Septic Tank and Drain field Systems

Septic Tank and Drain field Systems

When Your Poo Isn’t Flowing Out to the Septic System, things get messy!

It is an Emergency and We Treat It Accordingly

As licensed Master Plumbers and General Contractors, we are uniquely qualified and prepared to perform the excavation and repair or replacement of your Septic tank and Drain field. We own our own excavation heavy equipment and are ready to roll onto your job fast and efficiently. We install Engineered septic systems when the soil situation doesn’t allow conventional gravity leach field systems.

Need an Engineered Septic System? We do them!

Below is a pressurized Septic System sand bed injection system, due to insufficient soil permeability.

When your septic system is not working right, we will determine WHY, and then design an appropriate system and approach to solving the problem. As with many systems in a home, from electrical, to plumbing to HVAC, etc. your septic system is also a complex assembly of various parts.

When something is not working, we do not assume anything or jump to conclusions about what part of the system is failing or not performing properly. It could simply need a routine septic tank pumping and flushing. Or the sewer line could be clogged or even collapsed. Or the inlet Tee in the tank could be clogged. Or the outlet Tee of the tank could be clogged. Or the drain field (leach field) could be clogged and need replacing. Or more than one of those all at the same time! We do not guess about it.

Instead, we approach most drain clogs as if there is a potential problem in the sewer line or septic system, such as a collapse, clogged drain field or other failure. The only way to be confident and sure is to have do a thorough inspection, sometimes using a sewer camera inserted into the drain pipes either before and or after clearing the clog, or excavating an identified collapsed point to inspect the sewer line condition and situation. And on and on. A process. Step by step checking each portion and part of the system down the line.

Often this camera inspection merely confirms that all is well once the clog is cleared. But equally often, a more serious condition and failure is discovered. ONLY in this was can a successful solution be recommended or implemented.

Since most sewer line collapses, clogged drain fields or other failures require excavation to uncover and repair or replace them, it is a big project and can be quite expensive. You do NOT want to undertake such a project without confirmation and confidence in the diagnosis of your ACTUAL situation.

On the other hand, you also do NOT want to simply have the drain cleared and ignore the reality if your sewer line is collapsed or some portion of your septic system has failed. These things do not get better with time.

If excavation is necessary, we are experienced and capable of handling whatever the situation requires, professionally and quickly for you.

We deal competently with special septic system situations such as high water table locations and high bedrock situations where inadequate soil exists below the drain field lines treat the effluent. These require pumped systems, of various types which have to be engineered by law, and approved to install on a case by case basis. We handle all aspects for you, including coordinating and working with the engineering firm and the Department of Environmental Quality in Cheyenne and the local Park County building permitting authority.

We take care of the Utility marking required by law prior to any excavation work, and all of the logistics involved with the repair or replacement work. All turn-key, based on our proposal to you once we have determined the actual situation in advance. We base our pricing and proposed solution on good data and information from our inspection, etc.

But sometimes the actual situation is worse than anticipated once the pipe is uncovered, and in those cases the price could change to reflect any increased work and scope required. For example, sometimes the pipe appears fine in a section from the camera inspection, but once uncovered it is found to be infirm and dilapidated, and not savable or fit to be connected onto as anticipated. Or often, the soil is unstable and cave ins create a lot more work and danger and therefore increased expense. Or the drain field is not only failed but cannot be replaced with a conventional gravity leach field system and requires engineering.

Is Your Clog a Minor one-off? Or a Major Failure?

When you have raw sewage backing up into your home, it is an emergency. Not only is it messy and inconvenient, but it can be a serious health hazard and threat to your property value.

Often it is a result of a one-time occurrence, such as something being flushed down the toilet that should not have been – wipes, sanitary napkins, toys and anything besides what comes out of your body or toilet paper or the septic tank just needs to be pumped and flushed.

Other times, it is due to a more serious situation.  Your sewer lateral (your house main drain underground outside of your house) carries all your house wastewater from sinks, bathtubs/showers, laundry, toilets, dishwashers and floor drains, etc., out to your private septic tank and drain field system.

If your sewer lateral becomes obstructed, it will not permit the flow of your wastewater, and eventually it will back up and flood inside your home. It may be cleared relatively simply with the use of a cable tool (drain snake) if it is a minor obstruction. Or, it could actually be clear all the way through and out of the septic tank and simply have no place to flow to – because the drain field is clogged, saturated and failed.

Sewer Line, Septic Tank Inlet or Outlet Tees, Tank Full of Sludge and/or Scum, or Clogged Drain Field – any of these will cause a Sewage Backup.

This is a big job and expense, but like a roof, siding, flooring and most components of a house, there is a finite useful life of a sewer line, Septic Tank and Drain Field too

Replacing A Septic System or Portions of it

Replacing a house’s sewer line involves digging up the existing line, removing the old pipe, and installing a new one, typically requiring professional plumbing services. Same for a clogged Tank Tee inlet or outlet, and certainly true of a Clogged Drain Field.

Costs can vary depending on the length of the line, excavation needed, obstacles in the way of the excavation, accessibility for the excavation equipment, the soil composition and depth of the trench required and local regulations including right of way and building permits and codes, with an average cost ranging anywhere from $3,000 up to over $55,000 depending on what is involved. So it is almost futile to try to provide a blanket ballpark pricing estimate without performing an in depth inspection of your particular situation and system.

NOTE: Sometimes, only a section of the sewer line needs to be replaced, the remaining portion being sound and in good condition. In this case, the cost will be considerably less than a full replacement. A camera inspection and use of a radio transmitter inserted into the pipe is used to locate the collapsed or bad section, at least on the house side of the problem area.

Key Points About Septic System Repairs or Replacement

Replacing portions or all of a Septic System is a complex task and usually requires professional plumbers with the necessary equipment and expertise.

Reasons to replace:

Signs like frequent clogs, sewage backups, noticeable odors or soaked surface areas usually indicate the need for a drain field replacement. 

What to expect during septic system work:

Inspection: A plumber will need to use a sewer line camera to assess the condition of the existing pipe and identify problem areas. The investigation and inspection process can be involved, and might run into the $1,000 to $2,000 range easily if excavation is required to confirm conditions. And that is just for the inspection work alone.

Cost Estimation and Contract: Contractor will provide you with a written price and description of the scope of work, for you to approve, thus hiring the contractor. A deposit is usually obtained at this point.

Permits: Contractor, not homeowner, will apply for, pay for and obtain all required permits and will also coordinate and obtain all required inspections by the building officials and DEQ. Engineering will be coordinated if the inspection process dictates that it must be an engineered system. Homeowner will contract for the engineering services directly with the engineering firm. Contractor will be listed as the installer on the permit application and will assist the engineer with information needed for the design and permit application.

Utility Marking: Contractor, not homeowner, will coordinate and obtain all utility markings as required by law before digging.

Excavation: Depending on what is necessary, this can be relatively minor or major in scope.

Removal of Existing Septic System Components: The existing components will removed or possibly abandoned and left in place, replaced with the new components. 

Backfilling and restoration: The new septic system or components will be backfilled rough graded with dug out soil (Landscaping usually NOT included in the contractor’s scope- left for homeowners to have done later). Regardless of the compaction performed at the time of backfilling, settlement of the soil above the tank and any sewer pipe will occur over time. So landscaping might best be postponed by the homeowner a bit to allow homeowner to account for and regrade after any settlement.

An improper septic system component replacement will often result in wasted money.  If the new component and system is not connected properly, graded properly, bedded properly or damaged during backfilling, etc. then it will fail to function properly in short order.