BROWSE HOW TOs

How to Build a Septic Tank

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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If you're looking for a challenging do-it-yourself project that could have costly and smelly consequences if you do it wrong, then a septic tank construction project is for you. A large part of building a septic tank is planning. No matter how well-built the tank, it'll be useless if you put it in the wrong place or otherwise fail to account for certain factors.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Step1

Familiarize yourself with local laws regarding septic systems. You'll probably need to have an inspector look at your plan and your work.

Step2

Decide how big a septic tank you need. The more water you use, the larger the tank you need.

Step3

Ensure that you have sufficient room in reasonably dry land for the needed drain field. In addition to the septic tank itself, the drain field is one of the key components of a septic system.

Step4

Determine where to place the tank. You need to be able to dig a sufficiently large and deep hole to contain the tank, and you must also make sure that the tank won't end up sitting under water at any point during the year.

Step5

Excavate to make way for the tank and drain field. You can rest assured that this'll make a big mess of your yard.

Step6

Install the tank, distribution box and drain field in accordance with local regulations. Local laws determine the various parameters, such as the depth of the septic tank. Have an inspector approve your work.

Step7

Connect the septic tank to your plumbing system and hope for the best. If you did everything right, you can count on a reliable system. If you did something wrong, you'll know when your drains or your yard start to stink.