Despite the appearance on the market of easy-to-use septic tanks and biological treatment plants, many owners of suburban areas still prefer to equip ordinary cesspools for wastewater collection. The popularity of such receivers is due primarily to their low cost. Digging a cesspool by yourself is not difficult even for a person who is completely far from any kind of construction work.
However, in addition to the unconditional advantage in terms of cheapness, the cesspool has a number of disadvantages. To clean such a receiver, the owners of a suburban area will have to periodically order a cesspool machine. And, of course, pay money for it. In addition, over time, the period between the necessary calls of specialists is reduced. This is due primarily to the fact that the cesspool is quickly filled . What to do in this case, and why wastewater begins to seep into the soil more slowly, we’ll talk about this later.
Reasons for fast filling
Problems of this type with a cesspool can arise in the case of:
- discrepancies in its volume to the amount of incoming wastewater;
- siltation of the bottom;
- the appearance on the walls of fatty deposits that interfere with normal drainage.
In the cold season, among other things, there may be an appearance of overflow due to freezing of sewage in the collector. Regular care of the cesspool, including winter, is a mandatory procedure. If the collector is already full, urgent measures must be taken. Indeed, in this case, not only does the sewage system stop working normally, but also an extremely unpleasant smell appears, which interferes with neighbors as well.
Causes of siltation
The discrepancy between the volume of the pit and the amount of water discharged from the house is the reason for the quick filling, which can be eliminated quite easily. In order for the collector to again begin to properly perform its functions, you just need to expand it. However, most often it is siltation that is the reason that the cesspool is quickly filled. What to do in this case? There are several answers to this question.
Siltation usually occurs due to the fact that the owners of the house dump leftovers of food, toilet paper, etc. At the same time, the bottom of the pit quickly becomes silted, and sewage stops seeping into the ground. To reduce the risk of such a problem, you need to install a mesh in the drain hole of the sink in the kitchen, and put in the toilet a bucket specially designed for using toilet paper.
How to deal with siltation
But if you still filled the cesspool. what to do? The methods for cleaning collectors may vary. But, most likely, the owners of the suburban area will need to conduct one of the following procedures:
- try to clear the hole manually;
- try to pump out the sludge with a fecal pump;
- use special biological products.
Silt accumulates at the bottom of the pit also because the sewage system cannot pump it out. Therefore, the collector gradually accumulates in it. In order to get rid of this sediment, among other things, you can simply pour water into the pit. As a result, the sludge will become much more liquid and the sewage machine will be able to pump it out. But this, of course, will make the pit cleaning procedure more expensive. It is possible that the cost of a special sludge pump will cost a little less.
The use of biological products
This method is also likely to cost less than the order of special equipment. The use of biological products is actually just a great solution if the cesspool is quickly filled. What to do in such a situation is understandable. You just need to purchase a similar tool and pour it into the sewer.
At the moment, such a cleaning technology is considered almost the most effective. Biological products of this type contain a large number of bacteria that decompose organic matter. As a result of their life, the silt in the pit disappears very quickly. The remainder brightens, becomes thinner and seeps into the ground. Moreover, such bacteria can also decompose solid residues. After a while, they turn into compost suitable for feeding garden plants.
Biological products can be fought not only with sludge, but also with fatty deposits on the walls of the pit. After using the products of this variety, not only all organic residues, but also an unpleasant odor disappear.
What drugs can be used
So, the cesspool is quickly filled. What we need to do, we found out - to use a special biological product. But what tool should be purchased for cleaning? In the modern market there are both foreign and domestic drugs of this group. They can be sold in liquid concentrated, powdered form or in tablets. To clean the pit, it is better to purchase a remedy of the first or second variety. Such preparations contain anaerobic bacteria that can process organics in the absence of oxygen. Among the most common options - "Vodograi", "Dzherelo", "Saneks".
Liquid products can be used to clean pits immediately. Powder should be diluted with water (not chlorinated) and incubated for some time. Use of biological products is usually allowed only at air temperatures from +3 to +35 degrees. If any chemicals (powders, dishwashing detergents, bleaches, etc.) are drained into the sewer of a private house, the agent with bacteria may be ineffective. The fact is that in an aggressive environment anaerobic microorganisms cannot live.
What to do if the cesspool is full: do it yourself
This method is also effective. To clean the pit on your own, you will need to prepare only buckets, a shovel, and a strong rope or pole. The top layer of sludge is usually liquid. Therefore, it can be scooped out with a bucket. At the next stage, the owner of the site will need a partner. To remove solid residues, you will have to go down the ladder with a shovel to the pit. Sludge is scooped up in a bucket, and then rises up.
Using a fecal pump
Cleaning the cesspool using shovels and buckets will not cost the owners of the suburban area a dime. However, of course, far from all summer residents will agree to do such dirty work manually. Squeamish homeowners will have to spend money and buy a fecal pump. The use of such equipment is also an excellent solution if the cesspool is quickly filled. What to do after purchasing a pump? The answer to this question is simple. It is necessary to prepare a container of the same volume as the pit itself, and pump liquid and sludge into it. Further, the waste water is disposed of.
What to do when wastewater freezes
Often the cesspool is filled too quickly simply because of the freezing of the liquid in it. Such a problem usually occurs when the assembly technology of the external part of the sewer system of the house is not observed. Pipes for runoff should be laid below the level of freezing of the soil at a slight angle. At the same time, it is also desirable to additionally insulate them. The cesspool itself should also be covered with a lid with a layer of insulator.
But, of course, in winter it is unlikely that it will be possible to fix the shortcomings of the installation of the sewage system during the freezing of drains. This operation should be postponed until spring. The pipes themselves and the pit will have to be thawed. The easiest way to do this is by using electric current. The work in this case is as follows:
- A copper rod for 2 kW is stuck in the ice formed in the cesspool.
- The end of the rod is connected to a wire powered by phase.
The owners of the site, who decided to defrost the pit in this way, will have to be patient. Sewage will melt a day or two. Of course, such work should be carried out in compliance with all necessary safety measures. Special bots need to be worn on the legs, and dielectric gloves on the hands. After the hole unfrosts, the rod is first de-energized, and only then it is pulled out. Well, of course, using this method is only for those people who have experience working with electricity.
The cesspool is filled - what should I do? How to solve a problem with a frozen pipe
If the sewer line itself has frozen, it can also be heated with electricity. In this case, the wire is stripped to such a length that they can wrap the pipe in one layer. Defrosting by this method will also take quite a lot of time. And you can use this method of solving the problem only if the external line is assembled from metal pipes.
Solving a similar problem with plastic sewers will be much more difficult. To do this, you will have to use a special apparatus that delivers very high current (up to 400 A) to the ice in the pipe. Such equipment is not found in every household. Therefore, for defrosting, it will most likely be necessary to call a specialist. Sometimes, employees of sewer service companies use equipment that delivers hot steam to the pipe under high pressure to remove ice.
So, we hope that we have answered in sufficient detail the question of what to do if the cesspool is very quickly filled. If such a problem arises, the owners of the house will most likely have to get rid of the sediment or ice that has formed inside the collector. You can do this in many ways. But to remove sludge, it is still better to use some kind of biological product, and to defrost the pit - call specialists.