septic tank systems

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Our annual service contract (read:extortion) came today. They're cutting back on services, but not on cost. So now it's $175/yr, which only includes an inspection. Anything beyond that and you pay the normal fee. No free pump or break on labor. So we're wondering WTF the $175 is for? It can't take more than a few minutes to inspect the system, and I have yet to see them come out here even though I've been home the better part of three years. Hard to miss a septic pumping truck in your driveway. Time to wing it and go without a service contract.

I've read this a couple of times here (not sure they're all from you): what is going on w your contractor? Can't you get them to at least provide some pix as some sorta proof? They can't be bothered to arrange an appt, just supposedly pop by whenever? That's ridiculous, phantom visits maybe haha.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by tranquility

I've read this a couple of times here (not sure they're all from you): what is going on w your contractor? Can't you get them to at least provide some pix as some sorta proof? They can't be bothered to arrange an appt, just supposedly pop by whenever? That's ridiculous, phantom visits maybe haha.

Exactly. There's never been any indication that they've come by. Not so much as a simple note on the door.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Exactly. There's never been any indication that they've come by. Not so much as a simple note on the door.

Really fishy. The other poster made a great pt about liability shift, so maybe dump this one for another inspector. Doesn't make sense at all, horrible customer service.

[tranquility]

Does freezing cold climates affect septics?

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Does freezing cold climates affect septics?

No, although I'm not in the Great White North. I've seen temps in the single digits Fahrenheit with no issues.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Really fishy. The other poster made a great pt about liability shift, so maybe dump this one for another inspector. Doesn't make sense at all, horrible customer service.

Another thought that I had was how M_Six wound up in that septic-inspection contract in the first case? Was it a requirement of the mortgage lender?????

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Another thought that I had was how M_Six wound up in that septic-inspection contract in the first case? Was it a requirement of the mortgage lender?????

It was something the previous owner had and we just kept it up since this type of system was entirely new to us. We also had some issues adapting to it when we first moved in, so this contractor came out a few times to fix things or let us know what to do or not to do. There are only a couple of septic contractors in this area, so we're very limit in choice. About 5 years after we moved in, I had a different contractor come out and look at it and he wanted to tear it all out and go with his own system. He didn't want to deal with a system he didn't install.

[NeverL8]

Purchasing a house and having septic system pumped and inspected tomorrow. Never deal with it before but that’s the price you pay, living in rural SoCal. Leach lines were professionally installed/repaired 4 years ago, going down the hill.

Is there anything that need to be watched for during inspection?

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by NeverL8

...going down the hill.

Is there anything that need to be watched for during inspection?

Plugging at the last (lowest) junction box in the leach field. My parents owned a house where the leach field was on a slope, and the solids baffle on the septic tank exit failed. The solids flowed down and plugged the lowest/furthest junction box and its leach branches.....

[Car-Addicted]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Plugging at the last (lowest) junction box in the leach field. My parents owned a house where the leach field was on a slope, and the solids baffle on the septic tank exit failed. The solids flowed down and plugged the lowest/furthest junction box and its leach branches.....

That is one more reason to have a dosing tank in the system and why most building codes require them.

[NeverL8]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Plugging at the last (lowest) junction box in the leach field. My parents owned a house where the leach field was on a slope, and the solids baffle on the septic tank exit failed. The solids flowed down and plugged the lowest/furthest junction box and its leach branches.....

Oh shoot, thanks for heads up. Inspection is rescheduled for tomorrow. House is built in 1965 and most likely very old system