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kirkhooks · Mar 1, 2012, 07:49 AM

Hi, I have had water back up into my basement three times in the past 18 months. The first two times I discovered it was due to the solids backing up at the inlet to the septic tank. When I climbed down into the tank there is a concrete box at the inlet port of the tank which is what I assume is the deflector plate/box. Both times one I used a crow bar to unplug the solids my drains worked fine. I assume this is happening again because my toilets are not flushing correctly and backing up again. Can I remove (bust) this concrete defletor box? Any suggestions would be extremely helpful. By the way this is a standard country septic system (i.e. Concrete tank and leach bed).

Thanks,

Kirk

speedball1 · Mar 1, 2012, 08:11 AM

What is it that builds up? Paper? Solids? Both?
As you can se by the image the discharge's directed to the bottom. The image shows "septic tank tees" but some tanks have built in deflectors built in.
Exactly where does the blockage take place? S Do you use any additives in your septic tank? Back to you, Ton

kirkhooks · Mar 1, 2012, 08:21 AM

Thanks for the reply Speedball1. It seems like mainly solids but I would not discount paper also. We do not use any additives. The washer and such do not go into the septic tank. The blockage takes place right at the inlet port. The inlet does not have septic tank tees but instead has a built in deflector box.

speedball1 · Mar 1, 2012, 08:31 AM

Check the deflector box for any area that has rough spots or edges that could hang up the house discharge. Something's hanging up in the deflector box. What is it? Regards, Tom

ballengerb1 · Mar 1, 2012, 09:03 AM

How did you climb down inside a clogged septic tank? That deflector is called a baffle, not shown in Tom's pic but it stops solid from reaching the dischage pipe to the field tiles, If the solid are catching on the baffle its doing its job. If the solids catch on the end of the pipe as it enters the tank there is a physical flaw or fault with the end of the pipe. What makes you say your toilets are not flusjing correctly?

kirkhooks · Mar 1, 2012, 09:36 AM

I was able to climb down after we had it pumped out. I wonder if the baffle (deflector box)isn't big enough. From what I remember the distance from the pipe inlet on the tank wall to the wall of the deflector box was only about 8 inches. What would happen if I removed the deflector box? Would the solids simply start filling up on the opposite (oulet)side of the tank? I'll know more soon. The pumper tank is coming this afternoon so I will be back down in the tank which unfortunalety is very deep. The top of the tank is roughly 8 foot under grade.

ballengerb1 · Mar 1, 2012, 09:50 AM

Do not remove the baffle. Without it your field tiles will clog.

kirkhooks · Mar 1, 2012, 10:58 AM

I still have a baffle on my outlet side where is goes into my leach field. Does that make a difference on removing the baffle on the inlet side?

ballengerb1 · Mar 1, 2012, 12:19 PM

I have never seen a tank with two baffles so I am not sure. Where are you located?

kirkhooks · Mar 1, 2012, 12:24 PM

Kittanning, pa.

ballengerb1 · Mar 1, 2012, 12:49 PM

Not sure if its his department ut call Roy E. Carney, Director
Of Armstrong County Public works.

kirkhooks · Mar 5, 2012, 07:33 AM

Thanks for everyone's help on this. The plug was at the baffle so I was able to clean it out. I also discovered there is a clean out going dirrectly to the baffle so if it happens again it should be an easy fix.

Thanks Again for the input.