Septic Tank in Kirkwall

Do Septic Tanks Smell?

The simple and shot answer to this question is yes, septic tanks smell. There are a plethora of very pleasant fragrant smells to enjoy in the United Kingdom, but the smell that oozes out of septic tank systems are certainly not one of them. In fact, if you care for yourself a lot, you should not even try smelling your septic tank at all. However, if you do notice a bad odour wafting from the direction of your tank, it may be that there’s an indication that something is not right. The septic tank system is always with strong malodorous scents, but when you start smelling the odour from the septic tank on your property, then something is wrong and if ignored, may lead to a contamination of your water supply and or other dangerous situations.

✓ When you’re able to perceive the smell of your septic tank from your property, it may imply a full or overflowing septic tank. In this case, you should call in a professional to have your tank pumped. Generally, most tanks are designed to be pumped every 4 years but this is definitely going to vary depending on the size of of the tank as well as your home’s water usage.

✓ Another possible reason for a smelly tank is a covered septic tank vent. This usually happens when a home is renovated or remodelled after the septic tank system has been fitted. You should make sure that the septic tank vents are always uncovered.

✓ If the septic tank starts to get smelly right after showering, then it’s most likely that the septic tank was not installed the way it’s supposed to and may have been fitted without any type of vent.

✓ A smelly tank can also be caused by inappropriate items making their way into a system like cooking grease, oil or fat, paints, solvents, industrial cleaning products, condoms, feminine hygiene products and so on.

How Much Is A Septic Tank?

If you’re living in the rural area, then you’d have a better idea of the septic tank concept and know that it’s installation is a very common job due to difficulty in accessing the mains sewage system. The system takes care of all the scum, sludge and waste water coming from the pipes all around the house in rooms like showers, sinks, toilets, laundry room and more. There are a lot of factors that you’ll have to consider as they all affect the price of replacing or installing a septic tank system. These influencing factors include the drainage systems, the underground or overground location, material, your location as well as labour.

However, generally, the average cost of material for a medium sized septic tank would typically cost within the range of £600 to about £800, while a large septic tank would be around £1000 to about £1,200. What’s more? The average cost to install a septic tank system with the material cost,labour cost and waste removal cost at heart normally ranges between £1,500 to about £2,000.

The material used is also a very common price determinant. Concrete happens to be the most common choice for many homeowners due to the fact that it’s very affordable and also durable ( can last u to 30 years). Generally, the cost for concrete septic tanks should range between £600 to £1,200.

Another pocket friendly option is plastic septic tanks because of its light material. Although, it’s made of plastic but they’re not vulnerable to cracks. They may, however, be affected by soil pressure in harsh conditions. They price usually ranges between £700 to £1,500.

Finally, the more expensive option which is the fibreglass which comes with a number of benefits. They won’t deteriorate or crack underground and can last up to 50 years. This type normally cost within the range of £1,000 to £2,000.

How To Install A Septic Tank

If you’re planning to get a new septic tank system or replace the existing one, you’d probably want to know if it’s a task you can do all by yourself especially if you happen to be a competent DIYer. However, unless you’re a heavy equipment operator, installation of a septic tank system is by no means a DIY project. And even if you have the heavy machine at your disposal and you know quite well how to use it, you’re still going to need the guidance of professionals.

You’re going to need the services of a soil expert to evaluate the site, a plumbing contractor to fit and connect pipes, an engineer to design a good system and more. You may want to be involved in all these but local health authorities requires that a licensed personnel should be in charge. In this article, however, you’ll discover the septic tank system installation process.

To install a traditional septic tank system, you’ll have to start by digging a hole for the tank following strictly the instructions provided on your approved plan by the local authorities. Do not drop the tank into the hole after digging, you’ll need to connect it to the building sewer with 3 or 4 inch waste pipe which should be at a minimum slope towards the tank. Then, extend a drain pipe from the other end of a tank to a the distribution box on the drain field.

Once completed, dig several parallel trenches of this box extension across the drain field. Put in a layer of gravel along with 3 to 4 inch perforated pipes in individual trench and connect the pipes with the distribution box and cover them once done.

How To Apply For A Septic Tank Permit

There are some binding rules that must be followed if you’re the operator of a septic tank system or small sewage treatment plant. This binding rules include the following:

✓ The sewage must be domestic in nature. For instance the scum, sludge and waster water should come from the shower, toilet, kitchen, laundry room etc. If you’re not sure if your septic tank is domestic in nature in nature you can contact the Environment Agency.

✓ The sewage must not lead to pollution

There are also some binding rules whether you release to the ground such as your backyard garden or to a surface water like a stream or river.

In the event whereby you do not meet the general binding rules, you’ll need to apply for a septic tank permit. Here, the form you’ll have to fill will depend on where you discharge your sewage and how much sewage you discharge.

If you discharge your sewage to the ground there are different forms depending on whether you’re in a groundwater protection zone (SPZ1). Outside an SPZ1, there are different forms if you discharge between 2 and 15 cubic metres in a day and if its over 15 cubic metres per day. While inside an SPZ1, if you discharge less than 2 cubic metres per day you’ll fill different forms for systems in use before 1st January, 2015 and systems installed on or after that date.

If you want to discharge between 5 and 20 cubic metres sewage per day to a surface water, you can apply for a standard rules permit. If you can’t get a standard rules permit, you’ll need a permit to discharge up to 20 cubic metres per day and over 20 cubic metres per day.