Septic tank maintenance

December, 2012:

Do garbage disposals harm raised mounds?

Raised mounds have always been known as an extra sensitive type of septic system. It is basically installed for houses or establishments that are built on properties with high water tables. Because it is above the surface, it is exposed to the elements and should be well-protected especially during the winter. A special construction fabric should cover the raised mound before it is covered with a thin layer of top soil. The construction fabric keeps the heat in the raised mound system. The bacterial activity results to heat. This is because of the constant metabolism that happens. Knowing this, you became very concerned about your newly installed garbage disposal unit. Do garbage disposals harm raised mounds? This is a question that has been haunting homeowners for years.

There were friends who told you that they didn’t use their garbage disposals because it was known to increase the amount of sludge in the raised mound’s tank. But even if they did say this, why do other homeowners still use their garbage disposals? You were in need of a confirmation. Do garbage disposals really harm raised mounds?

Garbage disposals are installed and used by many because it is important to keep sanitation in your home. When you just use the conventional way of disposing organic garbage, decomposition ensues in your trash cans. As you know, when there is decomposition, the smell is strong and pungent. This attracts so many pests and other animals to your property, particularly to your garbage bin. You will often discover your trash bins opened or toppled over, surrounded with flies, or even crawling with maggots. This is a serious way of getting various diseases and skin irritations that you never thought you could get in your own yard. Through garbage disposal units, your organic garbage could safely go into the raised mound’s collection tank to be broken down by the resident anaerobic bacteria.

As you know, garbage disposals grind the organic garbage. This process turns huge chunks into finer pieces, thus increasing the surface area of the solid wastes before entering the tank. The anaerobic bacteria find it easy to degrade and decompose these solid wastes. With regular pumping and treating, there would absolutely be no problem with your raised mound system and garbage disposal functioning at the same time. It is only disappointing to know that there are homeowners who think that it is all right to dump non-biodegradable materials, grease, and oils into the garbage disposal. They think that these would not affect the raised mound system at all. The truth is that these substances contribute greatly to the clogging, backing up, overflow, and failure of the raised mound.

You should keep in mind that in order to maximize the function of the raised mound and your garbage disposal, you have to use both properly. Just be responsible enough to place used oils, fats, and grease in a jar, seal it, and throw it in the garbage bin. As for non-biodegradables, it would be better to reuse them or just dispose of them properly in the trash bin as well. There are bacterial additive in the septic stores nowadays that you could use exclusively with your garbage disposals. They have non-pathogenic bacteria that help accelerate the decomposition of the organic garbage that you dump in.

Even if the raised mound truly needs extra care and attention from homeowners like you, you should still try your best how to incorporate other appliances in your home so that your life could be made much easier. This is all part of becoming a responsible homeowner. When you called up your septic expert about your dilemma, he told you that it was perfectly fine to start using your garbage disposal unit. You asked him again, do garbage disposals harm raised mounds?  The same routine would continue with your raised mound when it comes to care and maintenance. Just treat the garbage disposal unit the same way as your drains, toilets, and sinks and you will reap benefits of having appliances in your home and a smooth running raised mound as well.

How long do septic systems last?

It can never be denied that there are homeowners who neglect the fact they own a septic system as well. When they buy a house the last thing they usually think of is the type of material the septic system is made of or the septic system’s actual condition. When you wanted to buy that piece of land, you wanted your home there to be flawless. One of your main considerations was the septic system. Your parents have always told you how important it was to have a fully functional septic system. But how long do septic systems last?

As you know, the septic system is responsible for treating the wastewater that exits your household. It all starts in the septic tank. This part of the septic system needs to be made of durable material because this is responsible for collecting and separating the wastewater to three layers (scum: top player, effluent: clear liquid, and sludge: bottom layer) so that when the effluent finally gets to the drain field, the solid wastes would be left to be degraded by the anaerobic bacteria.

Wastewater enters the septic tank and stays there for a while so that the degradation of the solid waste particles would be done. This subjects the septic tank and its components to the various substances of the wastewater. There can be salts and acids that slowly deteriorate the septic system so you should really make sure that the septic system that you purchase would be made of durable material.

Remember, septic systems do not last a lifetime. At some point, you would have to replace it. These days, there are various materials that you can choose from such as steel, concrete, and polymer. Steel septic systems are durable and can last fifteen to twenty years. When the steel septic system lasts this long, it would most probably be very rusted and heavily deteriorated. The steel septic tank cover would still be intact until it is crushed by a heavy vehicle or structure. Concrete septic systems can last from a year to 40 years depending on the quality of concrete used and how well it is mixed. Both steel and concrete septic systems deteriorate because of the salts, acids, and other harsh substances found in the wastewater. The latest discovery for septic systems is polymer. The polymer septic system is a more durable one and also promises years and years of efficient functioning, provided that it is not subjected to very heavy physical damage.

If you would really want to make sure that your money will go to a very durable septic system, you should consult the most reliable manufacturers and also ask them how long do septic systems last? Of course, you have to have it set that you will need a serious amount of cash to acquire what you want for your home. It is not a very easy purchase to make so you have to canvass and research as much information that you could. Tedious as it may be, you should sacrifice time and money to get the best for your household.

Remember that the deterioration of the concrete and steel septic systems start as soon as you install them. The soil, weather and groundwater also contribute to this. Concrete is very porous and could readily have cracks that affect its lifespan and efficiency.

Take note that if you do buy a property with a septic system already installed, check with the septic expert that handles it in that area so that you may know its real condition, age, and size. This way, you may have a founded idea of how long it will last and if it needs repairs and treatments. It would be much better if you request a full-service septic contractor to make the septic inspection so that a complete report could be made. If this professional will do the inspection, the necessary repairs and replacements could already be done and the amount could just be factored from the total amount of the property. We hope that we helped to answer the age old question of how long do septic systems last?

My raised mound failed within weeks of moving into new home.

As an incoming high school freshman, you wanted to graduate from the school where you started your formal education. It was a heart-breaking moment for you when your dad said that you had to move to another state again because of his job. He didn’t really mean to keep the family moving from one place to another. As a family, you had to support him because he didn’t want the two of you to be apart. When you moved into your new home, you started to think of the next house that you would be moving into in a couple of years. Just as you were about to call it a night, your dad told you that the new house would be the last house you were moving into. You dad also said my raised mound failed within weeks of moving into new home.

It was the best moment of your life. You would never have to think of how to make friends again after this. The high school you enrolled in shared functions with your old school so you already had a few friends there. It was the best news ever. You thought that nothing could ever make your blue skies grey the next day. But you were wrong. Just a few weeks after you and your dad moved in, you saw your dad say to someone on the phone, Help! My raised mound failed within weeks of moving into our new home! It was the septic expert and in minutes, he arrived with his small team. What could be the possible reasons of raised mound failure?

  1. The previous homeowner may not have been that diligent in maintaining and keeping the treatment schedules recommended by the septic expert. This resulted to a heavy accumulation of sludge that blocked the soil absorption and filtration systems and led to the raised mound’s failure.
  2. The rain gutter may be directed on the area of the raised mound. This caused too much rainwater to enter the raised mound system. The increased water load delayed the bacteria’s decomposition of the solid wastes and this resulted to clogs and failure.
  3. Heavy vehicles or constructions may have been placed over the raised mound. The heavy weight may have caused some of the components to give out.
  4. Woody roots may have already invaded the raised mound and may have caused blockages or irreparable damages to the system.
  5. Strong and corrosive substances or antibacterial solutions may have been dumped into the toilets, sinks, and drains. These kill off the bacterial population, resulting to the accumulation of solid waste particles that blocked the system, causing failure.
  6. An increase in water load may have been caused by the absence of a dry well and also heavy laundry and dishwashing loads. This results to the stirring up of the sludge, dispersing it into the soil absorption system and the filtration system.  Blockage and failure inevitably happens.
  7. The system may not have undergone a thorough septic inspection. This type of inspection should b performed by a full-service septic contractor who knows what he is doing. He could even repair or replace anything that is damaged. A regular house inspector would just visually inspect the house and not do anything anymore.
  8. The raised mound may be very old already that certain parts of it may already be deteriorated by the natural elements.

When the septic expert arrived, he said that the raised mound could still be restored. He stressed the fact that the scheduled treatments and pump outs should be kept to keep the system running smoothly. He said that the construction fabric should be replaced regularly especially before winter. Inside the house, you couldn’t take the septic odors anymore. The smells penetrated the towel that you wrapped around your face. You had to go out. You watched your dad pay attention to what the septic expert did. He really wanted to make things right because that home was supposed to be your permanent residence. You were proud of your dad and you were definitely going to help make everything work. You never wanted to hear your dad say my raised mound failed within weeks of moving into new home.

Septic system failed

Help! My septic system failed within weeks of moving into my new home! Your phone conversation with your sister lingered in your head. She just declared the worst investment that she had made in all her born days. She just bought a home in an area that she dreamed of since she was in college. It was the perfect house. It was painted cream. The yard was green. It had a perfect view of the lake. It even had a gazebo just like she pictured. You thought she had the best taste ever. Two days after she moved in, she hosted a house warming party that lasted an entire weekend. Even her boss was there. But three weeks after that, she called you up and frantically asked for you to be there because of a huge crisis—her septic system failed. With some knowledge on real estate, you asked her if she really asked for a septic system inspection like you told her. She said she did but when you asked her who did the inspection; she said that only a house inspector did it. You just shook your head and agreed to visit her that weekend.

There can be a myriad of reasons as to why a septic system failed in just s few weeks of usage:

  1. The previous owner could have just plainly neglected the system and pumped it out a day before the purchase. This is common unethical behavior by homeowners who just want to have the purchase done. They really don’t care if the next homeowner will be happy with the property on a long term basis. To prevent misinformation on your septic system, check with the local septic expert to clarify any possible problems that the property’s septic system could have had untreated and have them corrected before you pay for the property.
  2. There could be mechanical failures that comprise of pipe collapse, deterioration of the system, and blockage by roots. You may never know if there are any structural anomalies in your septic system until the day it actually fails. A good septic inspection should be performed before you move in so that you will know what could potentially cause the failure. If ever there are problems to deal with, any amount spent in making things right should be factored with the amount of the property.
  3. There could be an alteration to the condition of the anaerobic and aerobic bacterial population. The killing off of the bacteria may cause septic odors, sewage ponding, overflow, and septic backups. Bacteria are the basic workers in the septic system. They are the ones that break down the solid wastes and purify the resulting effluent. The alteration of the septic system’s internal bacterial environment could be brought about by the use of harsh chemicals; antibacterial detergents and soaps; and the wrong use of drains, toilets, and sinks.
  4. The unmaintained septic tank could increase the bio-mat level in the drain field that will eventually lead to the system’s failure. As you know, the septic tank should be pumped out and treated regularly. If the previous owner failed to perform regular maintenance then the entire system was bound to fail.
  5. Increase in the septic system’s water load could also be a main cause of septic system failure. If you don’t have a dry well that will take in the grey water from the washing machine and dishwasher, then you would have trouble with how much water actually goes into the septic tank. You should regulate your laundry loads or have a dry well to keep things stable.

By the time you arrived at your sister’s house, the septic expert you contacted was already there. He said that the septic system failed and could still be restored but an aeration system and a dry well should be installed afterwards. It really cost a lot more for your sister to keep an inhabitable house. You took care of the septic service while she covered the treatments and installations. It was the least you can do. Hopefully, she won’t neglect the newly restored system like the previous owner did.

Do garbage disposals harm cesspits?

This article will cover a topic that has been the center for discussion for many years. Do garbage disposals harm cesspits? This is the question we will try to answer. Since you were a child, you have always dreamed of having your own, fully functional home, complete with every appliance conceivable. After years of study and hard work, you have finally achieved that dream. You chose to live in an area where the neighborhood was liberal yet safe. Your home was designed after your taste and personality that was why it felt like your real home when you moved in. You have always been a very busy person. With your sixteen-hour work, you didn’t know how you even managed to have a love life. But you did and you were happy. Being that busy, you never stopped to think things over when you decided to have appliances bought and installed in your home. It was a good thing that your girlfriend gave you a handy book that you should read first before you started anything. It was a small paperback entitles, Do Garbage Disposals Harm Cesspits? You stared at the book and realized that the question never really came across your mind. It was an undeniable fact that the contents of the book was indeed important so you started to read.

On one hand, a cesspit, like the one you had installed in your property is much like a regular septic system. It also had a receiving/holding tank for the wastewater that your household produces. On the other hand, a garbage disposal unit is an appliance that you need to get rid of organic garbage faster, easier, and hassle-free. Having it in your home would stop pests and diseases from overwhelming your life. There has always been a conflict in combining these two. The belief that garbage disposals would only add too much to the solid wastes that the cesspit could accommodate has long hindered so many American homeowners from using it even if they already have it installed. But the truth is, garbage disposals, per se, do not harm cesspits at all.

If you look at how garbage disposals work, their main function is to grind garbage into finer particles. This increases the surface area of the solid wastes thus, helping the resident bacteria of the cesspit to break them down much faster and much easier. The harmonious relationship between the cesspit and the garbage disposal unit lie in the usage of the garbage disposal unit and in the maintenance of the cesspit and do garbage disposals harm cesspits? If you do not dump non-biodegradable garbage, oils, and grease into the garbage disposal unit, then there would be no clogs to worry about. Most homeowners think that if you throw plastics, napkins, fats, and oils into garbage disposals, these substances would be changed into forms that will be broken down in the cesspit as well. What really happens in that these substances retain their form even when they reach the cesspit so as a result, trouble happens in the cesspit and in the soil absorption system? With regular pumping and treatment schedules kept, the cesspit will not have a heavy accumulation of sludge. As you know, if the cesspit is full of sludge, the bacteria would not be able to decompose the solid particles right away. This would result to clogging, backing up of sewage, overflow, and the inevitable failure.

As a responsible homeowner and a future husband, you wanted to make sure that everything was well-monitored. This would include the connection of your garbage disposal unit and your cesspit. With persistent research and frequent trips to the septic store, you have discovered some bacterial additives that were especially formulated for garbage disposal use. The additional non-pathogenic bacteria in these products help the resident bacteria in breaking down the ground up organic garbage that went through the garbage disposal unit.

Remember that garbage disposals were designed to help you and your household and do garbage disposals harm cesspits? They are meant to make chores much easier but you should use it properly so that other components in your property will be able to function optimally as well. 

This article will cover a topic that has been the center for discussion for many years. Do garbage disposals harm cesspits? This is the question we will try to answer. Since you were a child, you have always dreamed of having your own, fully functional home, complete with every appliance conceivable. After years of study and hard work, you have finally achieved that dream. You chose to live in an area where the neighborhood was liberal yet safe. Your home was designed after your taste and personality that was why it felt like your real home when you moved in. You have always been a very busy person. With your sixteen-hour work, you didn’t know how you even managed to have a love life. But you did and you were happy. Being that busy, you never stopped to think things over when you decided to have appliances bought and installed in your home. It was a good thing that your girlfriend gave you a handy book that you should read first before you started anything. It was a small paperback entitles, Do Garbage Disposals Harm Cesspits? You stared at the book and realized that the question never really came across your mind. It was an undeniable fact that the contents of the book was indeed important so you started to read.

 

On one hand, a cesspit, like the one you had installed in your property is much like a regular septic system. It also had a receiving/holding tank for the wastewater that your household produces. On the other hand, a garbage disposal unit is an appliance that you need to get rid of organic garbage faster, easier, and hassle-free. Having it in your home would stop pests and diseases from overwhelming your life. There has always been a conflict in combining these two. The belief that garbage disposals would only add too much to the solid wastes that the cesspit could accommodate has long hindered so many American homeowners from using it even if they already have it installed. But the truth is, garbage disposals, per se, do not harm cesspits at all.

If you look at how garbage disposals work, their main function is to grind garbage into finer particles. This increases the surface area of the solid wastes thus, helping the resident bacteria of the cesspit to break them down much faster and much easier. The harmonious relationship between the cesspit and the garbage disposal unit lie in the usage of the garbage disposal unit and in the maintenance of the cesspit and do garbage disposals harm cesspits? If you do not dump non-biodegradable garbage, oils, and grease into the garbage disposal unit, then there would be no clogs to worry about. Most homeowners think that if you throw plastics, napkins, fats, and oils into garbage disposals, these substances would be changed into forms that will be broken down in the cesspit as well. What really happens in that these substances retain their form even when they reach the cesspit so as a result, trouble happens in the cesspit and in the soil absorption system? With regular pumping and treatment schedules kept, the cesspit will not have a heavy accumulation of sludge. As you know, if the cesspit is full of sludge, the bacteria would not be able to decompose the solid particles right away. This would result to clogging, backing up of sewage, overflow, and the inevitable failure.

 

As a responsible homeowner and a future husband, you wanted to make sure that everything was well-monitored. This would include the connection of your garbage disposal unit and your cesspit. With persistent research and frequent trips to the septic store, you have discovered some bacterial additives that were especially formulated for garbage disposal use. The additional non-pathogenic bacteria in these products help the resident bacteria in breaking down the ground up organic garbage that went through the garbage disposal unit.

Remember that garbage disposals were designed to help you and your household and do garbage disposals harm cesspits? They are meant to make chores much easier but you should use it properly so that other components in your property will be able to function optimally as well.