Got shafted by the septic tank cleaners

[Tywais]

I rarely complain but my wife was as annoyed, maybe more so, as I was.

We've often had a smell of sewer gas in the top two bathrooms so I had asked her to contact someone to drain the septic tank which I suspect hasn't been done in 10 years or so. Also a problem with the 1st floor commode not flushing properly.

They came over, removed the tank cover and drained it. The smell was, lets just say, bad enough my wife was covering her face with her shirt. They then looked at the toilet and supposedly used I guess caustic soda and baking soda plus suctioning it, etc. They then decided to remove the toilet from its base and their findings was toilet tissue. My wife and myself don't buy that for a second as that would be removed by plunger or vacuum.

Then they told us the charge. 1500 Baht for the tank suctioning and 800 Baht for the toilet repair. We both know based on all our neighbors and friends that it is only 400-800 Baht for that. And 800 Baht for no more then 20 minutes labor for the toilet! My wife is pissed and blames herself for not asking in advance, just assumed it would be the same as her friends being charged. I told her to contact the manager but she already had and said nothing he could do.

But another of the main problems that we wanted fixed was with the first floor toilet that it gurgles for a long time after it is flushed and their 'fix' did not correct it. Anyone have an idea what could cause that? See video below and turn the volume up a bit.

[Crossy]

I can't believe I just watched a video of a toilet flushing, twice

That air bubbling back looks like the soil pipe has no vent or if there is one, it's blocked (birds or bees moved in maybe).

The smell of gas also suggests the vent is stopped up.

[IMHO]

I refuse to watch the video, but:

1. The amount you have paid is the highest I've ever heard of.

2. Toilets that don't flush correctly, if the sewer isn't full, are 99% of the time caused by no/blocked vents. Probably "no" though.

[Tywais]

I can't believe I just watched a video of a toilet flushing, twice

That air bubbling back looks like the soil pipe has no vent or if there is one, it's blocked (birds or bees moved in maybe).

The smell of gas also suggests the vent is stopped up.

One of my more entertaining YouTube videos. I didn't set it public, looked out of place with all my technical videos.

Will look up 'soil pipe' and toilet vent.

The gas odor has been coming and going for at least a year, the toilet gurgling only the last few weeks. My wife's friend comes over often with her young boy. He's in there several times per visit and my wife figures he put something in there that shouldn't be as the timing was about right for the gurgling and the reason we don't buy the toilet paper issue.

[Bantex]

They came over, removed the tank cover and drained it.

Did they drain the tank completely or did they leave a couple of inches of sewage to keep the tank active?

[lopburi3]

Commercial tank trucks are known for being scammers - most Thai will wait for government service rather than call them for that reason.

As said it could be blocked vent but a toy could also have been flushed and now blocking more of pipe to septic tank and does not appear they did anything to check that. Augers are not often seen here but they should have had one. Another (messy) method is remove tank cover and use high pressure air tank to blow through the pipe (into tank). It could also be - if tank really overfull - that the shit is blocking the vent pipe and if you can find the vent pipe and dump water down it that might force it out (air pump also can be used for this).

Edited May 5, 2016 by lopburi3

[Tywais]

Did some more YouTube research and diagrams for vent pipes and soil stacks after reading the responses here. Does match the symptoms very closely for a plugged vent. Anyone know where the roof vent pipe for Thai 2 story houses may be, looking at neighbors houses I can't see anything on the roof.

We certainly won't be calling them back again so will check with a friend at work about this.

//BTW, thanks for the very useful replies.

[lopburi3]

Often in attic area - our house next to access hole in upstairs bathroom. Have never seen through the roof here. Could also be a pipe going up some wall on outside of house. But then again there may not even be one; especially if a western toilet replaced a Thai version.

[Tywais]

Commercial tank trucks are known for being scammers - most Thai will wait for government service rather than call them for that reason.

Believe I've heard that before. Actually I see a smaller version of that truck around the moo bahn and am sure it is from the tesabahn. That's the one I asked my wife to contact but her friend gave a number for this company. Lesson learned.

[Bantex]

Most Thai houses do not have a roof vent pipe which is usually located close to where the toilet soil pipe goes outside. Its main purpose is to prevent gasses and smells from backing through the toilets into the house in case of blockage, full sceptic tank or blocked tank vent. They are set to end just above the lowest part of the roof so no gasses or smell can enter via the windows.

A good working sceptic should never need emptying. I just check the pipes are clear and hose them out annually, check the tank vent is not blocked using a broom handle. If you don't have one already, install an access point close to where the soil pipe leaves the house, this will allow you to pressure wash any pipe blockage towards the sceptic tank and not as some Thais do, from the tank to the house. The access point will also act as a vent and you can start your roof vent from here also.

[eyecatcher]

I have also been looking for a vent to drop on the stack and nearest best option i have found is one you typically see on the end of a farmers field pump.

They do sell them in the drains section at global and tor home and assume they nicely drop into a 4in stack.

Alternatively plug the top and drill your own designer vent holes around the top

[IMHO]

I have also been looking for a vent to drop on the stack and nearest best option i have found is one you typically see on the end of a farmers field pump.

They do sell them in the drains section at global and tor home and assume they nicely drop into a 4in stack.

Alternatively plug the top and drill your own designer vent holes around the top

I have also just used a T junction, when in a pinch.

[Goanna]

It must be lack of, or blocked vent pipe. If you can imagine methane gas rising, normally, it will take the easiest route. Ie, vent. If no vent, it will bubble up through the water. Hence the smell. All drains have water traps like that to prevent smell.....except some Thai drongos. Good luck.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Goanna

[bankruatsteve]

I would go with the kid theory and something blocking the line. When the water evacuates around the block, it will "pull" from the toilet - much like the water bottle on top of the cooler.

[Pib]

Tywais's video is now going viral on Youtube...up to 28 views when I looked...I "almost" clicked the Youtube Like icon but regained mental control before doing such. I expect The Nation newspaper will run a news story on this within days.

Seriously, good luck in finding the fix...could be a clog in the drainage pipes or air vent pipes (or no air vent pipe). The amount paid to suck the tanks was indeed expensive.

I had my tanks sucked once here in Bangkok after living in my home for around 6 years....they sucked 4 tanks...got very little out of each one...cost Bt100 per tank....I won't be having them sucked again. But the neighbor was having his sucked, the price was cheap, so I just did it as I was interested in finding out how much content was in the tanks...very little. In a properly installed, adequately sized tank(s) that has drainage you really shouldn't have to suck it very often if ever at all if the adequate bacteria activity is occurring. I periodically use some of that "bacteria additive" stuff you can buy cheap in liquid or powder form at many grocery/hardware stores.

[rgs2001uk]

^^^^ as someome who lives in Bkk, you can contact your local "ket" they come to the house, total cost 300 baht.

[AlQaholic]

You might check the vents, as the smell in the upper floor indicates absence of vents or blocked vents as well. Vents should preferably be outside the building and end above the upper level of the inner ceilings of upper floor. May need to add some vents for upper floor drain only as well, which vents up above the ceilings.

Edited May 6, 2016 by AlQaholic

[snowgard]

We pay 300 THB for draining the septic tank outside Pattaya. But my wife order all the time this team over the local amphur and ask the price before on phone.

Never order a company and let they work before you fixed the price!!!

[gemguy]

My resident family relative threw away a whole lot of uneaten food down the toilet and plugged up the toilet.

So there I was trying to unplug the toilet with no success and did not have a toilet plunger ...so my wife ...being the clever girl that she is, told me to use a large size empty plastic water bottle as a substitute plunger.

So I did ...and it worked perfect and unplugged the toilet.

Cheers

[Tidybeard]

Septic tanks need bacteria to work correctly. If you have just emptied yours... by a bottle of "Bactocel" and flush it down the toilet. You can buy it from Home Pro / Home Mart and similar hardware stores. I haven't had a problem with my tank in 11 years, and I give it a monthly does of this stuff to keep it active...

[lopburi3]

Your natural poop keeps it active - there is no need to buy anything. Just keep bleach and bacteria killing substances out of toilet.

[sanukjim]

Welcome to Thailand.Many of us have been there.Mine was year 2001 in Pattaya.

[Naam]

Your natural poop keeps it active - there is no need to buy anything. Just keep bleach and bacteria killing substances out of toilet.

i am used to septic tanks (Africa, Florida and Thailand) since 35 years. never used any bacteria, snake oil are other suggested ingredients, never had one pumped out.

[alanrchase]

Had mine done a couple of months back, apparently they charge by the number of concrete "rings". My wife, bless her, told me I was stupid. Still unsure how the septic tank system works.

[lopburi3]

Old cement tanks were rings on top of each other to form tanks.

www.coolthaihouse.com

[ubeturazz]

put the spirit house in the bathroom.

[gandalf12]

How come Thai toilets can not handle the normal debris that goes down them in other countries?

[gemguy]

Old cement tanks were rings on top of each other to form tanks.

www.coolthaihouse.com

Yes...and the solids settle to the bottom while the liquids float at the top and seep through the spaces seen in-between the rings and all is well...until the solids fill up the tank capacity and block off the pipes seen in the photo.

Maybe 10 to 20 years of use but eventually the solids will have to be removed and start all over again.

If I am wrong, feel free to correct me...lol

Cheers

[Khon Kaen Dave]

By the first floor,i assume you mean the ground floor.I am asking because if they are first floor wc's then they will go to a soil stack.If they are ground floor,they will go straight to drain.

The sound that is coming from your wc pan is the sound of the seal being sucked out due to a vacuum being created when flushing.The seal then slowly replaces its self as the pan refills.I think you have a problem with the pan not being sufficiently vented. it is the norm to use 100mm pipework from a WC to drain,whether underground or above.But what with budget skimming,anything can be installed.There are no real plumber's or plumbing design engineers here to help you. If this problem has not been solved by now,i would suggest that a concentrated caustic soda be applied to the pan.First you must sponge all the water out of the trap.Boil a kettle of water and pour some into the pan.Then,stand well back and pour the caustic soda down the pan.Give it 2/3 minutes and then pour another kettle of boiling water down the pan to chase the soda,so to speak.This will surely clear any blockages due to organic materials.Do not flush the pan until any bubbling has stopped.

not having seen any domestic plumbing up close,i cannot opine how they vent the system and where.I have also never seen any man holes over here(yeah yeah,cometh the beach road jokes)manholes should be vented by what is called,a head of drain vent,but ive never seen one so i think that venting stacks and any codes of practice are given over to the lure of a bottle or three of loa kaol after work.

i wish you luck,please let me know how you get on .

[lopburi3]

Old cement tanks were rings on top of each other to form tanks.

www.coolthaihouse.com

Yes...and the solids settle to the bottom while the liquids float at the top and seep through the spaces seen in-between the rings and all is well...until the solids fill up the tank capacity and block off the pipes seen in the photo.

Maybe 10 to 20 years of use but eventually the solids will have to be removed and start all over again.

If I am wrong, feel free to correct me...lol

Cheers

Above is simple upcountry unit. In city there are normally two tanks like normal septic system and then overflow into grey water system and first tank is solids/activity and second tank liquid and then exit to grey water system. The plastic tanks are basically the same process. These will not normally require pumping for many, many years unless non biodegradable materials are flushed (sanitary napkin a prime example) but perhaps if residents are major corn/rice hulk eaters there might be issues.