How to Find your Septic tank

If there isn’t a well permit then the next step is to ask a neighbor often times you will have a neighbor who has lives in the area long enough to know a little bit of the history of your house.

You may get lucky In some cases your tank might have a riser that extends the lid to the surface,

here are some examples of septic tank risers

There might be visual signs you have a septic tank. Often, when a septic tank is present, there is also a mound or small hill that is not a naturally occurring formation. Other times you may find around sinkhole where the  It was created with the installation of the leach field and septic tank. is some cases in the summer the grass might be dead over the top of the tank while in other cases the tank might be greener than the rest of the grass.

If you have no idea where to start you can try and find the cleanout this is the pipe that carries the wastewater to the septic tank often times it’s a 3 to 4-inch pipe that sticks out of the ground. Some houses do not have a cleanout.

By opening the cleanout you can get a good idea of how deep the tank will be.

The easiest way to find your tank without digging your yard up is to buy a probe.

this is a long metal shaft with a point on one end and a handle on the other you can poke the ground and see if you feel the tank before you start digging.

One way to find the tank is to follow the sewer pipes that lead out from your home.

Your septic tank is installed at the end of the sewer line that extends from your home and into the yard. In the basement or crawl space of your home, you should be able to find a three to four-inch sewer pipe that you can follow to your septic system.

If your basement is finished, the sewer pipe might be hidden away in a closet or another closed-off area. Generally speaking, though, you are looking for a three to four-inch diameter pipe that exits your house through a basement wall.

Note where the pipe leaves your house, and then head outside to find the corresponding area in your yard. Follow the pipe with your metal probe (Also known as a soil probe) into the ground near the sewer line. Probe about every two feet. Most septic tanks are around 10-25 feet away from your home, and cannot be closer than five feet. Once you feel the probe striking flat concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene, you will have located your tank.

Then mark the edges of the tank and you will be able to see where the tank is located

Another way to find the septic tank use a drain snake, which you would ordinarily use to break up a clog in a toilet or drain. Thread the snake into the sewer pipe, noting any turns and bends along its way. When the snake stops, it has most likely reached the tank. Don’t try to force the snake to go any further because you do not want to damage the inlet or get the snake

Note how far you extended the snake as you draw it back, as well as any bends or curves. Once you know the distance the snake traveled and the approximate route it took, you can venture outside to look for the tank buried in the ground.

If you still can’t find the septic tank, then it might be time to call the pros. You can call a local septic tank company; they might have pumped it before and know the location.

You can also have a company come put A camera down the line to the tank. 

Sometimes they put the tank far from the house, and the further away from the tank, the deeper it will be. 

It’s also possible that the house is on top of the tank or a walkway outdoor kitchen driveway. We have seen it all. hopefully, this worst-case  situation isn’t something you will run into