Plastic Septic Tank Information Page

A plastic septic tank has one main advantage over concrete septic tanks:  because they are much lighter, they do not require heavy equipment to move. A plastic septic tank can easily be moved by a labor crew, whereas concrete septic tanks typically require a truck equipped with a crane and boom. As as result, plastic septic tanks are often used in areas inaccessible to concrete septic tank delivery trucks.  One of the main disadvantages of plastic septic tanks is that they are more prone to "floating" due to the fact they are much lighter than concrete septic tanks. Long-term "creep" resulting in deformation has also been a problem with plastic septic tanks.  The size of the plastic septic tank will depend on a number of factors such number of bathrooms in the house, local regulations etc. The minimum size is typically 1,000 gallons. Plastic septic tanks may have one or two compartments. Two-compartment tanks do a better job of settling solids and are required in some areas for new installations. Tees or baffles at the tank's inlet pipe slow the incoming wastes and reduce disturbance of the settled sludge. A tee or baffle at the outlet keeps the solids or scum in the tank. All tanks should have accessible covers for checking the condition of the baffles and for pumping both compartments. Here is a picture of a 2 compartment septic tank.  As you may know from researching this topic, failing septic systems are a major financial and environmental problem in this country. Expensive septic repairs can often run from $5,000 to $20,000 or more and a large number of systems are failing throughout the country. For news stories related to failing septic systems and tightening regulations you can go to: http://www.laundry-alternative.com/Septic_Systems/failingseptic.htm You also can't sell your home if it has a failing system. For more information on how to properly maintain your septic system, go to: http://www.laundry-alternative.com/septic_system_maintenance.htm