Know Where & Where NOT to Place Your Septic Tank

When building or updating a residential or commercial property, you must decide where to place your new septic system. While this may not be the first thing on your mind when creating your dream property, it is a crucial decision. Putting a septic tank in the wrong place can cause various problems. Checking regulations, picking the right terrain, and planning for your drain field will all help you decide on the perfect spot for your new septic tank.

At Straight Flush Septic, we take pride in assisting property owners with various septic tank services. We can help you with septic pump repairs, septic tank pumping, drain field repairs, septic tank inspections, and more! Browse the following sections to see some septic tank location mistakes and give us a call today to schedule your service. We proudly offer assistance to those in Winston-Salem, Clemmons, Kernersville, Lexington, Lewisville, NC, and beyond. 

When choosing a location for your new septic tank pumping system, it's imperative to choose the right location. Here are some of the things you'll need to keep in mind as you make your selection:

• Proximity to Any Buildings: Generally, septic tanks should be located close to the building they serve. They'll also need to be easily accessible to make maintenance as easy as possible. Our team can help you determine a proper location to ensure that everything works smoothly.
• Soil Quality: You'll need to be mindful of the soil type of the area where you wish to install your septic system. You'll want soil that is dense enough to support the tank but not so dense that it cannot absorb any effluent. We can test your property's soil before breaking ground so you know that your system is installed in a suitable place.
• Terrain: Consider your property's layout and geographical features as you plan your septic system location. Ideally, your tank and drain field will be located downhill from your home to make it easier for effluent to move from your plumbing to the tank. You'll also want to be sure to keep your system located away from any landscaping or outdoor spaces that you or your family use.
• Drain Field: Your septic system is more than the tank; it also contains the drain field, which is an area of underground pipes that acts as a giant filter and distribution system. It's critical to account for the drain field when you plan your septic system's location; consider its distance from your property and the soil type, among other things. Our team can advise you further.

The experienced team at Straight Flush Septic has the knowledge and professional background to provide trustworthy advice when it comes to proper septic tank location. We have spent years operating throughout the greater Winston-Salem, NC area, giving us the knowledge we need to provide you with comprehensive assistance. Reach out to us today to learn more about how you should choose the location of your septic tank pumping system!

Don’t put your pretty shrubs on top of the septic tank. The tank has to be dug up every few years to service it, which will ruin your landscape.

The tank was located under this walkway. Building decorative walkways over the septic tank can not only be an expensive mistake, but it can also be dangerous. This is a before and after shot of where the septic tank is. The tank needs to be serviced periodically so the walkway has to be removed each time it is serviced, causing a messy headache and wasted money. Also, over time, septic tanks can disintegrate and collapse. You don’t want someone to fall into a tank that happens to collapse.

This tank was located in the parking lot of a business. There actually is a parking space over the septic tank. The tank did have a manhole cover for easy access, but these tanks can collapse over time, and you certainly don’t want to drive a vehicle on top of it. This septic tank was partially under a cement patio. One side extended out far enough to be able to service it.

These three pictures are of two separate homes that had the septic tank located under the deck. The deck boards had to be removed to service the first and the homeowner was left with trying to add a trap door to the deck for future servicing. We installed a riser to both of these for future servicing.

This tank was mostly under a retaining wall that was four-feet high. We were able to reach one small corner of the tank and bust a hole in it to service it. The ground was too deep on the other side to reach the tank. We installed this makeshift riser to help with servicing in the future.

These two septic tanks are located near all the electrical connections to the house. This makes for a very dangerous and difficult dig. Even after having all utilities marked, the chances of cutting the electric lines on these are high. 

75% of this tank is located under the house. A small enough portion of the tank was located so that it could be serviced. The homeowner did the addition without checking on the septic tank and drain field.

The septic tank has two ports. The port that needs to be serviced the most is the one closest to the house. In this situation, there is a riser just outside the trailer that allows for servicing. However, the main side that needs to be serviced is located under the support beam for the trailer. We could not get into that side. The yard slopes about six feet from the front of the house to the back. The entire weight of the trailer is resting on the septic tank. At some point, that tank could collapse and likely send the trailer crashing down.

This tank is located inside a store. We have to bring our nasty hose inside to pump it while customers are there.