Septic tank maintenance

February, 2013:

How salt can block a cesspool

Feb 28th, 2013
by Service.
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This article will cover  The first time you turned on your faucet in your newly purchased home when you tried to wash something, did the soap lather up?  You tried to rub your hands or the cloths together but no bubbles seemed to appear. This is a classic sign that your water is hard water. This type of water makes it very difficult to get cleaning chores done. As a practical solution to this challenging situation, water softeners are applied. With water softeners, magnesium and calcium are removed from hard water. When this process is successfully done, you end up using less amounts of soap or detergents (about 50 – 75% less soap). It also relieves the cesspool from heavy loads of organic particles. With soft water, your clothes are much cleaner and water consumption is reduced. As you know, the if there is an excess is water load, the solid particles are stirred up. Their degradation is delayed because of this so they are just pushed into the surrounding soil absorption system. The particles then clog the entire system.

Homeowners should know how salt can block a cesspool. Salt is used as a preservative. It rids organic substances of bacteria so that they could last longer. If water softeners are always used in your home, your cesspool is at risk of having its resident bacteria killed off. It runs on the fact that freshwater bacteria can never survive in saltwater. When this happens, wastewater treatment will be halted because there will be no bacteria left to break down the organic substances. The organic particles will just remain in the cesspool and clog the perforations around it. The particles will be pushed into the surrounding soil absorption area, causing the system to fail.

Other experts say that there are no adverse effects if water softeners are released into cesspools that are properly installed. Some even say that the regeneration that happens in the resin bed paves the way for higher permeability and fewer blockages. However, salt is salt. This compound will always be a foreign substance that should not be in your cesspool at all. Applying water softeners also incorporates more water into your cesspool. You may already know that excessive water load stirs up the solid waste particles in the cesspool. The resident bacteria do not have the time to break them down anymore. So, they stay in the cesspool and get pushed through the perforations, clogging the entire system, often leading to its failure.

To prevent the cesspool blockage caused by salt in water softeners, you should seek the help of your septic expert. Septic experts add special additives to keep your cesspool safe even if you administer water softeners. You should also make sure that you tone down the cleaners that you use in your home. You should opt for environment friendly cleaners. You should take note that regular household cleaners have high amounts of phosphates and other chemicals that harm the resident bacteria. As much as possible, help your cesspool maintain a balanced environment where they could thrive and do their job efficiently. Water softeners should not be used every day. If you allow this to happen, you will have tremendous amounts of salt in your cesspool. It will literally turn into seawater, disabling your wastewater treatment system. With the help of your septic expert, you will be able to enjoy soft water.

With soft water, you will be able to use less water during cleaning chores. You will also save 50 to 70 % less soap or detergents. You will definitely help your budget significantly if you treat soft water properly. You will also save a lot of time considering you won’t have to do the cleaning or washing several times just to get the dirt and grime off. It will also lessen the frustration that you feel about performing chores around the house. Being a homeowner will definitely be much easier if you know how salt from water softeners can block a cesspool.

How salt can block a seepage pit

Feb 25th, 2013
by Service.
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This article will cover how salt can block a seepage pit. Imagine how an entire organization would function without affiliate companies that help it acquire its every need. Even large corporations need help from small businesses so that a task could be fulfilled. In your own home, you have appliances and minor systems that help it become a functional living environment. You have the electrical system, the gas pipes, the HVAC system, the plumbing system, and of course, the septic system. The conventional septic system is responsible for treating your wastewater. It has a septic tank that collects and pre-treats the raw wastewater. It has anaerobic bacteria that breakdown the solid waste particles so that clear effluent could enter the drain field safely. To help the septic system become more efficient in treating your wastewater, you can ask your septic expert to install a seepage pit.

The seepage pit is a hole in the ground that catches the clear pre-treated effluent. This is composed of both greywater and blackwater. Greywater is wastewater that comes from drains, showers, sinks, dishwashers, and washing machines. Blackwater is wastewater that comes from the toilet. The seepage pit takes only the liquid or the pre-treated effluent from the septic tank. It has bio-mat that purifies the effluent so that it could be released into the surrounding soil totally pathogen- and toxin-free. Because it is part of the septic system, the seepage pit also suffers from common problems such as blockage. Blockage or clogging can happen because of several factors:

  • Non-biodegradable materials. These substances cannot be broken down by the resident anaerobic bacteria. They just stay in there and accumulate until they are pushed into the seepage pit. They ultimately clog the seepage pit and the entire system.
  • Invasive tree roots. Trees use their roots to access the water and nutrients from the septic system. The roots slowly grow into the seepage pit until they form a root wall that blocks the flow of wastewater.
  • Soil compaction. This happens when the structures and vehicles over the seepage pit crush its vital components. It ends up clogged because of the damage and the sediments that enter it.
  • Inadequate pump outs. Pumping out the septic tank is important to eliminate the sludge accumulation. You should always get rid of the sludge so that there can be more room for wastewater treatment. If you don’t adhere to the pump out schedule you have arranged with your septic expert, the sludge will build up in the tank. It will then be pushed into the seepage pit.
  • Salt accumulation. The usual problem among households is hard water. Hard water is composed of calcium and magnesium. It makes it difficult for detergents or soaps to lather up. In effect, you do not finish your washing tasks on time because you are not able to eliminate grime and dirt. You also use more soap and more water in performing your chores. Your budget for soap and everything else is ruined.
  • There are experts who believe that salt actually improves the percolation rate of the soil. However, there is strong evidence that salt is harmful to the septic system and to the seepage pit. Salt has always been used as a preservative that kills bacteria so that organic substances can last longer. It has also been established that freshwater organisms cannot survive in saltwater environments. This is applicable to your septic system if excessive salt from water softeners is incorporated into the tank, the bacteria will be killed. Then, there will be no wastewater treatment. The septic tank will be filled with solid waste particles. Eventually, these particles will be pushed into the seepage pit, clogging it and the entire septic.
  • If you know how salt can block a seepage pit, you will be able to maximize the benefits you get from your water softeners. Make sure to talk to your septic expert. They could incorporate special additives that will help minimize the effects of salt in your septic system to make sure your septic lasts for decades more.

Sand mound odor control

Feb 21st, 2013
by Service.
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This article will cover sand mound odor control. Stimulus is something that activated the senses. It enables various organs to function. It could either lead the body to react positively or negatively. Every single organism receives a lot of stimuli. The sense organs catch every single one of them and relay them to the organ systems that need them. For every stimulus is a reaction. One perfect example is your home. Inside and outside of your home’s premises are various stimuli that help mold your day. Inside, you could see happy kids, smell fragrant aromatic candles, or hear laughter. Outside, you may hear vehicles going by, smell fresh grass, or see the neighbors talking across the street. All these stimuli could be instantly erased if one element in your household goes crazy—the sand mound system.

The sand mound is a type of unconventional septic system that is installed above the surface. It is designed specifically to help adjust the percolation rate of your property’s soil type. It could either be too slow or too fast, but the sand mound takes care of it so that the wastewater treatment process won’t be too fast or too slow either. This special septic system is also composed of a tank and a soil absorption system. The anaerobic bacteria reside in the tank to take care of the solid waste materials that enter with the raw wastewater. The aerobic bacteria reside in the topsoil. They regulate the biomat and digest any minute traces of solid waste materials still present in the effluent. The biomat removes the pathogens from the effluent before it’s released into the external environment.  These two major divisions of the sand mound system need a lot of care just like the conventional septic. If ideal maintenance practices are not provided, there will surely be sand mound problems that will arise such as sand mound odors.

Sand mound odors are very detrimental to everyone’s health. It is ne stimulus that you don’t want drifting about in your home or on your property. Sand mound odors contain toxic fumes that affect the health of those who inhale them. One common gas that’s present in the sand mound odor is methane. Methane or CH4 ranks second to the most abundant greenhouse gases produced in the US, all from activities done by man. It’s colorless an odorless. Human activities in industries, agriculture, and waste production all yield huge amounts of methane. If you’re exposed to this gas for a long period of time, you will experience asphyxiation. Another gas present in sand mound odors is hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is also colorless but has the terrible smell of rotten eggs. It’s known as “sewer gas” because it’s is the product of solid waste breakdown. At low levels of the gas, the rotten egg smell will be obvious. But at high levels, the gas becomes odorless. At this point, you will get sick and this may lead to fatality. At low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, you will experience coughs, throat irritation, eye irritation, fluid in your lungs, and shortness of breath. Two weeks after exposure, these symptoms will eventually disappear. On a prolonged exposure at a low concentration, you will experience loss of appetite, fatigue, irritability, headaches, dizziness, and memory loss. At extreme concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, you will die after just a few breaths.

Sand mound odor control  should be immediately administered by the local septic expert is you get a whiff of sand mound odors. It is vital that the matter is resolved at the soonest possible time to prevent health problems in the household. The most effective sand mound odor control is the application of bacteria based additives after pumping the system out. Bacteria are effective, organic helpers that don’t have chemicals to contaminate the surrounding environment with. As they sweep the sand mound of solid waste materials, they eliminate the foul sand mound odors. With prolonged use of bacteria, your home can never receive the negative olfactory stimulus again.

How often should I have my sand mound pumped?

Feb 21st, 2013
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How often should I have my sand mound pumped out is a common question among septic tank owners. This article will try an address when a septic sand mound should be pumped out and what is involved in the process.

Since the day you had your new home finished, there were so many things that went through your head. It was only expected from someone who just acquired a new home for the very first time. It was the perfect place for you. For years, you have searched for the right area to build your house on. And when you finally found it and bought it, it was only then that you found out that its water table was too high. If this was the case, the septic expert told you that the septic system that would be appropriate was a sand mound system.

The sand mound is a type of septic system that is raised or elevated. It is not like the conventional septic system that is built and installed underground. The heat produced inside a sand mound system should be confined inside with the help a construction fabric that is laid over the system before the thin topsoil is placed. The sand mound also has a tank that should be pumped out on a regular basis. The tank is very similar to the conventional septic system. It also receives, stores, and treats the wastewater that comes from the household. It should be pumped out regularly because the sludge should be eliminated so as not to clog the entire system or contaminate the entire area.

You waited patiently as you waited for the septic expert finish installing your sand mound system. You were apprehensive at asking the septic expert after he was finished with his work. He looked very tired after working almost half a day. He wanted to leave early because he had to attend his son’s party. The question that echoed in your head was… How often should I have my sand mound pumped? The septic expert seemed to have read your mind. The septic expert gave you a small manual about the sand mound that he installed. It was the same manual that he always gave the homeowners every time he finished his work in installing their sand mounds.

A septic system like the sand mound should be pumped out on a regular basis to eliminate the sludge. If the sludge is just left there to accumulate, then the possibility of an overflow and system clogging and failure could happen. If the sand mound overflows or clogs, there will be a backing up of the sewage and eventually, the sand mound will fail.

The sand mound’s pump out schedule depends on the number of people that live in your home. If you have a couple of people in your household, the sand mound should be pumped out every three years. For a home that has a maximum of 5 people, the sand mound should be pumped out every 2 years. The sand mound should be pumped out annually if the household has 6 or more members. You should talk to your septic expert in detail to discuss your living situation with your septic expert so that the proper schedule will be given.

A REAL septic expert should be contracted to do the pump out service so that the proper procedure will be performed. The septic expert should perform a thorough and correct assessment of the entire sand mound system. The soil absorption system will be checked for heavy footprints or vehicle tracks because these could have already caused damage to the components in the soil absorption system. The contents of the sand mound tank should be inspected as well to see if there are traces of harsh chemicals that may have already started killing off the resident bacteria. After the sand mound is pumped out, the septic expert should give recommendations on how to maintain the system and prevent failure.

Just aside 75-300 USD per pump out scheduled. It doesn’t have to be a very stressful, financial obligation to have your sand mound pumped out. You just have to set aside a small amount every month or every year until your scheduled pump out day comes. I hope we have helped answer the question of how often should I have my sand mound pumped?

 

How calcium can Wreak havoc in a seepage pit

Feb 17th, 2013
by Service.
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This article will cover how calcium can Wreak havoc in a seepage pit. What can you possibly do to make your septic system even better? As a homeowner, you could find this question very challenging to answer. Because of your busy schedule, you need a proper assistant for making your septic system a lot more efficient. The main responsibility that you have is to use your drains and toilets properly. This means that you have to make sure you do the following:

  • Avoid using harsh chemicals. These compounds kill the resident bacteria that degrade the solid waste particles. Without bacteria, there can never be wastewater treatment. The solid waste particles will just accumulate in the septic tank and clog everything. The clogging will definitely lead to havoc.
  • Follow the pump out schedule set with your septic expert. You have to make sure that the sludge is taken out regularly to give more space to the wastewater treatment and to prevent clogging.
  • Keep the non-biodegradable materials away from the drains and toilets. Grease, plastic, and paints should not make it to your septic system. These materials cannot be decomposed by the resident bacteria. As a result, they just stay in the septic tank. This leads to wastewater overflow, backups, and flooding. The non-biodegradables get pushed into the drain field, clogging the entire system.
  • Install a seepage pit. A seepage pit is an efficient helper for your septic system. It is a hole in the ground that has perforations along its sides and at its bottom. The seepage pit only receives the liquid effluent from the septic tank. Both blackwater (wastewater from the toilet) and greywater (wastewater from the drains, washing machine, dishwasher, and shower) enter the pit. Here, the effluent is purified before it is returned to the surrounding environment.Like the septic system, the seepage pit is also prone to havoc and chaos. Here are some of the main causes of seepage havoc:
  • Excessive water load. When you use the dishwasher and the washing machine at the same time, you introduce more water into the septic tank. Heavy rains also force water into it. As you know, the septic tank is built according to the number of household members. It has a limit. If the water load in the septic tank is too much, the solid waste particles are stirred up. Bacteria do not have the time to degrade them anymore. The particles are pushed into the seepage pit to clog  its perforations.
  • Invasive tree roots. The trees need a consistent source of nutrients and water. Your seepage pit is a set source for them to easily access. The roots invade the seepage pit and cause cracks. The cracks bring about leaks that prevent the raw wastewater from undergoing normal treatment. The cracks also allow the entry of the sediments that could get pushed into the seepage pit.
  • Calcium sulfoaluminate or ettringite accumulation. This process starts off with the anaerobic digestion of the resident thiocillus bacteria. Hydrogen sulfide gas is the byproduct of this process. The gas gathers to the headspace above the water line of the septic tank and reacts with oxygen. The interaction results to sulfuric acid. The acid forms the white ettringite on the concrete reinforcement of the septic system—including the seepage pit.You should understand how calcium can wreak havoc in a seepage pit. This is the worst form of deterioration that you can have in your septic system. Once the concrete reinforcement is destroyed, the metal components are corroded. Rust opens up the system to sediments and rainwater, which bring chaos to the seepage pit and to the entire system.

    Ask your septic expert to install an efficient aeration system that will provide more oxygen into the septic system. The oxygen will keep the hydrogen sulfide gas from gathering above the water line. Sulfuric acid will not be formed anymore. Without ettringite formation, your seepage pit and ultimately, your septic system will last for decades.

How often should I inspect my septic?

Feb 13th, 2013
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Over the years I have had to routinely answer the question of how often should I inspect my septic? The manufacturing plant that you work in is responsible for making tons of make up in your state. It is one of the household names in the field and you are one of the people responsible for such a line of quality products. The company you work for has been able to receive various awards because of the kind of cosmetics it provides. You have long been a quality control inspector in that company and you are one of the indispensable people that helps make all these things possible.

As an inspector, you made sure that every batch of cosmetics was up to the standards of the company. You handled analysis machines and reagents that helped you do your job right. In every aspect of life, there has to be an inspection done to make sure that the output is the best possible one. Any tenured employee would already have or starting to have a house of his or her own. This makes the level of inspection much higher. You tend to be obsessive-compulsive at times because if you had your own house, you would want to make sure that everything went smoothly. This, of course, includes your septic. How often should I inspect my septic?

That is a question that came out naturally from you when you spoke to your septic expert. As you know the septic system is the component in your home that is responsible for separating the detrimental contaminants and pathogens from your household and from the surrounding environment. If there is no septic in anyone’s property, then the entire area would be foul smelling and saturated with wastes in just a few days. Diseases would immediately spread and the water systems would not be able to distribute clean, drinkable water. With the septic system, everything is left in optimal condition.

Part of keeping an efficient septic is having it undergo a thorough inspection every 3 or 4 years. Having your septic inspected doesn’t have to happen only when something goes wrong already. The septic should be placed under complete control from day one. You are not always aware that a problem may already be brewing inside your septic tank, d-box, or drain field. Regular inspection establishes the fact whether your septic is in trouble or in good condition.

It is not a secret that you have to set aside a specific amount to have an inspection done. It’s not that big a deal. A thorough expert inspection would set you back between 100-200 USD every three or four years. This would give you the chance to save up until your set schedule. If it Is an amount of a hundred dollars every three or four years, then you should just save 33.33 USD (if it’s every three years) and 25 USD (if it’s every four years). That is a small amount compared to the thousands of dollars that you should pay for a brand new septic. Separate from the inspection amount, is the amount that has to be paid for uncovering the septic tank. This costs 50-250 USD and it depends on how deep the tank cover is.

If you meet a septic expert that charges high, it might give you the impression that the service will be great. That may not be true. To be sure that the septic inspection will be done by standard and with high quality, better consult the health department in your area for the best septic professionals you could hire.

Septic inspection is one of the established responsibilities of a homeowner. If you are serious about maintaining the safety and health of your home, you have to consider acquiring the best possible service to care for your septic system. It is true that it does need money to make things better for your septic system just like any component in your home. Consider it as a wise investment to maintain a functional and efficient septic system. I hope we answered the question of how often should I inspect my septic?

Toilets backing up from drain field

Feb 11th, 2013
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Toilets backing up from drain field has always been a topic around the septic system campfire.  You have been well-versed with the language of the septic system since you oversaw the construction of your own home. Many homeowners do not know a thing about their septic system but you wanted to be different. You wanted to make sure that you will be worth the house you had built. It was explained to you that the septic system is your household’s wastewater treatment facility that recycles the water into a form that is safe for the surrounding environment.

The septic tank and the drain field are the most important divisions of the septic system. They contain bacteria that degrade and purify the solid wastes and effluent respectively. When something goes wrong in any of these basic components, then you should immediately notify your septic expert to remedy it right away. As much as possible, septic experts avoid malfunctions and failures because it is really very taxing and very costly to do. How you wish that the same prudence towards septic systems was taken into consideration by the previous owners of your best friend’s newly purchased home.

It was about two weeks before Valentines when your best friend decided to make dinner for his fiancé. Toilets backing up from drain field are always a concern. They usually ate out or visited you in your restaurant and shared a full course dinner with you. You were the best friend and the owner and the executive chef of your restaurant that was why it was easy to figure out and serve what they wanted to eat. But that year’s Valentine’s celebration was very different. For the very first time, your best friend was willing to be your student for a week and finally cook the full-course meal himself. By the last day of the lesson proper, you noticed something strange. It was after work and when you entered your best friend’s house, an awful smell welcomed you.

Your best friend was out in the yard, talking to the septic expert about his apparent problem. The toilets in the house were backing up from the drain field. It was a disaster. How could your best friend present his newly bought house to his future wife? You knew that you had to support him on this. When you got into the conversation, the septic expert said that he will do what he could to remedy the situation. He suggested moving the planned dinner on the following weekend. That would give him the time to clean everything up and let the treatment work its magic. Your best friend agreed to it and it would also give both of you time to finalize everything.

The septic expert told your best friend that he should start maintaining the pump out and monthly treatment schedules. The former owner of the property wasn’t able to do this but there was nothing to worry about because in a way, he already set a new beginning for him. The septic expert said that the cleaning solutions should be bacteria and environment-friendly. This is to take good care of the bacteria that reside in the septic system. They are the ones responsible for degrading the solid wastes that enter the system. Next, there should be a dry well installed beside the existing septic system to lessen the water load. If there is less water load in the system, the bacteria will be given ample time to break down the solid wastes. If this happens, the effluent will not carry the solid wastes over to the drain field.

The drain field was blocked at that time because of this. Only clear effluent should be dispersed in the drain field and not the sludge or solid wastes. With the proper care and maintenance, the same incident will not happen again.

An entire week passed by and the valentine dinner was able to push through. Of course, you weren’t there anymore. You just made sure that the dining and the cooking areas were in front of each other to let his best friend entertain, cook, and serve at the same time. The septic expert definitely calculated the treatment time just right. Your best friend’s house already had the possibility of being the house for his future family. Toilets backing up from drain field clogs will never be a problem for you.

How calcium can clog a sand mound system

Feb 10th, 2013
by Service.
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This article will discuss how calcium can clog a sand mound system. Everyone l0oks at the sand mound as something complicated to add to a property. Well, it cannot be avoided if the soil you have percolates too quickly or too slowly. It would be the only wastewater treatment system that your property’s soil type could accommodate. The sand mound system is a mound because it has to be raised above the ground to provide space for the additional filters. The filters help the soil treat the wastewater that your household produces every day. Like the ordinary septic system, the sand mound has a tank that collects and pre-treats the raw wastewater. The effluent then passes through the filters before it is dispersed into the surrounding soil absorption area. It needs more attention because it is more exposed to the elements. The construction fabric that the sand mound is lined with should always be checked because it protects the system from the rain and cold. Before winter, you should make sure that the fabric is replaced and free from any deterioration. If you fail to inspect it, the sand mound will freeze over and you will be left with a grave septic system.

Blockage or clogging is the most common dilemma that homeowners face with their sand mounds. Clogging can be caused by improper waste disposal. Many people have their garbage disposal units as their ultimate excuse for dumping non-biodegradable materials into the drain. They think that grease and plastic are broken down to the point where they could be easily broken down by the anaerobic bacteria. This is not so. Non-biodegradable materials stay non-biodegradable so they just stay in the tank and clog the sand mound. It would be best to avoid dumping such materials into your drains and toilets. Another cause of sand mound clogging is the use of harsh chemicals. Harsh chemicals such as strong acids and bases kill off the resident bacteria that break down the solid organic waste materials. Without bacteria, wastewater treatment is not possible. The solid particulates will not be degraded anymore. They would just stay in the tank to clog everything. The particulates will just be pushed into the filters and soil absorption system. They will cause the treatment to be halted and blocked.

Excess water load is also a cause for clogs in the sand mound. When too much water enters the sand mound tank, the solid waste materials are disturbed. The bacteria will not be able to do their job properly when this happens. As a result, the solid waste materials will just stay in the tank. They will then be pushed into the surrounding soil absorption area and clog the system. Heavy rains, using the dishwasher and the washing machine too much, and bathing in tubs almost every day bring too much water into the sand mound system. You should have a greywater system installed to help with the water load that the sand mound receives or handles. Tree roots also cause clogging in sand mounds.

You should also consider how calcium can clog a sand mound system. Calcium sulfoaluminate or ettringite is the ultimate sign of sand mound deterioration. Ettringite formation starts with the anaerobic digestion of the thiocillus bacteria. They produce hydrogen sulfide that reacts with oxygen in the headspace above the waterline. The reaction produces sulfuric acid that forms the ettringite. Talk to your septic expert to install an aeration system to eliminate the high levels of sulfuric acid. Once sulfuric acid levels are cut down, ettringite formation is hindered. The thiocillus bacteria will still produce hydrogen sulfide but with more oxygen entering the system, calcium sulfoaluminate is not formed that much anymore.

Once you have an aeration system installed, have it inspected regularly so that it won’t stop producing oxygen. With an aeration system, you can be sure that your sand mound system will last for decades to come. It will definitely be worth the money you have invested.

Are leach field aerators beneficial?

Feb 7th, 2013
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Are leach field aerators beneficial to the septic tank and drain field? This has been a question that has plagued home owners for some time. The time came when you wanted to marry again. You have been divorced for ten years already so you thought it was about time for you to give marriage another try. There was a woman you had a serious relationship with for almost seven years then and she had a son. When you were married, her son clearly needed the guidance of a father and he really wanted you to be that person in his life. A few months after the honeymoon, your stepson bought a house. He planned to prepare it for his family-to-be. The day the construction started, you were there. You wanted to help your stepson realize his dream home. It was a tedious six months but when the house was finally finished, the most vital element that should be designed, built, and installed properly was at hand. Your stepson didn’t have any idea what you were talking about so you explained everything to him. Your wife smiled as she watched the two of you bond in the yard.

You told him that the septic system was the main reason why your household remains disease-free and odor-free. It is your personal wastewater treatment plant because you can’t have any access to the town’s sewage system. The conventional septic system is installed under your property. This system is composed of two main parts—the septic tank and the leach field. The septic tank is the collecting vessel of the wastewater that flows out of your home. With the help of a fully functional septic tank, the wastewater can be divided into three layers as initial treatment. The first and topmost layer is the scum that is all about lightweight solid waste materials. Next is the middle clear effluent layer that’s supposed to be solid waste particle-free by the time it reaches the leach field. The third bottom layer is the sludge that contains the anaerobic bacteria that slowly breaks down the solid particles of the waste.

The leach field is the second part of the wastewater treatment system. This is where the aerobic bacteria proliferate and treat the outgoing effluent. The aerobic bacteria should dominate the leach field so that the biomat may be regulated and prevented to thicken too much. If the biomat is not regulated, then it will thicken too much until it fully blocks the leach field. Your son asked you about the aeration system. Are leach field aerations beneficial? You replied with a blunt YES. Having leach field aerators will greatly improve the performance of  your leach field and septic system in general.

With leach field aerators, the aerobic bacteria proliferate more. It starts in the tank where the growth of aerobic bacteria is encouraged alongside the anaerobic bacteria. The aerobic bacteria break down the solid particles in the waste at a much faster rate. The anaerobic bacteria usually requires enough time before it actually breaks down the solid particles of waste. When there are aerobic bacteria that work in sync with the anaerobic ones, the job of decomposition is done much faster. There are findings that presented proof of the leach field aerators. In just 4-6 weeks, you will experience a dramatic change in your leach field. You will notice that clogs will not occur that much anymore. The resulting effluent will even lose its odor by 90%.

The leach field, once aerated, will have more aerobic bacteria to help them with the breakdown of the solid particles, no matter how small they may be. Plus the degradation of the solid waste particles will be much faster than how the anaerobic bacteria do it. Usually, the solid wastes stay in the septic tank for a certain amount of time because of the decomposition process. This process becomes doubly faster when the leach field aeration takes place.

Your step son really appreciated the knowledge that you shared about leach field aerators. He definitely wanted one to be installed right away. This was his investment will last for more than a lifetime, thanks to you. The answer to the age old question are leach field aerators beneficial, is yes they are beneficial and may increase the life expectancy of a septic system.

How calcium can cause clogging in a sand mound system

Feb 6th, 2013
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This article will cover how calcium can cause clogging in a sand mound system. Every property is unique. Some homeowners end up with soil with normal percolation rates. These properties required conventional septic systems that are installed underneath the ground. Other property owners have a more unique disposition because their properties have percolation rates that are either too fast or too slow. Their properties could only accommodate the sand mound system. The sand mound system is literally a mound. It is elevated. It is actually seen above ground. Because of this, the sand mound is included in the overall landscape design. Like the conventional septic system, the sand mound collects and treats your wastewater. Both greywater (wastewater from the dishwasher, washing machine, drains, and showers) and blackwater (wastewater from the toilet) are transformed into their safe forms before they are returned to the surrounding environment. The sand mound system is elevated to make room for additional filters needed to treat your wastewater. It also has anaerobic bacteria to break down the solid waste materials. With these microorganisms, the effluent could safely flow into the surrounding soil absorption system, where it will be purified before it is returned to the surrounding environment.

The sand mound system is a specialized septic system that is more exposed to the elements. It needs special attention such as changing the construction fabric that lines it. The construction fabric makes sure that heat is retained in the system. You should always see to it  that  the fabric is changed before cold weather begins because if it is damaged, you can be sure to experience septic problems during winter. Ice and snow will enter the sand mound system and it will surely freeze over. Another priority for the sand mound is to prevent clogging. Clogging is a common problem with sand mounds. Many factors cause clogging. Below are some of them:

  • Invasive roots of higher plants. Invasive root systems constantly look for water and nutrients that are closest to them. If you have higher plants in your property, your sand mound system is their instant source of sustenance.
  • Excess water load. Excessive amounts of water that enter the sand mound cause the solid waste particles to be disturbed. Their break down is delayed. They are pushed into the soil absorption system, clogging the process or wastewater treatment.
  • Soil compaction. When your sand mound area is made into a parking lot, storage facility, or driveway, the heavy weight compressed the soil. As a result, the sand mound components are crushed. Leaks result from the damage. Because of these leaks, the flow of the wastewater backs up and floods the property with untreated effluent. Sediments and rainwater also enter the system through the cracks produced by the crushed components.
  • Calcium sulfoaluminate or ettringite formation. The formation starts with the anaerobic digestion of the thiocillus bacteria. The process produces hydrogen sulfide gas that accumulates in the headspace over the waterline. Here, the gas interacts with oxygen, producing sulfuric acid. The acid forms white ettringite, which deteriorates the concrete reinforcement  of the system. When the concrete layer is destroyed, the metal components are exposed to the elements. The damage then allows excess water and debris inside the sand mound. These clog the wastewater treatment process.

The sand mound system is severely deteriorated if you see ettringite formation on the concrete layer. If you are lucky enough to decide which brand to use on your sand mound, choose the one that resists sulfuric acid. If you don’t have an idea what kind of concrete was used on your sand mound, it would be best to make your sand mound system an aerobic one. The oxygen will prevent the formation of sulfuric acid. The thiocillus bacteria will continue to produce the hydrogen sulfide gas but it won’t be able to occupy the headspace anymore. If you want to have a long lasting sand mound system, you have to know how calcium can cause clogging in a sand mound system.

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