Home Improvement/Remodel Thread

theJ · December 7, 2020

5 minutes ago, MWil23 said:

It's not abnormal unfortunately to have that much "stick" factor with the epoxy and dirt. It literally WILL NOT come out of T-Shirts either. That was my old job in the summers in college...replacing a ton of ballasts in classrooms in the old fluorescent light fixtures.

That's how i picked up this skill too! Only i only did it for two days, a year ago. My wife's school was replacing all their fluorescent bulbs with LED, so i volunteered to help rewire them. Luckily we didn't have to remove any of the old ballasts.

Tugboat · January 11, 2021

Anyone had the unique privilege of replacing a septic pump? Super cool when everything reeks of sewage and death and it's freezing as **** and you're trying to wrangle pipes that want to twist the wrong way into position in a giant pit of ****.

Interesting factoid. The smell does not disappear, but the visibility down the hole does.

theJ · January 11, 2021

19 minutes ago, Tugboat said:

Anyone had the unique privilege of replacing a septic pump? Super cool when everything reeks of sewage and death and it's freezing as **** and you're trying to wrangle pipes that want to twist the wrong way into position in a giant pit of ****.

Interesting factoid. The smell does not disappear, but the visibility down the hole does.

My septic tank doesn't have a pump. It's all gravity. Why does your have a pump? What function does it serve?

Tugboat · January 11, 2021

11 minutes ago, theJ said:

My septic tank doesn't have a pump. It's all gravity. Why does your pump? What function does it serve?

It's not mine, but it's a septic field. It dumps from the house to a septic tank via gravity, which is probably almost a hundred feet away. The tank then stores solids, but pumps liquids another few hundred feet to a septic field that percolates through earth. Just hire a truck to pump the solid effluent out every couple years.

Where the heck does your septic go? You have to hire a sewage sucker like, how often?

Edited January 11, 2021 by Tugboat

theJ · January 11, 2021

1 minute ago, Tugboat said:

It's not mine, but it's a septic field. It dumps from the house to a septic tank via gravity, which is probably almost a hundred feet away. The tank then stores solids, but pumps liquids another few hundred feet to a septic field that percolates through earth. Just hire a truck to pump the solid effluent out every couple years.

Ah interesting. My tank has a weir and overflows the liquid into the septic field, while the solids stay in the tank. The solid have to be pumped out every few years like you said, but the pump is on the truck itself. The whole system is gravity.

Is your septic field uphill or something?

Tugboat · January 11, 2021

2 hours ago, theJ said:

Ah interesting. My tank has a weir and overflows the liquid into the septic field, while the solids stay in the tank. The solid have to be pumped out every few years like you said, but the pump is on the truck itself. The whole system is gravity.

Is your septic field uphill or something?

I'm not sure what the actual incline is. The tank is well below level and gravity fed, but the actual pump is i think more or less gravity level (slightly below) through a few hundred feet to the percolating tubes in a field and is pretty much on level. I doubt it's a steep decline. But it still requires a pumping to get there. Most of the other places around, are septic mounds.

Bonus, the thing thing grows some sick cattails and stuff. If you're into that. And don't mind that they might be poopy.

theJ · January 12, 2021

13 hours ago, Tugboat said:

Where the heck does your septic go? You have to hire a sewage sucker like, how often?

Didn't see this earlier. Solids stay in the tank. Liquids are filtered my mother earth. Has to be pumped every couple of years.

10 hours ago, Tugboat said:

Bonus, the thing thing grows some sick cattails and stuff. If you're into that. And don't mind that they might be poopy.

Yeah leach fields grow the best stuff.

vike daddy · January 12, 2021

On 1/11/2021 at 8:28 AM, Tugboat said:

I'm not sure what the actual incline is. The tank is well below level and gravity fed, but the actual pump is i think more or less gravity level (slightly below) through a few hundred feet to the percolating tubes in a field and is pretty much on level.

pumped septic systems pump the liquid effluent to a, typically, 2" diameter pvc pipe system with 1/4" holes drilled in the highest point of the pipes every 4'. the pipes are set in level in trenches. the pipes are covered with plastic 3' or 4' diameter tunnel domes, so the effluent is pushed up ward, splashes on the underside of the rounded vaults, and drips down to the washed drain rock set in the drenches.

the concept is that the pumped system requires less linear footage of distribution lines, because the effluent is spread out evenly. a gravity system does not do this so needs more real estate.

theJ · January 12, 2021

1 hour ago, vike daddy said:

pumped septic systems pump the liquid effluent to a, typically, 2" diameter pvc pipe system with 1/4" holes drilled in the highest point of the pipes every 4'. the pipes are set in level in trenches. the pipes are covered with plastic 3' or 4' diameter tunnel domes, so the effluent is pushed up ward, splashes on the underside of the rounded vaults, and drips down to the washed drain rock set in the drenches.

the concept is that the pumped system requires less linear footage of distribution lines, because the effluent is spread out evenly. a gravity system does not do this so needs more real estate.

Makes sense. So it's used more in areas where real estate is at a premium?

vike daddy · January 13, 2021

5 hours ago, theJ said:

Makes sense. So it's used more in areas where real estate is at a premium?

small yards... rocky areas... or just required by code...

Edited January 13, 2021 by vike daddy

PARROTHEAD · January 13, 2021

On 1/11/2021 at 8:51 AM, theJ said:

Ah interesting. My tank has a weir and overflows the liquid into the septic field, while the solids stay in the tank. The solid have to be pumped out every few years like you said, but the pump is on the truck itself. The whole system is gravity.

Is your septic field uphill or something?

Mines uphill. But requires a pump regardless because we had to have the peat moss system being so close to the water.

Looks like this.

All material is pumped there. Filtered through each and then goes into the field. Were on a scheduled service so once a year a company comes out and stirs up the moss.

skywlker32 · January 13, 2021

Was convinced I was going to have to replace our dishwasher. It wouldn't drain at all.

I started by taking apart the interior until I got to the disposal drain/screen, hoping there would be a clog there that I could clear and be done with it. Had to take a break midway because apparently all appliances use Torx bits so I had to pick some up from the store (in a set of course with every possible bit you can imagine). When I got everything apart it was filthy, but no clogs.

Even more convinced that I probably needed to buy a new one, I searched around and wasn't liking the options.

Finally, I had some extra time last night and decided to check the lines from the dishwasher drain to the sink/disposal. Took the cover off the front and checked to make sure the pump was actually running, which it was (also found a pipe cutter while under there, yay free tool). Removed the tubing from the drain and water started draining quick (with a catch underneath), so I popped it back on. I got my drain snake out and undid the tubing on the sink side and ran it through that way. That smell was wretched and some nasty stuff came out into the bucket.

After all that though, I have delayed buying a new dishwasher and cleaned out the current one real well. Felt good to finish that up without help too.