How to properly pump out a septic tank

Choosing the right installation location

When choosing a construction site for a septic tank without pumping out with your own hands, you need to be guided by the requirements of sanitary standards and the recommendations of specialists. According to them, the treatment plant should be located:

no closer than five meters from residential buildings. But it is not worth removing the septic tank far from the house. The fact is that the longer the line, the greater the risk of blockages in the pipe. The best option can be considered 10-15 meters from the building;
no closer than 50 meters from a water source (well or well). Everything will depend on the soil in the country and the direction of the flow of groundwater. If the ground is permeable (for example, sand), then the distance from the water source should be more than 50 meters. It is also impossible to place a septic tank higher in the direction of groundwater flow from a well or well;
you can not install a septic tank near the adjacent site. No one will be happy with such a neighborhood. Therefore, it is worth stepping back from the fence or fence at least a meter, and preferably more.

In addition, experts do not recommend building a septic tank in areas where trees or other large vegetation grow nearby. Their roots can damage the sealed first compartment, which will harm the environment.

Features of the device depending on the material

You can build a septic tank without pumping and smell yourself. For this apply:

Let's take a look at each design in more detail.

Option # 1 - brick septic tank

For the manufacture of a septic tank without pumping, clinker bricks are chosen. The shape of the sump can be round or rectangular. For better waterproofing, it is advisable to treat the outer walls of the septic tank with special mastic and cover it with clay around the entire perimeter by about 20 cm. The inner surface is treated with cement mortar.

The bottom of the chambers, except for the last one, must be concreted so that untreated waste does not seep into the ground. The bottom of the last tank is covered with a layer of sand and gravel, and the walls are laid out with small gaps. This will help excess filtered water seep into the soil. The tanks are connected to each other with tees.

The walls of the last chamber of the brick septic tank are laid out with small gaps so that excess moisture goes into the ground through them.

Option #2 - monolithic concrete structure

For the tightness of the first chambers of a monolithic septic tank, the base is poured with concrete over a sandy "cushion". After the mortar has hardened, formwork is constructed and the walls of the structure are poured with concrete. In this case, it is necessary to equip overflows between the chambers. For this, sewer tees are used. The top of the structure is also filled with mortar. At the same time, control holes are left, which are closed with hatches. To improve drainage, pipes are dug into the bottom of the last chamber, and the earth is not filled with mortar, but covered with rubble.

The size of the first chamber of a three-chamber monolithic septic tank can be half of the entire structure or be equal to each of its components. The walls and bottom of the monolithic structure must be completely sealed.

For the strength of concrete, when building a monolithic septic tank, it is necessary to use reinforcement.

Option # 3 - a septic tank made of concrete rings

The diameter of the reinforced concrete rings is different, which should be taken into account when calculating the size of the septic tank. Usually, no more than 4 concrete products are used for one tank. Due to the severity of the constituent elements for the construction of such septic tanks, it is desirable to use special equipment. Bury the rings sequentially.

Having installed the first element at its location, they make a dig under it. As the first ring is lowered, the following elements of the septic tank are installed. Between themselves, the parts are fastened with the help of protruding reinforcement.The seams between the rings are carefully sealed with mortar and covered with waterproofing. The bottom of sealed structures is concreted.

After installing the rings for the septic tank, the seams between them are sealed with a solution and covered with a waterproofing compound. This prevents infiltration of untreated effluents into the soil.

To seal the seams between the rings, waterproofing, bituminous mastic, hydrotex or other waterproofing compounds are used.

Having thus constructed the required number of tanks, overflow pipes are laid between them. From above, all chambers are closed with hatches. For reliability, a clay “castle” is made around the structure.

Option #4 - Use Plastic Containers

European cubes are often used as plastic containers for a septic tank. Before installing them, it is necessary to make holes for the transition and ventilation pipes. After that, the containers are welded or fastened together with reinforcement and lowered into a pre-prepared pit. In order to avoid extrusion of the structure by groundwater, anchoring is necessary.

Eurocubes are fully prepared for installation in the ground. So that they do not move relative to each other, a strong metal frame is welded

Regardless of what the septic tank is made of, it must be reliable and durable. We must not forget about the safety of such structures. Therefore, septic tanks without pumping can only be built in places with a low level of groundwater.

Advantages of a cesspool without pumping out

A rationally designed and constructed sewage system will not only make a summer cottage comfortable for living. The system has many advantages:

Ease of self-construction;
The possibility of using various materials, including concrete;
Increased time interval between pumping cycles.
Low cost and minimal maintenance costs.

When planning sewerage without the need for pumping, consider a few nuances. Carefully choose the place of installation, control the absorption capacity of the system, specific odors in the premises. Avoid chemical household chemicals for cleaning the system - they can react with organic matter.

Operating principle

If you want to arrange an autonomous sewage system at your dacha or in a country house, then you cannot do without such a device as a septic tank. Such a system can be created by hand. The main thing is to know the principle of operation of a septic tank and its components.

So, the composition of the wastewater treatment system includes:

two or more containers connected by tubes;
ventilation system (holes or shafts) for each section of the septic tank;
sealed covers (manholes) over each container.

Wastewater from the sewerage system enters the first tank. It plays the role of a sump, so it must be absolutely tight. Here the solid fractions settle to the bottom. In the future, they are processed by anaerobic bacteria. These microorganisms enter the septic tank naturally, because they are constantly present in the environment. But for more efficient operation of the device, you can introduce bacteria manually, simply pour biological preparations (they are sold in specialized stores) into the sewer system.

During their life, microorganisms produce gases. To prevent them from accumulating in the container, it is necessary to make ventilation. To do this, it is enough to equip a hole in the upper part of the tank, you can build a shaft above it (install a pipe). Since the process of decomposition of organic compounds under the influence of microorganisms occurs slowly, a sharp unpleasant odor will not appear in the country house.

The clarified water (after precipitation of solid fractions) flows through the connecting pipes into the second container.If your septic tank, installed in a country house or a country house, consists of more than two sections, then the second of them is also made airtight. Here the process of decay under the action of anaerobic microorganisms will continue. These bacteria will appear here from the first container, but you can bring them in yourself through the top hatch.

If there are only two containers in the septic tank, then the second one is made without a bottom. More precisely, its base will be made of a layer of rubble and sand. Through such a bottom, the water already purified in the sump and under the influence of microorganisms will freely flow into the soil.

In order for such a septic tank to work effectively in your country house or homestead for many years, you should follow some rules:

firstly, solid inorganic objects should not fall into the sump. They simply will not be processed by bacteria and will gradually fill the entire container, which will force you to clean the septic tank ahead of time;
secondly, chemicals (especially those containing chlorine compounds) should not enter the sewer system in large quantities. Such drains will harm the colonies of microorganisms, which means they will reduce the efficiency of the septic tank. As a result, you will have to purchase biological products to restore the number of bacteria.

If you follow these simple rules, then the sewage treatment plant will work for 15-20 years. In this case, there will be no need to call a sewage machine to pump out the accumulated sewage.

The principle of operation of the design without pumping

Sewage is discharged into the first tank. Preliminary cleaning is carried out there - heavy particles settle on the bottom surface, and light ones are discharged into a second container. Here they are finally filtered and discharged into one or more drainage wells. To prevent waste from entering their site, the chambers are sealed. The exception is the latter, on the walls or bottom of which small holes are made. They are designed to remove excess moisture. Solid particles settle on the walls and need periodic removal. The appearance of sediment can be prevented in several ways:

prevent solid objects from entering the sump;
control the removal of inorganic materials into septic tanks;
reduce the access of chemical products based on chlorine to sewer communications.

By following the rules for the effective functionality of a septic tank, you can extend its operation up to 20 years without the need for the services of sewage companies. How to properly pump out a septic tank

Varieties of sewer septic tanks without pumping

Systems are classified depending on the cleaning mode. The two-chamber structure is serviced every 2-3 years, and the waste from the three-chamber structure enters the drainage well.

Two-chamber design - features of self-construction

The collector, consisting of two chambers, is convenient to use when they do not live in the country on their own. The work is carried out, observing the technological sequence of actions:

They dig a pit 3 m deep, the place for which is chosen according to the requirements of SNiP and the location of groundwater. Digging is carried out with a shovel or excavator.
The bottom surface is covered with a pillow of sand and gravel, raising it by 15 cm.
Formwork is installed from lumber, reinforcement is carried out with bandaging with metal wire.
Two holes are made in the formwork, where pipes are inserted. They form the beginning of the highway and the overflow channel.
The formwork is poured with concrete mortar, evenly distributed with a rubber mallet. The entire cement mass is poured in one step.
The bottom of the first tank is made of concrete, controlling the tightness of the section. In the sump, the waste liquid is separated - the solid fractions settle, and the water is poured into the second container. Decompose solid sediments with special preparations and an anaerobic complex.
The second chamber is made without a bottom. Instead, a layer of rubble-gravel mixture is poured onto the ground, which filters the waste water.
The overflow pipe is fixed, observing a slope of 30 mm per 1 linear meter. The height of the element is equal to 1/3 of the well.

The septic tank is covered with similar concrete slabs. You can make them yourself or buy them. A manhole cover is placed to check the filling of the chambers. The pit is covered with sand and a removed layer of soil. Clean the system every 2-3 years.

Sewerage without pumping - stages of arrangement

A septic tank without regular pumping out of sewage is relevant when they live permanently in a country, private house or in the country. The best option for sewer lines is three-chamber. The sump is made large, about ½ of the entire structure. Heavy waste settles in it, and the liquid enters the first compartment, from where, as it is full, it overflows into the second. The last chamber of the septic tank provides a complete treatment of wastewater with their subsequent discharge into a drainage tank. A pumping station is used to remove insoluble impurities. Pumping is carried out at intervals that depend on the volume of sewage. To install a treatment plant from ready-made concrete rings, follow the following algorithm:

Buy 9 concrete rings. For every 3 products you need one cast-iron hatch.
Dig 3 pits, focusing on the diameter of the rings. Installation of tanks of standard parameters is carried out in pits 3 m deep and 2.8 m wide.
Cover the first trenches with concrete pads.
Lower the products into the ditches with a crane.
In the finished tank, make holes through which connect the connecting pipeline or vent. Seal the joints with a concrete-based mortar.
Fill the cavities between the rings and the soil with liquid glass, waterproofing, bituminous mastic, sealing communications and giving them stability.

After installing the concrete forms, place hatches on them.

How the non-pumping design works

The design, which does not require regular pumping of wastewater, consists of several adjacent tanks. Usually build two or three-chamber septic tanks. The first tank is a sump. As a rule, in a two-chamber septic tank, the volume of the first tank occupies three-quarters of the entire structure, in a three-chamber septic tank, half.

Once in the first chamber, the effluent undergoes preliminary treatment. In this case, heavy fractions settle at the bottom, and lighter fractions flow into the second tank as the first one is filled. In the last tank, the final post-treatment of wastewater takes place, after which relatively clean water is sent to filtration fields or to a drainage well.

At the bottom of the last chamber of the septic tank, a layer of rubble is poured for drainage. This helps excess moisture to go into the ground and not accumulate in the septic tank.

All tanks of such a septic tank, except for the last one, are made airtight. Depending on the design, holes are made in the walls or bottom of the septic tank in the last chamber. This helps to remove excess moisture and avoid regular pumping of waste.

Since in addition to organic substances in domestic wastewater there are insoluble impurities, even such a design needs to be periodically removed from the sediment that will accumulate at the bottom of the septic tank. This is done using household drainage pumps. The pumped out sludge can be used as fertilizer. The frequency of maintenance of a septic tank depends on its size and volume and the composition of the effluents.

What is the sewer system

An autonomous waste disposal system provides for the construction of a septic tank. Before starting the design of communications, it is worth understanding what the pumping mechanism consists of. A typical home cleaning system includes:

storage tanks connected by pipes. Tanks consist of 2 or 3 chambers.The first tank - a sump, should be filled to ¾, and the second - to ½ .;
ventilation shafts made in each of the containers;
sealed hatches.

All components of septic networks provide complete elimination of odors and effective disposal of sewage.

Correct start of the sewer

The start of operation of the septic tank begins after checking the sealing of the seams. The normal operation of the sewer is checked as follows:

there is no characteristic hydrogen sulfide smell;
the filling of the filtration compartments occurs immediately after they enter the sewer line.

A properly constructed structure will effectively cope with the task of removing waste. To accelerate the settling of the mass in the soil, reagents for biological disinfection can be used.The construction of a sewerage system based on rings of durable concrete without the possibility of pumping out is a costly process. However, the financial costs are paid off by the reliability and durability of use when installed in areas with a low level of soil moisture.

How to make a cleaning mechanism

The organization of cleaning steps is carried out during the installation of sewage. Each of the three rings is an independent cleaning chamber. The tanks are divided into two stages - solid particles are collected in one, the second provides water filtration, and through the third the masses are discharged into the ground. For uniform separation of waste and the efficiency of the system functionality, a tee is used for a centralized septic tank. In the third chamber, the masses are filtered. The filter pad based on gravel and crushed stone will be optimal. If water streams are discharged into the pond, active bacteria are used. Sewer pipes in the first well (with a pillow of concrete) are carried out at an angle. The connecting line of the third and second wells is placed 20 cm below the previous one.

Determining the size and location of the septic tank

To build a septic tank for a summer residence without pumping out, it is necessary to correctly calculate its volume. It is determined in accordance with water consumption. The basis is the rate of water consumption per person, which is 200 liters. daily. According to it, the daily norm for all residents is determined and three times the value of the obtained value is taken. Then add another 20% of the result.

After determining the volume, you need to calculate the size of the septic tank itself. Let's say you need a structure with a volume of 18 m³. So you can build a septic tank 3 m deep, 3 m long and 2 m wide. Multiplying all sides gives the desired volume. Be sure to take into account that the distance from the bottom of the structure to the drain pipe must be at least 0.8 m.

Also, it is very important to choose the right location for the structure. It is not recommended to approach the house closer than 5 meters

However, building too far from housing is also not worth it. Otherwise, it will increase the cost of laying a sewer line.

Since a septic tank is being built without pumping out, it is necessary to remove it from the water source by more than 50 m. In this case, the direction of movement of soil water should be taken into account. To avoid trouble with neighbors, it is required to retreat from the border of the site by at least a meter

The longer the pipeline, the more likely it is to become clogged. Therefore, control wells will have to be installed.

Project activities

Country communications for waste disposal provide for proper design. You need to start by calculating the volume of the septic tank, then draw up a diagram and perform preparatory insulation.

How to calculate the volume of sewage?

Two factors are taken into account - GWL and the average level of ground freezing. In addition to external factors in the construction of communications, the features of buildings are taken into account:

the presence of household appliances, the intensity of its mode of operation;
frequency of use of the house and the entire site;
the number of people who live permanently;
the complexity of plumbing systems.

In buildings operated year-round, one tenant consumes approximately 200 liters of water. The septic tank removes drains in 3 days, so the formula is used to calculate its volume: Y x 200 l x 3 days = V, where Y is the number of residents, and V is the volume of containers.

Drafting a project

When designing communications, its type is taken into account - reinforced concrete containers on the formwork, the installation of ready-made reinforced concrete molds, the construction of a brick tank or the installation of plastic chambers. The best option for self-construction is sewage without pumping based on concrete products. It is characterized by speed and ease of arrangement.

The need for thermal insulation

For a stable cleaning process, regardless of weather factors, it is important to maintain the optimum temperature. The proximity of groundwater makes it impossible to deepen the reservoirs

To this end, experts recommend thermally insulating the building. Foam chips, expanded clay or polyurethane foam are used as materials.

Laying of internal highways

According to the layout of the communication, they begin to install the pipeline. First, the central riser with a diameter of 110 mm is fastened. Gases are removed through chimneys. Work with pipes from several materials:

PVC products are resistant to chemical components, do not rust. Plaque on them is rarely formed, and thanks to the smooth inner surface, drains are removed efficiently. Fix the line using the socket method.
Cast iron systems are more expensive than plastic ones, but the cost justifies their reliability and durability. Pipes are difficult to install by one person, so work with an assistant.
Ceramic elements are made of clay and then fired. The wear resistance of sewer networks, heat resistance indicators provide for the high cost of products.

The main riser is placed at a distance of 4-5 m from the window openings, and then the horizontal elements are laid. Control of the pipeline condition and the quality of cleaning are provided by special hatches. Revision compartments must be placed at the bottom of the system, behind the toilet. The turns of the line should have an angle of up to 90 degrees, so the drains are discharged evenly and do not clog the pipes. Plumbing equipment is selected with a special siphon. The water lock creates an obstacle for a specific smell. The faucet connects directly to the toilet. The sink and bath are connected with pipes 50 mm in diameter, checking the quality of water movement. The pipeline is brought out through the foundation. If the internal sewerage is problematic connected to the central one, a sewer septic tank is organized.

Digging Rules

Measures for the construction of sewer communications without the possibility of pumping out involve digging holes where reinforced concrete rings are inserted. How to properly pump out a septic tank There are several rules for digging a pit:

With a close occurrence of soil water, the trench is deepened by 1.5-2 m. If the waters are deep, a hole dug 1 m is enough.
Concrete rings should fit snugly into the cesspool. There should be a cavity of no more than 5 mm between the wall of the product and the soil.
The bottom of the pit is performed with a slope of 25-30 degrees. The slope must be done in the direction where the hatch is planned to be placed. Due to this, solid sediments will remain on the surface of the tank.
A network of perfectly flat trenches is drawn to the cesspool. This prevents large waste from settling on the walls.
In relief areas, it is necessary to observe the angle of inclination of the highway - about 45 degrees.

After the foundation pit is dug, it is advisable to make a formwork.

Formwork construction

The type of formwork (removable or fixed) should be determined taking into account the possibility of insulating the basement. It is advisable to lay thermal insulation in regions with frosty winters.Lumber is chosen based on the characteristics of the soil. On loams, the formwork is made of alder or pine, in sandstones oak can be used. The wooden frame for the sewer is formed in a certain sequence:

The outer ring is made of wooden boards knocked down in two circles. The diameter of the product is identical to the parameters of the outer part of the concrete element. For the stability of the circle, it is fixed with wooden rivets.
The inner ring is made without formwork, the rivets are simply knocked into an element that is 5 mm smaller than the previous one.
The outer formwork is installed in the outer. The surface adjacent to the concrete base is coated with liquid roofing material.

It is necessary to remove the formwork frame after 24-72 hours. If you leave the products for longer, there is a risk of damage to the outer part of the rings.