Cess Pit

[Barmaid]

This is a particularly stupid question, I appreciate that.

But how do I know when my cesspit (or septic tank whatever you call it) is full?

The loo has had "trouble" emptying after a flush for the last week. But there appears to be nowhere I can look to see if the pit is full or whether I have a blockage.

Any ideas please?

[Ryzen]

Ask your landlord when it was last emptied.

[Islay]

You will have a manhole cover but if it was full you would probably have a leekage into the garden. Look around for the manhole cover ours was in the middle of the garden. I also assume then that you have not fed it and don’t have a nice crust on it?

[Tilly2]

This might be another stupid question but, does it not have some sort of gauge on it, to indicate the capacity?

[Barmaid]

well the landlord said that it was emptied just before I moved in. That was early Feb. But in fairness he is a dimwit.

I cant see a manhole cover Islay, and feeding it? And crust?

[EDDIE51]

The actual pit will have a cover, lift it and look to see how full it is.
It may be heavy so be careful.

[Barmaid]

Tilly, no guage. I didnt even know it wasnt mains drainage until I'd been here 3 months.

[Ryzen]

Tell the landlord that you may have a blockage and it will need investigating.

[Islay]

Once a year we used to chuck roadkill into it to help the good bacteria, a crust means it’s worki properly, if working properly it rarely needs emptying. If it’s was full enough for the toilet not to flush then it would be leaking into the garden, sounds like a blockage

[Barmaid]

Well who knows. I've found the manhole cover but its too heavy for me to lift. It doesnt appear to be leaking so obviously there is a blockage somewhere.

Deep joy - getting that muppet of a landlord to do anything is an uphill struggle.

[Islay]

Use an old mop down the toilet and plunge a few times and see if that helps?

[Barmaid]

Well apparently the farmer across the road will empty it for me for 25 quid. So I am going to go and see him and if that doesnt work, it'll be the mop.

[shoota]

It is a good idea to put a packet of dried bacteria down he loo every week or so to aid the breaking down process. In France the 'go to' product is 'Eparcyl', I don't know what the equivalent is over here.

[shoota]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=bacteria+for+septic+tank&;tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=223950991385&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13105567439038292696&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045932&hvtargid=kwd-20161353&ref=pd_sl_3ykwkvvcj2_b

[Barmaid]

Shoota, I had no idea. Thank you.

[EcclesCake]

The dried stuff is probably more convenient than trying to shove a dead badger down your loo, although things how clean the pipe work would be........

[shoota]

:-)

[Barmaid]

Lol Eccles. That's made me laugh.

[kvalidir]

Best answer Eccles :0 *Chortlesplutters*

[Islay]

Sigh!!! It goes down the sink!!!

[EDDIE51]

Reading the answers it is pretty sure you have a blocked loo, if you can't do it yourself call a plumber.