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Lorne123 · May 4, 2008, 05:56 PM

I bought a home that is 23 years old.
I need some advice re my ejector pump. It has started to act like a sump pump. It is taking on water from somewhere and is discharging 2 0r 3 times a day into my septic tank. It started making a hissing noise from the discharge pipe and I changed the fitting that came out from the tank and the hissing noise stopped it was like it was sucking air into the tank and water back from the check valve. I haven't taken the check valve off yet to inspect it.. That slowed down the intake of water but I think water from under the house might be seeping in since the snow has melted my sump pump has been working over time this year. I also sent some water down the air vent from the roof but it went straight to the septic tank and none came down the vent for the ejector pump.

massplumber2008 · May 5, 2008, 07:05 AM

Hey Lorne:

What fitting that comes out of the tank did you change?

The vent for the ejector pump just sounds like it is connected into the vent system for all plumbing in the house (nice to check this in attic if possible)... so no worries there.. I think.. ;)

Certainly sounds like the integrity of the ejector pit is reduced.

At this point.. I guess I would open the ejector pit (engage pump first) then mark off the water level with a permanenet marker and see if water continues to feed into ejector pit. If water above mark later in the day then ejector pit probably needs to be replaced.

Let me know what you think... Mark

Lorne123 · May 5, 2008, 05:38 PM

Hi Mark
First I want to say thank you for your help.

I changed a pvc pipe that screws apart and connects two pipes together that had a gasket in it that was broken and the fitting was loose.

I think I found the vent in the attic had to dig through a foot of insulation. The other day when I put a hose down from the roof their was a blockage that I think I got rid of.

When I loosed the rubber sleeve that connects two pipes together from the ejector discharge pipe that is located after the fitting I changed the other day their was still a air sound like it was sucking air and water back into the ejector pit. I wasn't able to remove the check valve since it is screwed on pretty tight and will have to go buy something to help give me leverage to open it.

Could it be the gasket that is on the tank that connects the pipe from the toilet and washing machines?

I have read about drilling a weeping hole and will open the pit tomorrow which I have been avoiding do to the smell.

Again thank you very much for your help

Regards
Lorne

massplumber2008 · May 5, 2008, 06:02 PM

Lorne.. any chance you could post a picture of the pipes at ejector pit..

If don't know how, but can download a pic. To your computer... we can tell you how to download to this site.

I don't understand "Could it be the gasket that is on the tank that connects the pipe from the toilet and washing machines".. Please define.

Also, do not drill a weeping hole yet.

Is this a screw on... i.e. a BRASS check valve..

Let me know what you can... Mark

.

Lorne123 · May 6, 2008, 01:59 PM

Lorne123 · May 6, 2008, 02:06 PM

Hi Mark
Here are the pics. The check valve has no brass just plastic and last year we had a tree root break through the pipe from the house to the septic tank and had to replace the pipe. I was just wondering if the check valve got damaged since the backup went through the whole house. You would flush the upstairs toilet and it would come out of the shower.

The pipe that discharges into the ejector tank from the toilet. Could the rubber seal where it comnnects to the tank need to be replaced.
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Lorne

massplumber2008 · May 6, 2008, 02:14 PM

You would flush the toilet upstairs... and it would come out of the shower that is connected to this sewage ejector..?

And when pump engages is anyone using water from upstairs at around the same time?

Wondering if you have someone flush that toilet upstairs and you stand by the pit... wondering if you will hear any water flowing back into the pit..?

Let me know answers. Thanks... Mark

Lorne123 · May 7, 2008, 02:36 PM

I am sorry Mark, you might have misunderstood what I said. The problem I was having when I flushed the toilet happened last year and was fixed. Nothing came out of the shower connected to the ejector pit, just out of the shower upstairs near the toilet. The root that broke through the pipe connecting the house to the septic system blocked the pipe and every time we flushed the water was looking somewhere to go and backed into all the pipes in the house. The reason I mentioned it was the plumber who came over to find out was wrong opend the checkvalve and liqued came flying everywhere from the back up. I was just wondering if maybe the check valve was damaged by that and that might be the cause of water coming into the ejector pit.

Thanks
Lorne

Lorne123 · May 7, 2008, 02:39 PM

I will have someone over tomorrow and will ask them to flush and I will check if it comes back into the ejector pit, will let you know what happens

Thanks
Lorne

massplumber2008 · May 7, 2008, 04:43 PM

The flushing may not be so necessary at this point Lorne..for a few reasons.

I would try a couple things.

First, I would run clean water with bleach in a sink or tub for 2 or 3 minutes to clean/freshen the ejector pit. (if you can freshen an ejector pit... ;) ).

Then I would remove the glass cover and physically engage the pump to pump out as much water/effluent as possible (use anything to reach down and engage the pill switch or the float switch).

Then I would unplug the ejector pump (will need to monitor water level periodically because of this).

Then I would mark that lowest level with a permanent marker (use flashlight to see well).

Then I would install the glass cover again (to your health.. ;) )... and would not let anyone near that bathroom for a couple days (I might even shut off all shutoffs to toilet and sink... and tape off the tub/shower valve).

Then 24-48 hours later... if you come back.. shine light through the GLASS COVER (I love that by the way... makes this easier! ) and you see that the level is different than marked... well...

ONLY TWO THINGS THAT COULD CAUSE THAT:

(1) Defective check valve with blocked drain line backing up and draining past the defective check valve... OR...

(2) There is ground water seeping into the tank as you suspected.

I'm going with #2 for now.

I say we take this step at a time... next step will be determined by what happens.. Maybe nothing.. Hmmm..?

Let me know what you think... Mark

Lorne123 · May 8, 2008, 08:52 AM

Hi Mark
I will give it a shot and get back to you in a couple of days.
Again Thank You
Lorne

massplumber2008 · May 8, 2008, 08:59 AM

Cool... will keep my eye out for you.

Good luck!

Lorne123 · May 12, 2008, 04:22 PM

Hi Mark
I tried what you said and the water is still coming into the tank. I am going to remove the check valve tomorrow, finally got a spud wrench since it was on so tight. The ground water is receding and the water is coming in at a slower rate. In a week or 2 is should stop and then I will be able to look into where the tank itself is leaking.