driving over, one wrong move and the tank is garbage. Depending on size a concrete tank is about $8,000 but they last a very long time.
 

Jobu

Active member
Joined
May 28, 2019
Messages
80
Reaction score
106
Location
Stony Plain, Ab
I had a new concrete tank put in 3 years ago just outside of Stony Plain. Cost $8k. Installer said a new field would be $8k if mine died. Think it was a 1400L tank? Two chamber unit.
 

catinthehat

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2012
Messages
1,133
Reaction score
2,458
Location
Cranbrook BC
Are you sure it's the field?
Couple years ago I thought mine was done as it was slow draining from the house and eventually stopped altogether.
Got the pumper truck in to check tank first and found a plug at the tank inlet.
Rodded that clear and has been good since, touch wood.
Check with the vac truck outfits.
My son worked for one here years ago and they could clean out the drain field, usually from the distribution box.
Worth investigating if anyone still does this.
 

Zrock

Active VIP Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
605
Reaction score
924
Location
BC
not a big fan of fiberglass tanks over time they deteriorate and can collapse... as well as the comment above about back filling... I find the Polly tanks way better and seem to be more commonly used. If your tank is good you may be able to get away with just doing a field if you have the area since it cannot sit where the old field was. When was the last time your tank was pumped giving the field a break for a week or two after pumping may help
 

pano-dude

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
4,823
Reaction score
15,882
Location
invermere
I had an issue with my field system, found the splitter box and it was full of debris. Cleaned it's out, flushed the back to the tank and all was good
 

Catman10

Drinking the Doolaid
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
801
Reaction score
2,382
Location
Red Deer Alberta
ZRock information is 100% false, I fight with lack of knowledge everyday, fibreglass does not deteriorate over time, in fact they will last so long that generations of families can use them, I have tanks in the ground 50 years old and still doing there job vs concrete which is a very short life span. True it is a little more money for backfill and a little more effort to bury a fibreglass tank but once bedded properly you will never deal with it again other than pumps etc. I am a no bul$it kinda guy if you wanna pm me I will give you my cell and we can discuss your issues
 

X-it

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
7,899
Reaction score
18,017
Location
Prince George
Find your distribution box dig all around it, put in some new lines... infiltrator lines are cheap and work awesome fast too. Homehardware has two sizes here is one.


 
Last edited:

lilduke

Active VIP Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
19,689
Reaction score
70,196
Location
Local
My parents just did one 2 years ago and it was 27000$.

$hitty thing was, that nothing was wrong with the old system, but it wasnt up to the modern county codes. So they had to replace it to get some other thing approved.

Then the new system "ch!t" the bed a year and half in, and the guy that installed it wouldnt warranty it, so they bought a mini hoe to fix it them selfs.


Shitty situation
 
Last edited by a moderator:

TylerG

Super Mod Geek
Administrator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
31,479
Reaction score
29,336
Location
Parkland County
All I know about septic systems is if you accidentally unplug your pump and don't have a high level alarm your basement gets messy
 

Cdnfireman

Active VIP Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2012
Messages
2,726
Reaction score
9,529
Location
Alberta
Somewhat related….what are the rules for an open discharge? Much simpler obviously but requires more land
 

freeflorider

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2011
Messages
2,815
Reaction score
8,808
Location
West koots
I seen a guy try that in a Rv, HI way was a mess no matter how much acreage there was. Ah the old pull in go.
 

gotboost

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2008
Messages
2,762
Reaction score
3,645
Location
Northern AB
No experience with fields I only do holding tanks, but they aren't cheap. As far as using fiberglass, i'm not a fan. You have to be so careful backfilling (more expensive using washed rock and extra fill to haul away) and not driving over, one wrong move and the tank is garbage. Depending on size a concrete tank is about $8,000 but they last a very long time.
They don't last that long with a water softener on it eats away at the concrete fast
 

gotboost

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2008
Messages
2,762
Reaction score
3,645
Location
Northern AB
Are you sure it's the field?
Couple years ago I thought mine was done as it was slow draining from the house and eventually stopped altogether.
Got the pumper truck in to check tank first and found a plug at the tank inlet.
Rodded that clear and has been good since, touch wood.
Check with the vac truck outfits.
My son worked for one here years ago and they could clean out the drain field, usually from the distribution box.
Worth investigating if anyone still does this.
Yeah did lots of them with the steam truck with a crawler nozzle works really good
 
Top Bottom