Yesterday. It was raining. Our septic tank appeared to be full.
We were depressed.
TS bravely tackled the grease trap but no noticeable improvement and a great deal more smellyness were the only results.
I emailed some friends to ask them who had emptied their tank and how much it cost. They came back with a depressing figure of £225 euros 4 years ago. We were more depressed. So we shut the window on the stinky side of the house, opened the window on the lavender side and had some lunch.
Then the aforementioned friends called by "Had we sorted it out?" No we were depressed so we were watching an episode of Lexx and hoping it would all go away.
Diagrams were drawn and septic tank systems discussed and inevitably the discussion moved to the garden where we all stood and looked at the hatch of the offending and offensive fosse. Trying to breathe through our mouths.
The looking turned into poking about with a spade and the suggestion that the outflow could be blocked and the pipe should be followed to it's conclusion. Some hours and several deep holes later the pipe was traced to the hedge at the bottom of the garden but we just couldn't find it on the other side. Although we did find quite a lot of a Citroen (roof, windscreen, bonnet).
The next stage was to drill a hole in the pipe so that rods could be stuck in to clear any blockage and hopefully show where the exit was. After a volcanic eruption of whatever all over the tomatoes (pizza anyone?). The end was in sight. It was then simply a matter of clearing a channel for the liquid to flow on into the woods.
Friends. They get you out of the shit.
12 comments:
Ewwwww!
I remember those things....didn't know they still existed!
Just catching up Breezy. I love Ernie's pics - he's a darling!
At least the smell is now farther from the house - correct?
Aims I think more people here have them than are on mains drainage. Hopefully there should be just about no smell now the outflow is sorted. Though it will be interesting to see how lush the hedge grows now!
Ernie is a total sweetie he purrs all the time I can see he is going to be so like Eric was in personality or catanality as our friend says. Eddie is a little deeper so they make a good combination of brains and brawn. Or a bad combination when they are testing things to destruction
Good friends indeed!
Once you're up real close it doesn't smell so bad.
At least it's your poo, think about poor plumbers that have to get elbow deep in other people's poo!
Kitt definately
Stew makes you wonder why anyone wants to be one really although we did know someone who only ever worked on new builds for just that reason
I have an award for you at my place.
Sounds like a pretty crappy pizza, but thanks for the offer.
Yuk.
If it's any consolation, my local metro station smells like that all the time...narsty.
MOBS too kind thank you!
TBNIL You are just too picky
Wow that sounds like a mess! I'm glad you were able to fix that.
Did you run to France from the US?
We're on a septic system as well, being so far from town. So far, we haven't had problems, but it's a hideous eventuality. It's lovely that you didn't have to open the whole thing up and have it drained. God, I can't imagine the stink! We put some stuff down the toilets every month to keep the bacteria healthy and just that thought is nauseating.
Good luck with it. I don't envy you.
Hi Katie No we ran from the UK
Wooly touch wood it's fine now let's hope for a good while
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