Septic tank maintenance

Septic tank maintenance

How to get rid of cesspit bio-mat buildup?

Nov 28th, 2012
by Service.
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Two weeks to go and your daughter’s engagement party are going to take place. She didn’t want it in a hotel or in a resort. She didn’t even consider holding it in her fiancés home. Your daughter wanted to have her engagement party in the house where she grew up. They said brides tend to be sentimental and it was true. You were surprised at her choice of venue because you thought that she would want a place that was more spacious and more glamorous because she was an interior designer after all. Your wife has been nagging you to take care of the yard and make sure that nothing unexpected would ruin the occasion. Everything was like a roller coaster ride for you. It has been years since you entertained in your home and you weren’t sure if you could still be the same host. Just then, your daughter entered the front door and asked how things were. You just gave her a reassuring smile and promised her that everything would be all right. Your main concern was how to get rid of cesspit bio-mat build up in our septic system.

After a hearty lunch of roast chicken, mashed peas, and mushroom soup, you went out to look at your yard again. It seemed fine. It looked as flawless as ever. The fruit and flowering trees framed the property beautifully. The grass was green but in the area of your cesspit, there seemed to be a shadow over the grass. When you checked a bit closer, the grass was dark green and soggy. You knew that this was trouble. Immediately, you called your septic expert and reported what happened. He said that he would come over as soon as he could. After a few minutes of assessment, the septic expert told you that there was a buildup of cesspit bio-mat. He brought the treatment log and found out that you didn’t adhere to the schedules. You admitted to this because of the fact that you became so busy with so many projects at work.

The septic expert checked the sinks, toilets, and drains first before he eliminated the bio-mat. He lectured you on how to get rid of the cesspit bio-mat effectively. Of course, you had no choice but to listen. Your wife was going to bite your head off if you didn’t.

  1. The cesspit system could be shocked with a treatment of non-pathogenic bacteria. This would allow the resident bacteria to be more effective and aggressive in breaking down the solid waste materials. As a result, the population of the bio-mat would be decreased because of this treatment. It would even correct the damages brought about by the antibacterial detergents and cleaning agents that you used.
  2. The water load of the cesspit should be lessened. This could be done by installing a dry well beside your cesspit. If the water load increases, then the solid waste materials would be stirred up and be dispersed into the surrounding soil absorption system.
  3. You should properly use your sinks, drains, and toilets. Do not treat them as trash bins where you dump non-biodegradable materials.
  4. Keep the maintenance and treatments schedules recommended. This does a lot to prevent further bio-mat build up.
  5. The last resort that is considered the most expensive one is replacing your cesspit. Here, the cesspit and the surrounding soil must be dug up.

It was a good thing that you were able to spot the problem or your wife and daughter would go ballistic. The smell from the soggy grass was pretty foul. There was only little backup in the house and no one noticed the smell because of the cooking done. You were just glad that the cesspit bio-mat was already cleared. So now you know how to get rid of cesspit bio-mat build. Your daughter was to have the best moment of her life in your house. It was definitely one of the best engagement presents that you could ever give her. You were a bit sad that your little girl was to get married already but you love your daughter and this was your way of making sure that her happiness started with you.

How to get rid of septic tank bio-mat buildup

Nov 28th, 2012
by Service.
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You have always been known as a person who sees to it that an investment was something worth every penny. It was your mantra to double check everything before making the final purchase. Since you were young, even when you bought something from your allowance, you checked the item out several times first before returning to pay for it and taking it home. You have incorporated this trait until you were able to purchase your own property. It was a large investment so you made sure that you visited it three times a month until you finally decided to make the buy. You made your real estate agent very happy when you finally signed the documents and the title. It even came to a point when he thought that you would never buy the property. But you did. How to get rid of septic tank bio-mat buildup was a question for a septic professional.  

Almost immediately, the construction team got to work in materializing your dream home. It was a design that you have made with your architect friend. You spent months working on it and even had your fiancé accompany you in choosing the right furniture to go with your new home’s theme. It was a contemporary Bali inspired home that you and your fiancé both dreamed of since you got back from your vacation there the year before. Of course, the construction took some time but when the house was finished, you could never hide your happiness and pride. The yard was the final thing to work on and this involved the septic system. It was the dirtiest part of having a house done but you had to see to everything that was done so that you may have the necessary information for any emergency.

The landscape architect gave way to the septic expert first, who immediately installed the septic system. It was a conventional septic system but still, it needed the recommended maintenance and care. Part of the treatment and care of your new septic system knew how to get rid of the septic tank bio-mat buildup. Since your septic system was new, you didn’t have bio-mat accumulation to worry about yet but it would be of great help to know how to get rid of septic tank bio-mat buildup before it was too late:

  1. Shocking the septic system with non-pathogenic bacteria so that every nook and cranny of your system will be reached by the good bacteria. This will significantly lower the population and the thickness of the bio-mat and even repair the damages brought about by the harsh antibacterial soaps or detergents used by your household.
  2. Using water wisely to lessen the water load of your septic system. This lessens the water load of your septic system. This doesn’t stir up the solid wastes inside the septic tank that could pour into the drain field and further thicken the bio-mat.
  3. Proper use of toilets, drains, and sinks by not dumping non-biodegradable materials into them.
  4. Making sure that you keep the treatment and maintenance schedules that your septic expert recommended. This will prevent bio-mat buildup and eliminate the present bio-mat buildup that your system may have presently.
  5. Replacing the entire septic system. This involves digging up the septic tank and the drain field as well. As a last resort, septic system replacement if the most expensive method of removing any trace of bio-mat.

Of course, it only seemed proper for you to see to it that bio-mat that obstructive would not have any place in your septic system. Your home was to be your lifelong investment with your fiancé. A month after your dream home was built, you finally got married. Your home was to be your nest. As the man of the house, you didn’t want your wife and future children to worry about things like septic system crises at all. You’re double checking habit definitely paid off big time when you discovered how to get rid of septic tank bio-mat buildup in your septic system.

How to clean a cesspit?

Nov 27th, 2012
by Service.
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How to clean a cesspit is a question that many homeowners would like to know. By the end of the week, you were determined to sit back and relax. It was a very taxing work week for you. All those cesspits from various areas of the state made you so worked out that you looked forward to doing absolutely nothing when the weekend came. When you got home, your youngest daughter came running to you. It was one of the best things that a hard working father could ever get from his child. Your daughter has always been very curious about so many things but she never asked anything about your work until that day.

Dinner was already served. Your wife made beef lasagna and garlic bread with creamy garlic dip. It was your favorite. After eating, your daughter followed you on the porch and sat beside you while you had your night cap. She asked what your work was all about and you said that you clean cesspits for a living. She looked at you with a bewildered look and asked how you did your job. It was the very first time that someone asked you that. You were never invited for career days in schools so you really had to hold your breath for a while and think of how you would be able to deliver your message to such a young child. You looked at her and told her that things were very complicated to explain but you would try to tell them as simple as you could possibly could. Below is a brief look into how to clean a cesspit.

  1. First thing to be done is to find where the cesspit’s opening is. It has to be found even if it has to be dug up.
  2. Next thing is to remove the lid of the cesspit’s opening. A metal bar or a brow bar can be used in the process.
  3. Before you start cleaning the cesspit, you have to wear proper safety attire like gloves, goggles or face shield, and extra layer of clothes.
  4. You have to get the filter from the filter unit.
  5. You should hose down the filter away from you until all of the waste is gone. You wouldn’t want to end up with all the waste in you.
  6. Place the filter back where it should be.
  7. Then the special enclosed truck of the septic professional will pump out all the sludge in the cesspit.
  8. The tank will then be hosed down until clinging sludge is removed from it. The dirty water will also be pumped out by the septic expert.
  9. The septic professional will then add in bacteria-friendly additives into the cesspit. This will help the bacteria to be better at breaking down the solid waste materials and also to help them have a balanced population. Such products can be poured into the cesspit or even into the toilet.
  10. The cesspit’s lid is then returned.
  11. The septic expert will then give the authorities a report that the cesspit was already cleaned.
  12. If the septic expert has a disposal certificate, he is permitted to dispose of the sludge in the proper area.

Your daughter scratched her head at what you just told her but more or less, she had the idea of what you just told her and she thought to herself about how to clean a cesspit. You added that even if the cesspits were already cleaned up, the homeowners should still do things that would make their cesspit last much longer. They should make sure that they do not dump grease, strong chemicals, non-biodegradable materials, and oils into their toilets and sinks; that they install a dry well to help ease the cesspit’s water load; that rainwater will not go over the cesspit; they should not let any form of construction and any type of vehicle over the cesspit; that they switch to bacteria- and environment-friendly household cleaning agents; that they follow the maintenance and treatment schedules; and that they do not plant trees near the cesspit area.

Do water softeners harm cesspools?

Nov 27th, 2012
by Service.
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This article will cover the age old question of do water softeners harm cesspools? Obsessive-compulsive was the usual description given to you by close friends and family. Well, being the first born usually excuses you for being a perfectionist. They said all first born were like that. It all started when you already learned how to play. You always made sure that the toys were arranged in a certain way. When you ate, you didn’t waste anything and finished everything off like any toddler should. When you started going to school, you were always keen on getting your work done and submitting it on time. You were never late in every appointment and when you started working, you made sure that every presentation was flawless and very innovative. It wasn’t a bad trait to be a perfectionist. In your case, you handled it pretty well. When you had your own home, it was spotless. Every utensil and every minute detail was in place. This was basically one of the reasons why your friends thought it very challenging to fins you a woman who could possibly be better than you in the house.

You went on a few dates, mostly to give way to your friends’ requests on meeting women who they think were right for you. After a while, when they finally gave up, you met someone on your own who really stood out because of her brains. She was a laboratory scientist for a local research facility. In a way, she had a little to do with your work on septic systems. Your business was all about designing and improving septic systems and septic system products. Technically, you spoke the same language and this brought you even closer. One day, you proposed to her and just a little over a month, you got married. Everyone was ecstatic because you have finally found the one woman to complete your life.

Since your business was about septic systems, you also dealt with the hard water issues that many homeowners encounter. Hard water really made cleaning very tedious and very time-consuming. There were even homeowners who gave up using their own water and just used a Laundromat for their clothes. They used so much water and soap in cleaning the house as well. It was a problem that your company wanted to find a solution to. You wanted to do something innovative that no other company in your field has thought of before. You wanted a water softening system installed with your septic system designs. This was for areas that had hard water. But because of the very confusing data about water softeners during that time, no one in your board seemed to be convinced that your idea was feasible.

It just so happened that your wife handled things like hard water and water softeners in her company. So, you invited her to explain what water softeners really did to septic systems like cesspools. Before the entire board, your wife presented her facts and tried to explain the age old question of do water softeners harm cesspools?

1) The salt discharges that contained minerals like iron, magnesium, and calcium do not harm cesspools. These minerals aid in the improvement of the percolation of the cesspool’s soil absorption system. The magnesium and calcium elements greatly make the movement of the air and water much better when the effluent gets dispersed into the surrounding soil. When this happens, no clogging takes place.

2) The amount of salt is not enough to combine with the clay in the surrounding soil to harden and clog it. It isn’t even enough to affect or kill off the residing bacteria that decomposed the solid waste particles. The salt discharge only occurs 2-3 times every week.

3) Water softeners do not only benefit the cesspool but also benefits the pockets of the homeowners. When the hard water is turned soft, water and soap consumption is decreased. The water load of the cesspool is lessened as well. When the water load in the cesspool is not that heavy, the bacteria have enough time to degrade the solid waste particles.

Because of your wife’s presentation, the new production line that you want was set into motion. You definitely owe it to your wife and your brilliant perfectionism for such a success to be brought about. Your wife did an excellent job of answering that age old question of do water softeners harm cesspools? You were very proud of her.

How to clean a cesspool

Nov 26th, 2012
by Service.
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This article covers the task of how to clean a cesspool. The cesspool is a term that has received numerous feedbacks of disgust and utter distaste. It is one part of your property that you would never want to frequent if given the choice. The mere idea that a cesspool is underneath your home often send shivers down the spine of many homeowners. But this kind of attitude towards your cesspool will not help you gain the best service that it offers. The cesspool is a living organism that treats the wastewater that comes from your home. Through this system, you and your family are safe from the toxins and pathogens that are contained in the wastewater. Like the conventional septic system, the cesspool recycles the wastewater into a form that is usable and environment-friendly.

Your cesspool is different from the usual septic system because of the holes around it and the absence of the outflow pipe. The holes serve as the outflow pipe, enabling the pre-treated effluent to be absorbed into the surrounding soil absorption system. Proper maintenance and care should also be provided for such an efficient server. The cesspool should be regularly inspected and pumped out. But how exactly does one do this? What are the steps that you should remember in cleaning a cesspool?

1)       Locate the lid or the opening of your cesspool. You could ask your septic expert or consult the blueprint of your property. The septic expert can also explain how to clean a cesspool.

2)       Remove the lid of your cesspool with the use of a crowbar and a metal bar.

3)       Protect yourself well before you start cleaning. Don an extra layer of clothing, goggles/face shield, and think gloves.

4)       Any form of filter should be unscrewed.

5)       Hose down the filter away from you.

6)       Return the filter and replace its lid.

7)       With the help of your septic professional, the cesspool will be pumped. The special, enclosed truck will contain the sludge that is pumped out from your cesspool.

8)       You could then hose down the sides of the cesspool to make sure that there are no significant amount of sludge that still clings on.

9)       The water from the last hose down will again be pumped out.

10)   The septic professional will administer a bacteria- and environment-friendly additive that will optimize the number and performance of the existing bacteria in the cesspool.

11)   The cesspool’s lid is replaced and covered.

12)   The septic expert will give a report containing the information about the success of your cesspools clean up.

13)   If the septic expert has a disposal certification, only then would he be allowed to properly dispose of the sludge that he collected.

The care for your cesspool doesn’t stop in cleaning. The effort would be much more effective if you make sure that you do the right things after the actual cesspool cleaning. Small things like making sure that no vehicle or no construction will be placed over your cesspool; not dumping grease, strong chemicals, antibacterial agents, and non-biodegradable materials will be dumped into the toilets and drains; installing a dry well to lessen the cesspool’s water load; making sure that no rainwater runoff will reach your cesspool area; and not planting any woody rooted plants and trees over your cesspool area. These are things that you have to remember after each treatment or pump out. This is like resetting the life span of your cesspool to a brand new start.

How to clean a cesspool is a lot to undertake. It may not be easy to accept this kind of responsibility at first because this does need your time, attention, and budget considerations. But think about the long-term benefits of having a smooth –running cesspool system. You may be looking at decades of continuous cesspool function if you care for it properly. It is not something that you should take very lightly because the moment you do not fulfill your end of the deal, the cesspool will malfunction or fail. And you will be left with much regret and a large hole in your pocket.

What is a septic system d-box

Nov 13th, 2012
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What is a septic system d-box? For those who have just heard this term… No, it’s not a digital box or a music box of some sort. The d-box or the distribution box is one of the components of the drain field, wherein the treated effluent goes through to be distributed equally throughout the surrounding environment. More than ne d-box can be installed and used. It connects the single line of effluent from the septic tank to a vast network of lateral lines, galleys, or seepage pits.

If a d-box is installed properly, then there could be a regulation of the actual distribution of effluent through the use of a plug with a hole for electricity. Just in case the d-box is clogged or tipped, the effluent could be diverted to only one part of the soil absorption system. This results to an overloading and a bursting out of the effluent right onto the surface. It may even result to a backup or clogging of the system. The interior of the d-box should be inspected for any possible clogging or saturation has taken place. If the drain field has been flooded before, then that part of the septic system would be malfunctioning or failing soon.

To care for the d-box or distribution box, you have to know how to find it. Here are some steps in finding the d-box:

1)       First, you should check with the local health department for any permits or plans made for your property. It’s likely that the contractor inserted an outline of the installed septic system. It would not be sure thing but it is definitely a good place to start your search. Even if you’re not sure about this record map, it would help you know the location of the pipe routes, the septic tank and the drain field.

2)       Go to the area of your property where you think the drain field and lateral lines were installed. Look at the grass over the drain field. They appear to grow a lot faster and are greener than the other grass in the yard. The d-box would most probably be located at the side near the house, at the center of the lateral lines.

3)       You can use a metal rod to find out the exact location of the drain pipes from the house. Follow that pipe to the septic tank. Carefully dig into the ground with a metal rod. Slowly do this until you hit the pipe so you won’t damage it. The outlet pipe that you hit will lead you to the d-box, which is just a square of 16 inches.

It is important for the d-box to be located so that you may be able to have it inspected and cleaned. The d-box could also be clogged because of the condition of the effluent and the drain field itself. When it is time for your septic tank to get pumped out, ask your septic expert to inspect and clean out your d-box as well.

If you have located your d-box already, make a simplified map of it with labels and measurements so that your septic expert could have a reference the next time he goes to your home to treat your system. The more detailed the drawing, the better. Make several copies of it to make sure that you won’t lose that valuable information. Never count on your memory when it comes to determining such a complex location.

The d-box is not that deep bit it is quite small. If you want your septic expert to replace the small d-box make sure that the larger d-box would not be tilted or tipped. This way, the effluent would be distributed through all the lines of the drain field.

Regular pumping helps in making sure that the d-box is sludge-free. Talk to your septic expert to know the pumping out schedule. Also make sure to use the septic system properly. What you do to one part of the septic system affects the rest in the system including the d-box. So, now you know the answer to the question, what is a septic system d-box?

Septic tank safe laundry detergents

Oct 17th, 2012
by Service.
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The washing machine, it’s not only a mechanized house chore assistant. It is a dependable life saver for your health. It is a fact that part of your hygiene is wearing clean clothes. If you have fresh clothes that are ready to wear, you’re always raring to go. Your self-esteem is boosted when you have your laundry done on time. With your washing machine, you fulfill this need at a much faster pace always remembering to use septic safe launder detergents in the process.

Of course, laundry detergents have to be placed in your washing machine so that you could get the job done. Aside from the ability of the detergent to effectively remove dirt and stains while leaving a fresh scent, you should also make sure that they are safe for your septic tank and the environment.

When you wash your dirty clothes, grey water is dumped into the septic tank. The grey water is the wastewater from washing your clothes. It is also the term use for the wastewater that comes from the dishwasher. You may already know that your septic tank is your household’s wastewater treatment facility. When you choose septic tank safe laundry detergents, make sure that you pick the liquid form if you have the conventional, gravity-powered system. If you have an aerated septic system, it would be most ideal for you to use powdered septic tank safe laundry detergents to avoid excessive foaming in the aeration chamber.

Aside from being liquid in form, your septic tank safe laundry detergents should not contain (or at least have low amounts of) phosphates and surfactants, and should be biodegradable. Phosphates encourage algal growth. If algae grow too fast and too abundant in the water system to which the phosphates drain to, then there will be a total depletion of dissolved oxygen. Of course, when there is no oxygen, there is no life. The aquatic system is left for dead. Surfactants are the sud-producers and grime-lifters in the laundry detergents. The more surfactants, the more soap suds you have. Another trait that you should look for in your septic tank safe laundry detergents is that it should be concentrated. A concentrated liquid septic tank safe laundry detergent allows you to wash clothes even with just a small amount.

You may find yourself overwhelmed by the various brands of laundry detergents that keep on coming out these days. To help you with your choice, here are some ideal brands of septic tank safe laundry detergents that you may want to try:

1)       Arm & Hammer

2)       Charlie’s Soap Laundry Detergent

3)       Cheer

4)       Earth Friendly Laundry Products

5)       Boraxo

6)       Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds

7)       Equator

8)       Amway S-A-8

9)       Naturally Yours Laundry Detergent

10)   Dash

11)   Country Save Laundry Products

12)   Fresh Start

13)   Bi-O-Kleen Laundry Powder

14)   Oxydol

15)   Ecover Liquid Laundry Wash

16)   Healthy Living Fresh Laundry Concentrate

17)   Ecover Wool Wash Laundry Liquid

18)   Oxy Prime Laundry Detergent

19)   Planet Delicate Laundry Wash

20)   Mrs. Meyers Laundry Detergent

21)   Cal Ben Seafoam Laundry Soap

22)   Ecover Ultra Washing Powder

23)   Planet Ultra Liquid or Powdered Laundry Detergent

24)   Mountain Green Ultra Laundry Liquid

25)   Seventh Generation Laundry Powder

26)   Ultra Citra-Suds Natural Laundry Detergent

27)   Sodasan Soap Washing Powder

28)   Restore Laundry Detergent

29)   Seventh Generation Laundry Liquid

Surfing the web, asking your septic expert, asking your local septic store owner, or conducting your personal survey would help you make your decision in picking out the septic tank safe dishwasher detergents that you want. Maybe you would like to have trials of each product to know which does your system and the environment the most benefits.

It won’t be magic for your septic tank in terms of efficiency when you use septic tank safe laundry detergents. You still have to pump it out regularly and use the system properly as a homeowner should. Never depend on product propaganda and additives to care for your septic tank. Some septic tank safe laundry detergents may be more expensive so look for the brands that fir your budget as well.

Septic additives do help leach fields

Oct 11th, 2012
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Your best friend was going to drop by to discuss a real estate project with you. It was a perfect excuse to cook and clean up, which you didn’t do on a regular basis because of all the office and charity work that you had to do. After making pasta and cheesecake, you decided to start cleaning the bathrooms. Then, you vacuumed everything and swept the yard. You still had an hour to wait so you turned on your computer and started browsing through your favorite websites. After a while, you smelled something weird. You just cleaned the entire house but faint, disarming smells wafted through the house. To resolve this, you lit up your aromatic oils to mask the horrid smells until your best friend arrived. You should have remembered that septic additives do help leach fields.

When your best friend entered your home, she went straight to the bathroom. There was silence for a few minutes but she immediately went out covering her nose and mouth. She said that the drains were backing up and she wasn’t able to finish flushing because she was afraid that the toilet would back up and flood the bathroom as well. You wondered why this happened. You just had the drains checked by your plumber the other day and he said that there was no problem. But apparently, there was. Your best friend suggested that you should call up your septic expert instead. This was way bigger than just superficial clogs. Something was wrong with your septic system.

You apologized to your best friend and decided to have your meeting at the front yard. You brought out the food and covered them as you waited for your coffee to brew. The septic expert arrived with his equipment. You invited him to join you for a while before he started dealing with the septic problem. The first thing the septic professional said was that septic additives do help leach fields. After a few minutes of eating and having coffee, the septic expert excused himself and went to work. He assessed the septic system and discovered that your leach field had a minor clog. He suggested that septic additives should be applied to help make the leach field improve.

As you may know, the leach field is the part of the septic system that purifies the outgoing effluent before it is distributed into the surrounding environment. If the leach field is blocked or clogged up, the wastewater will back up into your home and onto your yard. This was the reason why the sinks, drains, and toilets in your home were backing up and septic odors were wafting through your home. This could be avoided if monthly leach field treatments are given to your system. There are many septic additives to choose from these days. But biological additives are the best that you could use. Biological additives are bacteria and enzymes that increase the efficiency of the resident bacteria. This is bacteria- and environment friendly so you can be confident that no harm will befall your septic system, its resident bacteria, and the surrounding water systems in your area.

The septic system’s real fuel is the bacteria that break down the solid waste materials and purify the effluent. If the anaerobic bacteria are always kept in large numbers, the degradation of the solid wastes is maintained. With this, the effluent is kept clear to be dispersed into the leach field. In the leach field, the aerobic bacteria are responsible for eliminating the disease-causing microorganisms in the effluent.

Your best friend was surprised at why you didn’t use septic additives in your leach field and that septic additives do help leach fields. It was exactly what you needed in your subdivision development project. You only refused to use septic additives because you wanted to maintain the old ways that you grew up to. You only pumped out your septic tank and that was it. With septic additives, the leach field will be greatly improved because the clogging will be immensely lessened. No homeowner would want a failing leach field after all.

Odors coming from the sink can mean trouble

Oct 1st, 2012
by Service.
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Celebrating your birthday has always been a red-letter event. Even if it just involved having dinner with your girlfriend or your family, it was always special. There was a time when you were so busy to plan your birthday celebration that your family and friends surprised you with one. It was done over a weekend so everyone was there. This year, you planned on having a party in the coming weekend. There was going to be a holiday on the following Monday so you were expecting really long celebration. That was when your wife said to you the there were odors coming from the kitchen sink. You father said that odors coming from the sink can mean trouble.

With the plan brewing in your head, you went to your bathroom to wash your face. Your faithful pug sat at your feet and watched you. When you bent over, you smelled something foul. You though that your dog just farted but it came from the sink. You knew that odors coming from the sink can men trouble so you immediately called your septic expert.

He said that there was indeed a problem with your septic system so he said that he would check on it immediately. After a few minutes, he arrived and inspected the system. He checked on the plumbing but there wasn’t any problem only odors coming from the sink can mean trouble.He concluded that it was in the septic system itself. When he checked the records, it showed that you were not able to have the tank pumped out three years ago. Anyone who was as busy as you were would have also forgotten the scheduled pump out.

It was trouble for you because you can’t afford to have your septic system replaced. There are so many caused of septic trouble that you may have unknowingly done yourself. The septic expert enumerated some of them:

1)       Use of antibacterial solutions

Many households use antibacterial solutions to clean their homes and you were one of them. Paranoia struck you hard before because of a skin irritation that infected your brother when he visited a year ago. From then on, you used nothing but antibacterial household cleaners. These cleaners kill off the resident bacteria that decompose or break down the solid particles in the wastewater. If there are no bacteria to do the job, the entire septic system fails to work.

2)       Dumping of grease and fats

Grease and fats clog the system. They are not easily digested by the resident bacteria so they just get dispersed into the drain field and clog the entire septic system. You were guilty of this especially when you used your garbage disposal. You just disposed of the grease and fats in there everytime you had pork chops.

3)        Dumping of non-biodegradable materials

Non-biodegradable materials such as paint, tampons, diapers, napkins, and plastic items completely add up to the clogs in the system. Even if you did use your garbage disposal, it didn’t change the composition of these items. They are not degraded by the resident bacteria and just stay in the system. These materials clog the septic system, which will eventually lead to malfunction and failure.

 4)       Increased water load

An increase in water load can be brought about by a heavy rain fall directed over the system, a heavy batch of laundry every week, and more people living in the house. The rain gutter should be diverted away from the system, the laundry should be divided in a week, and there should be an adjustment in the size of the system if there will be more people living in your home.

5)       Trees, vehicles, or construction over the tank or drain field

Tree roots could invade the system components in search of water and nutrients. Vehicles or construction placed over the system damages the system’s components because of the heavy weight.

6)       Not pumping on schedule

When you fail to have your tank pumped out, the sludge will get dispersed into your drain field and clog the system.

 7)       Pumping during heavy rains

If you pump your system during heavy rains, the mud and silt will enter the system. The mud and silt will clog the system and will lead to malfunction and failure.

 The septic expert corrected the septic malfunction and you just couldn’t be more grateful because you could get on with planning your birthday celebration the coming weekend. You definitely learned your lesson and asked the septic expert to always remind you of your pump out schedules. Remember, odors coming from the sink can mean trouble.

How to locate your septic

Sep 19th, 2012
by Service.
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Locating your septic system can be a very challenging endeavor especially if you are one of those homeowners who do not want to have anything to do with it. Most homeowners just rely in their septic experts or their old practices in maintaining or inspecting their septic systems. When you talk about the old ways, you just put a cake of yeast or some peelings in your septic tank and walk away. When you leave it to your septic expert, you depend on him for even the slightest thing, which could be very annoying even for a professional. Plus, it would be very costly for you to have everything performed by the professional. There are some things that you can do yourself when it comes to your septic system but initially, you have to know where it is located in your property. How to locate your septic is key in owning a home with as septic tank and drain field.

It is undeniable that the septic system needs to be regularly maintained and cared for. The septic tank has to be pumped regularly because the accumulated sludge will bring forth clogging to the rest of the system if it I     s not removed. It would definitely require less money for the homeowner if the septic system is located. This includes the uncovering of the opening or the manhole itself. It will be easier to treat and inspect as well. The septic system cover should be secure or durable for safety purposes. It should not be easily opened and even concealed so that they won’t be discovered by pets or children.

In locating your septic system, you should consider the following:

1. Take note of the safety warnings such as:

Collapsing old septic systems? If the property you bought has a very old septic system, you should be very, very careful because this could be life-threatening. Keep an eye out for sinking areas of the property, rusted through septic manholes, hand-made covers, wooden covers, and homemade drywells and cesspool. These are prone to collapses. You should make sure that you never work alone especially in cases like this.

Several main drains

Several main drains may be installed when the structure is very bid such as a plaza or a huge building. This is because of more than one septic system installed in the entire property. Some buildings may have only one septic system but multiple waste lines or openings. In a modern household, this would be very unlikely.

Dry wells

Also consider the dry wells that are installed to help the septic system’s water load to decrease.

Bigger main drains

Also consider the main drains that are bigger, about 4-6 inches in diameter. Just follow those drains and you will find the septic system and the opening.

2. Ask the knowledgeable

There is nothing wrong in asking people who are very knowledgeable about the exact location of the septic system opening. If you have bought a house that had a previous owner, then it would be better for you to ask that person about the location of the septic system. But this could only be done to previous owners who were very familiar with the property and those who have not forgotten it. If the previous owner doesn’t know the location of the septic system, there is a huge possibility that the system was not maintained properly and on schedule.

You could also ask the septic pumpers who have handled the septic system of the property that you have bought. These professionals may know where the exact location of the septic system opening really is.

3. Look for soggy areas

Look for wet or soggy parts of the yard and follow that part until it ends. This would most probably where the septic system opening is located. You have to ask the guidance of a septic expert in doing this and let his asses to be sure. Tell the professional you need to know how to locate your septic system.

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