sewer leak between cleanout and septic tank

[skipsleather]

My home is 5 years old (it is a manufactured home) it sets on 1 acre. The problem is that about every 3 weeks I have to run a hose with the attachment(the one that expands and pulsates water) to clean out what ever is blocking the sewer line. The problem is between the clean out and the septic tank ( approx. 25 feet) I have dug up where the line enters the septic and there is about a 30 degree angle going into the septic. I see no breakage and it seems unlikely that the pipe would be broken as it is a straight piece of pipe. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm wondering if I need a lesser angle, like maybe a flexable pipe.

Skip

[Gary Swart]

My first thought is that perhaps before the line makes that steep drop to the septic tank that there may not be enough or any slope. This would allow debris to gather and wash to the end of the pipe. A sewer line should slope 1/4" per foot.

[Gary Swart]

Sorry, I meant to say NOT wash to the end of the line.

[skipsleather]

Thanks for your prompt answer to my problem. I think that may be the problem as near as I can figure it is about a (at max) a 24" drop. Would a larger pipe help clear up the problem? I also noticed that around the pipe going into the septic tank there was a lot of gung (raw sewage) that I cleaned out. Is that the proper way to install it?
Again, Thanks a lot for your help.

Skip

[Gary Swart]

In my opinion, a larger pipe might make the problem worst. If the problem is a flat spot or even an up hill rise in the run, you will need to deal with the slope. It might be possible to uncover the pipe and adjust the slope without removing it although just putting a new pipe at the proper slope might well be the simpliest in the long run. It's only 25 feet and PVC pipe isn't very costly.

[skipsleather]

Thanks a lot Gary, I really appreciate your prompt and knoweldgeable answers.

Skip

[Kristi]

Hey Skip,
Just wanted to refer to a couple of things aside from what Senior Swart said. No way to any kind of flexible pipe at any point in the drainage, it'll find a way to sag and will turn into a sewage rollercoaster that gets stuck at the high points. You should not have sewage sludge all around the point where it enters the tank - perhaps you need to extend the pipe into the tank a little further? If it seems short, then cut back a little bit and couple a pup piece on so that it extends further into the tank. We want absolutely all waste to find it's way into the tank only
Just offhand, does your tank possibly need pumping out? If it seems kind of full, it might be interfering with the entry of new waste and that could make it also come out around the incoming drainage as well as back up the line. I wouldn't think that this was your problem, as you would realize it in the first moments of researching the problem, but it never hurts to throw out the suggestion...

and furthermore (lol) you just may have had a lazy installation done on that main drainage line. It takes much less time to just throw down pipe and run down the length of it glueing on couplings and fittings, and often there will be "anthills" that are built up along the way to get the slope going before it's backfilled. it resembles a bridge at this point, and if the glue is setting and it's all exposed to the sun for days or weeks at a time, then you'll invariably wind up with sagging pipe and jagged glued joints for the length of the drainage line... super sucks, but it happens... NOT ON MY JOBSITE!!! lol...

[thezster]

Thanks for your prompt answer to my problem. I think that may be the problem as near as I can figure it is about a (at max) a 24" drop. Would a larger pipe help clear up the problem? I also noticed that around the pipe going into the septic tank there was a lot of gung (raw sewage) that I cleaned out. Is that the proper way to install it?
Again, Thanks a lot for your help.

Skip

"Gung"? Interesting term.... does that make "Gung Ho"... a really nasty lady of the evening?

Sorry - couldn't resist..... Won't do it again!