Could somebody please explain to me how the plumbing works in a basement in a house with a septic system? We are building a new house and we were just wondering how everything hooks up. We are very new to this.

The interior portion is really no different than a standard sewer system. With a septic system, you want to keep excess water out of it like from french drains, downspouts and sump pumps. This is usually illegal anyway.

Water filled traps keep sewer gas from entering the house. These are integral to the toilet and "J" traps are located under sinks and showers.

Vents, pipes that go to the roof exist because air is displaced when you put something down the drain. That air comes from the roof vent.

Cleanouts are placed in various locations so that snakes can be used to unclog a waste line.

The septic system primarily consists of two main parts. A place for solids to be attacked by bacteria and 2) A leach field for liquids.

The solids have to be pumped out once in a while.

Hi guys:

KISS gave great explanation of things.. now how about a visual... ;)

Like KISS said, doesn't matter what draining too... inside plumbing is the same septic or city sewer.

Pipes are usually laid underground for basement plumbing and then pipes are run above ground to pick up the baths/kitchen upstairs. All plumbing fixtures have a vent (in one way or another, all fixtures are vented) and a trap (some fixtures have integral traps, like the toilet). Different materials are used... primarily PVC pipe/fittings today.

Let us know if need anything else... MARK

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