Anyone know about septic systems?

[kmpeters]

We can't figure out what's wrong, and the septic people we've called say that it doesn't make sense to them, either...

Our house was built in '88, and we bought it 3 years ago. We haven't had any problems with it at all in the years we've lived here... but suddenly, this winter when the temperature started dropping to the 40's at night, our yard stinks! (Note: We live in SW Florida, so this is cold for us.) It doesn't smell inside the house, it doesn't smell during the day, and it doesn't smell at night when the temperatures are higher... but they've dipped below 50 twice in the past several weeks, and every night we noticed it. We called a septic person and asked if it could just need pumped, since it had been 3 years, and they said yes... so we had it pumped. He said that it was quite full, but he didn't notice any other problems. But that didn't "fix" it... the temperature dropped again, and it stinks again. The yard still appears to be perfectly dry... that's what puzzled the septic people.

The only thing I could think of was that the colder weather made the warm air from the septic rise through the ground faster... but that wouldn't explain why it didn't smell last winter.

In case any of this could be a clue to the problem (I don't see how)... We live on a 1/2 acre lot, in a 2 bathroom home with two adults and three small children. Our water usage is low for most five person families... I believe due to our water habits and water-saving dishwasher, clothes washer, and shower faucets. Also, we had another family of five living with us for about six months last winter, which helped to fill it, I'm sure... but they've been gone for 7 months already. Then Hurricane Charley hit right here a couple months ago. It made a mess of the city sewer systems for a while, but I haven't heard that it affected septic systems at all. And finally, we just finished remodeling our main bathroom the week before the temperature dropped and it started smelling. But we just replaced fixtures for newer ones... didn't really change anything in the plumbing or other water systems.

Please advice, if anyone can. Thank you!

 

[Jadnashua]

Don't know about the septic system, but since you just replaced the toilet, does it rock at all? If so, it probably needs some shims and a new wax ring. It must be perfectly stable on the floor or will leak fumes, eventually.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[kmpeters]

no rocking and no smells inside at all.

We went through quite a bit to get it stable... but it is, and it doesn't rock at all... and we can't smell anything inside anyway - only outside.

 

[Bob's HandyGuy]

I'm not an expert, but I think that the cold temps cause any vapor from the field to be more concentrated. Cold air is heavier than warm and hugs the ground. The house guests probably taxed the ability of the bio-mat to degrade the effluent. Then factor in all that moisture from the storms and the 3 years between tank cleaning. It may take awhile for your system to recover to it's pre, odor-free state.

 

[Deb]

Deb

I do not generally believe in coincidences...if a repair was made to the plumbing system and a problem developed at the same time, I first ook for a corollation....
What exactly do you think you are smelling? Sewer gas? Effluent? Why are you sure that it is plumbing related? Is the odor in the area of the septic tank? The drainage field?
Deb
The Pipewench