A general rule of thumb for those not checking the depth of sludge + scum in their septic tanks is every 2 to 3 years. This varies greatly, however, depending on many variables such as the size of the tank, how many people are living in your household, and what various things are going into the septic tank, such as items from a garbage disposal if you have one. So, you can just spend money and pump every 2 or 3 years, or you can save money by using the Septic Checker periodically (once a year or so) to measure the percentage of sludge in your tank, and only pump when your tank needs pumping (at 30% sludge + scum or higher), which may be significantly longer than the every 2 or 3 years rule of thumb. Using the Septic Checker saves you time and money as you will know when to pump, and not just have to guess at it. You will also be assured that you won't wait too long to pump which can cause severe damage to your septic system.
Can I use the Septic Checker through a cleanout port?
You have to have a direct, straight shot into the septic tank from the top,
so you can't use a cleanout port.
Do all septic tanks have to be dug out to use the Septic Checker?
No, many septic tanks have an access port/riser with a cap on it which is screwed down for easy access to the
septic tank. If you have this setup, you can use the Septic Checker quite easily
without having to do any digging.
How do I know where my septic tank is located?
To find where your septic tank is located, look for a cleanout port near
your home. If you don't have one, look for a large pipe (4 inches or so) going
out of the foundation of your home. If you have an
unfinished basement, it will probably run along or under the rafters, and
then drop down inside of the wall and into your foundation to go out. It is
usually a straight shot from the cleanout port, or where the large pipe is located
where it drops into your foundation, out into your yard
to the septic tank. If you are lucky, there will be an access port on the
top of the gound which you can remove, and very easily
access your tank. If your tank doesn't have an access port/riser, though, you can
likely use metal rebar to poke into the ground to find
where your tank is located more preceisely. Once you find it, use the rebar
to map out the tank, and then dig down on the side closest to your home to
find the inlet access cover. You may want to install a riser, or have one
installed, to make accessing your septic tank easy in the future. Always be
aware of wires and natural gas lines. It is recommended, and a legal
requirement in many areas, to have the utility companies mark their lines
before digging or sticking rebar into the ground to ensure that no lines are
cut. You can request for free, in most areas in the United States, to have the
utilities marked before digging by calling 811. If you do cut or puncture a gas line,
evacuate the area immediately and call 911.
Once I dig out my septic tank, how do I get the lid off to access the
tank?
The lid can be made of concrete, or metal. It may or may not
have a handle you can grip to remove the lid off of the tank. These lids
are quite heavy, so you must excercise extreme caution when removing the
lid as you could slip and fall into the septic tank. It is highly recommended to
have a helper for removing the septic tank cover. With the lids which have
one or more handles on them, after you have gotten any dirt off of them and
from around them, they just lift straight off. If your septic tank cover
does not have handles, is it probably like a manhole cover, and you will
need to use a tool to pry it up to remove it.
What are the dimensions of the Septic Checker?
The septic checker is 8 feet long when in its extended form, or about 2.7
feet long in its broken down form. It uses 1 inch clear PVC pipe. The
widest point (at the unions) of the unit is 2 1/4 inch. The carrying case
that the Septic Checker goes into is approxiately 3 feet long.
Does it matter if I use the Septic Checker in the inlet or outlet side of
the septic tank?
You should generally use the Septic Checker on the inlet side of your tank.
There will normally be much less sludge on the outlet side. When a septic tank
is pumped, both the inlet side and outlet side should be pumped. Sometimes
septic tank pumper services only pump the inlet side, however. For this reason,
if you are unsure if your outlet side was pumped the last time, you may want to
also measure your outlet side just to make sure it isn't measuring a lot of
sludge.
The sludge is deep in the corners of the tank, is this a problem?
The sludge layer tends to acumulate in the corners of the tank. You should
take your measurements away from the corners. It is
recommended to take multiple measurements and look at the average since the
sludge layer is not completely uniform across the tank.
Can I download a copy of the manual?
Yes, you can download a PDF copy of the instructions manual & safety
sheet here: Septic Checker
Instructions Manual
Is there a certain way the Septic Checker should be put back into the case?
Yes, please see the image below.
I have a question, how can I contact you?
We can be contacted by email, phone or text. The email address is sccontact@septicchecker.com
What are the UPC barcode numbers for your products?
Septic Checker (8 feet with Case) - 860001353204
Septic Checker (8 feet without Case) - 860001353235
Septic Checker (12 feet with Case) - 860001353228
Septic Checker (12 feet without Case) - 860001353211