What to do if the drain pit fills up quickly?
The device of the drain pit and the principles of its functioning. Reasons for the rapid filling of the tank. Ways to release the container from the contents.
The content of the article:
A drain pit is a reservoir that is designed to accumulate sewage. After filling it, the contents must be removed by technical means. In the absence of quality service, the drive fails, sewage fills the tank faster than at the beginning of its operation. Consider what to do if the drain pit fills up quickly.
Features of the functioning of the sewage pit
The drain pit is a tank without a bottom, dug into the ground. The walls of the container in loose soil are reinforced with brick or concrete partitions; in clay soil, you can do without them. Coarse gravel and cobblestones are poured at the bottom to prevent silting. A sewer pipe is brought to the pit, through which effluents flow from the room to the drive.
The operation scheme of the sewage pit consists in settling at the bottom of the pit of insoluble solids (toilet paper, feces, etc.) and draining the treated water through the walls and bottom. The structure is built in places with low groundwater levels, otherwise it will quickly fill with external liquid. The depth of the pit should not exceed 3 m. With such dimensions, the sewage pump hose reaches the bottom of the pit without any problems.
After the accumulation of a large amount of sediment, it must be removed mechanically. Depending on the intensity of use of the sewage system, the procedure is performed every 2-3 months. The owners of the plots know from experience what the frequency of filling the pit is, and if it has changed, there is cause for concern. The rapid filling of the tank paralyzes life in the house, basic amenities become inaccessible to residents. There is an unpleasant putrid smell in the house.
To ensure that the intervals between cleaning procedures do not decrease, perform regular and periodic maintenance of the drive. In the first case, the drain pit is cleaned once a year, in spring or autumn, using a sewer machine. Thus, the prevention of clogging of the drive is carried out, and if it is observed, there will be no problems with filling the pit. Periodic maintenance of the tank is carried out to protect the storage tank from flood waters and winter freezing.
When the pit fills with waste faster than desired, the cause of the problem should be found. There may be several of them:
- The liquid does not escape through the walls due to siltation of the surfaces. A similar problem occurs if the pit is not cleaned for a long time. Feces, household waste, solids settle to the bottom and eventually create a dense crust that makes it difficult for water to drain into the soil. Fat inclusions present in drains clog pores in the soil and make it waterproof. Silting of the filter layer is an inevitable process that cannot be eliminated. But if you control the contents of the drains, the frequency of cleaning can be increased.
- The cesspool is operated more intensively than after its arrangement, therefore the amount of drains increases, and they do not have time to seep into the ground on their own.
- An error in the calculation of the volume of effluents from the house, due to which a smaller pit was dug. To remedy the situation, another hole is being dug nearby. Both storage tanks are connected by overflow pipes. In this case, they form a system resembling a traditional septic tank. Solid inclusions settle in one tank, liquid flows into the second, which then seeps through the walls.
- Drainage does not flow due to freezing of the soil. The problem is solved by heating the frozen sewage.
- The drain pit quickly fills up due to rising groundwater levels. Most often, water enters the reservoir after intense precipitation. There are other reasons: poorly organized water drainage on the surface; decrease in filtration properties of the soil; deterioration of evaporation of moisture from the soil after asphalting the site. Silting, accumulation of fecal waste, and the appearance of an unpleasant odor become the consequence of groundwater entering the storage tank.
How to restore the work of the drain pit?
It is mandatory to clean the drive, but this process is complicated and unpleasant. At the first stage of solving the problem, it is necessary to find out why the drain pit fills up quickly, then it is cleaned. The work can be done manually with improvised means, but it is better to use modern methods of waste disposal. Today, the procedure is performed using special instruments, devices and complexes, so the role of manual labor is minimal.
Cleaning the pit in a technical way
To free the drive from dirt, a special technique is used, with the help of which the process takes place quickly, remotely, with minimal odor spread.
The fastest way to clean a drain pit is call for a sewer truck. It is equipped with a vacuum pump, a tank and hoses, so the liquid is not only pumped out, but also transported to a disposal site. The customer will only need to organize an entrance to the drive. Before pumping, thoroughly mix the contents of the pit with a pole with a hat resembling an oar. After removing the liquid fraction, it is necessary to inspect the drive from the inside. If a solid sediment is found on the bottom and a greasy layer on the walls, wash them off with a stream of warm water, while treating the surfaces with a stiff brush. If this is not done, then after pumping out the drain pit in a private house will quickly fill up. To remove the hardened layer, fill the sediment with water and leave for a few days to soften, and then remove the mass with a pump. To eliminate a hard crust, add microbes to the accumulator that decompose dense fragments. Preparations marked "Intensive" have proven themselves well. They contain colonies of organisms capable of processing solid elements in the shortest possible time.
If the walls are loose, there is a danger of them being washed away by strong water jets. In this case, work is carried out with a bucket, shovel and other improvised means.
Also good for cleaning suction machine. This is a high power device that can easily cope with hard sediment. Many models have special nozzles that create a lot of water pressure, allowing you to break up large inclusions.
You can pump out sewage fecal pump, without calling the cesspool machine. The device easily sucks up liquid with impurities and is designed for such work. The contents of the tank are pumped out to a pre-prepared place. If the tank is filled frequently, you can install a pump that automatically turns on as needed. Of the inexpensive models, the Aquatica 773411 unit can be noted, which raises sewage from a depth of 5 m to a height of 12 m. It has a long service life and is able to operate in automatic mode. For gardeners, we recommend the Chinese Spirut V180F pump, which not only pumps out feces, but is also used to water the site.
Can also be used to clean the tank golden method. Unlike the previous method, an ordinary household pump is used to pump out feces, in which a funnel with a mesh with 1-2 mm cells is put on the intake pipe. The liquid is pumped into a hole dug nearby. Due to the lack of large fragments, it will quickly soak into the soil. Anything left is removed by hand with a bucket and shovel. After cleaning, inspect the condition of the bottom and walls of the tank. If necessary, fill the base with crushed stone or cobblestone to cover the clay layer.
Cleaning the drive with biological products
Microorganisms that feed on organic matter are often used to clean drives. Bacteria help to solve the problem of quickly filling the sewage pit on a qualitatively new level. It is enough to add them to the water according to the attached instructions and pour them into a container with feces.
Bacteria very quickly process paper, fats, particles of vegetables and fruits, etc., decomposing them into gas, water and light inclusions, while the volume of waste is reduced. They restore the porosity of the soil, dissolve fats and eliminate the silting of surfaces. A harmless liquid substance with a neutral odor remains in the pit, which can be removed with a pump.
Note! Plastic, films and other artificial materials cannot be decomposed.
The biological product is a complex of enzymes and live bacteria. They are sold in liquid or powder form, in concentrated form, so very little is needed for the drug procedure.
For such purposes, apply anaerobic microbes able to live and reproduce without oxygen. Before use, dilute the drug in water, after which the dried cultures of microorganisms “wake up”. Study the instructions for activating the biomaterial: some preparations must be infused, others can be poured into the pit immediately.
Also suitable for processing faeces facultative saprophytic bacteria that naturally live in the soil. They can reproduce with or without oxygen. In the package they are in a state of suspended animation. After activation, they begin to look for dead organic matter, which is used as food.
Important! When choosing microorganisms, consider the purpose for which they will be intended. There are funds for dry closets, cesspools, sewer systems.
Biological product "Microbec" is intended for the decomposition of fecal waste in the pit. It allows you to maintain high permeability of the walls of the drive. Means "Vodogray" decomposes faeces and garbage of organic origin - peeling potatoes, fat, etc. After processing, a disinfected odorless liquid and harmful impurities are formed, which can be used to water the garden.
In order for microorganisms to work as efficiently as possible, create the following conditions for them:
- In the waste pit, the liquid should cover the solid sediment by several centimeters. If necessary, pour several buckets of water into the container.
- Bacteria are active at a temperature of +4 + 30 degrees, so create the appropriate temperature conditions.
- Protect the pit from cleaning agents based on chlorine, manganese, and other antibacterial agents that kill bacteria.
- Use the drug in accordance with the instructions developed by the manufacturer. For example, some substances cannot be sprayed, they only need to be poured into one place.
Remember that the complete dissolution of solid inclusions by microorganisms to the level of carbon dioxide will not occur, the liquid will have to be pumped out with a pump or a sewage machine.
Remember! If microbes are constantly living in the sewer, leave 30% sediment during cleaning so that they quickly restore their numbers.
Cleaning the waste pit with chemicals
To restore the porosity of the walls, chemical reagents can be used. They have one big advantage over biological preparations - they are able to function all year round, in frost and in heat.
Most often, substances based on formaldehydes, nitrate oxidizing agents and ammonium compounds are used. Their features are shown in the table:
| Means | Advantages | Flaws |
| Formaldehydes | Can be used all year round | Very toxic, destroy the vegetation around the pit, the water after them must be taken out of the site |
| Nitrate oxidizers | The safety of the drug for the site | Quite expensive |
| Ammonium compounds | Dissolves all fatty deposits on the walls and recycles sludge | Work only during warm seasons |
The most popular among users are nitrate oxidizers based on nitrogen. They contain surfactants, which are present in preparations for cleaning dishes, so they can easily cope with dirt of organic origin. However, they are not able to decompose other household waste.
Note! Water purified by nitrate oxidizers can be used for irrigation.
Cleaning the sewage pit by defrosting sewage
If the drain pit quickly fills up due to freezing drains, measures must be taken to defrost them. You can melt the ice with plenty of hot water. But there are other ways too.
You will need a copper wire capable of passing 2 kW, an average hook and a metal pin 25 cm long. Hammer the pin in the center of the frozen opening, fasten the copper wire to it. Connect the other end of the wire with a hook to the electrical network. The result can be seen after 48 hours. After defrosting, remove the pin. In severe frost, you will need to heat the sewer pipe, especially near the pit.
Create a drainage system to drain groundwater from the drain pit. Dig a trench with the bottom below the bottom of the tank. The width of the ditch is 15 cm. Pour crushed stone on the bottom, put a perforated pipe wrapped with geotextile on it. It should be tilted away from the pit and divert water into a ravine or temporary collection point. From above, pour large rubble again and cover it with earth. Drainage can be arranged without corrugated pipes. To do this, dig an inclined trench and fill it with sand, brushwood, and a large stone. To remove precipitation from above the structure, around the perimeter, also build a drainage ditch.
What to do if the drain pit fills up quickly - look at the video:
A cesspool is considered a convenient and economical way to solve the problem of household waste disposal. But even such a simple structure requires maintenance, which consists in its regular cleaning. Ignoring the rules of operation of the drive leads to the rapid filling of the tank and additional costs for restoring its functioning.
