Septic tank advice / recommendation
Can anyone recommend a good septic tank adviser / fixer? Our septic tank is not smelling too good but I don’t want to take a name out of the yellow pages and then find that I’ve called a cowboy who advises us to do lots of things which didn’t actually need doing.
Thank you,
Lynne at the Red House
PARWICH.ORG 
Hi Lynn
I have used this service in the past
D Barleyman
Cubley Common
Ashbourne
Derbyshire DE6 2EX
Telephone:
01335 330466
Thank you!
Lynn, a septic tank should not smell.
But, open the lid and look inside.
What you see should be a hard crust floating on top of the water. This crust is formed by odds and ends mainly fat, and other waste that has not been digested.
The crust seals most of the methane gas inside the water.
If your lid does not fit tight and rain/surface water can run in on top of the crust it will soften and smell.
If this happens you need to make an escape route for the surface water so it does not run into the septic tank.
Otherwise, the methane gas should rise up the inlet T and find its way back up the sewage pipe to the 4 inch exhaust/vent pipe that is usually attached to the side of the house.
Best of luck
Perry.
Thank you for the advice, it is very halpful. We have an ill-fitting manhole cover – perhaps that is the route of our problem. It needs replacing for safety reasons anyway but that might also fix the smell.
Incidentally, can anyone recommend a manhole cover fitter?!