Septic connection between house & tank
Help!!! Discovered today that the outdoor connection for the drain between the house exit point and the tank inlet has broken at a glued joint. Guessing it is a frost issue as I’m in Ontario, Canada and this winter has been a chiller.
Surprised my septic sub used a standard glued ABS coupling here. Should this not have been a flex coupling instead?
I cannot see a 1000 gallon septic tank and a house foundation wanting to move perfectly in sync connected by a length of ABS.
Any thoughts from other locations would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Kevin
Replies
I've seen it before a couple of times. my theory is that the house and the tank don't move at all, or only millimeeters - but that frost heaving tries to lift the pipe out and can snap it or the joint.
Excellence is its own reward!
Daler, what is the frost depth in your neck of the woods? Suppose your plumber had used a flex coupling, ( though I never heard of one for sewer lines), would your question be, help my sewer line won't drain? Anywho, here in Arizona, all I ever seen is abs- house to sewer. For 3" pipe it's minimum 1/4 per ft., 4" pipe it's minimum 1/8" per ft., though plumbers typically don't like anything less than 1/4" per ft. That said, do you really think, that your house and or septic tank are actually moving? I would lean toward the shading/bedding material used in your sewer line, being less than appropiate, for your Local. Best of Luck, Jim J,, Our Frost Depth is 18", with mild winter's
Our code requires 4" of grilage (crushed stone) around the pipe. Our frost depth is 24", and Fernco or Mitchelin couplings are allowed below grade for sewer line connections.
Dave
as a former septic system installer I have seen both ABS & PVC used as a housse to tank pipe. If the tank settles down due tto fill being compressed under the tank because the hole was dug too deep then partially back filled to get the right elevation you can pull a coupling appart . You say you have ABS so get a rubber coupling at Home hardware 3" size with worm clamps. remove old coupling before starting. If joint is to far appart splice in 2 or 3' piece of abs using abs coupling first then rubber coupling. This help sent to you from eastern ontario.