Septic tank maintenance

Septic tank maintenance

Are sand mound aerators beneficial?

May 9th, 2013
by Service.
No comments yet

This article will discuss the age old question of Are sand mound aerators beneficial? You just turned off the television after a marathon of commercials. You have long been a septic of various products. Elaborate advertisements never impressed you enough to actually buy the product. When you used a product, you saw to it was absolutely effective. It was your mandate to yourself to try a product first before you patronize it. Through the years this was your practice until you had your own home. Several home product promoters have visited your home and left some samples for you to try. Only less than a handful was ever contacted by you because you thought that their product was actually amazing enough for you to buy. Once day, a septic product agent came by your house and tried to sell you a sand mound aerator. You listened to his presentation.

The sand mound is a type of septic system that treats the wastewater that your household produces. This is installed in a property that has a high water table. The sand mound is also known as a raised mound because it is literally raised above the ground. It is said to be more sensitive than other septic systems because it is exposed to the elements. Other septic systems are built underneath the soil where the heat produced by the metabolic activities of the bacteria is trapped. In the case of a sand mound, you have to cover it with a construction fabric first before you cover it with a thin layer of topsoil. This way, the rain and snow will not penetrate the system, provided that the construction fabric is not ruined or tattered in any way.

Like any septic system, the sand mound has anaerobic and aerobic bacteria to break down solid particles and to purify the effluent further as it reaches the soil absorption system. But even if there are bacteria that perform the main job in the sand mound system, there are still bits and pieces of solid particles that make it through and clog the soil absorption system. With this, a much greater mode of enhancement is used by several homeowners. These are sand mound aerators. You asked, “Are sand mound aerators beneficial?” Of course, they are!

Sand mound aerators are responsible for giving the sand mound with so much more oxygen. This encourages the growth of aerobic bacteria. As a result, the solid waste materials are broken down further into smaller pieces. The aerobic bacteria help the natural purification in the soil absorption system go much faster. By the time the entire process is done, the effluent is said to come out 90% more odorless and much clearer. After just 4 to 6 weeks of the aeration system doing the job, your sand mound system will dramatically improve.

The amount of oxygen is much higher in the sand mound when the aerator system is installed. This makes your sand mound system even more reliable than it was before. Clogging will be virtually non-existent because of the  super aerobic bacteria that have found their way into the system. It is like having your very own reinforcement of bacteria or even a quadruple dose of bacteria. But this also requires your maintenance and care. The aeration system cannot do it alone. You have to use your drains, toilets, and sinks properly, stay away from antibacterial solutions and harsh chemicals, and always adhere to the pump out and treatment schedules. This way,  you will be able to have both the aeration system and your sand mound system intact for decades.

After hearing the promoter’s presentation, you were convinced that you really had to have an aeration system installed in your sand mound. You’re already a homeowner. Part of your responsibility was to make sure that your sand mound system and your entire property would last for a very long time. It was an investment that you have saved for and through the aeration system, every penny was worth it. We hope this article properly discussed the age old question of are sand mound aerators beneficial?

Will hydrogen peroxide clean septics?

May 7th, 2013
by Service.
No comments yet

This article will help the reader understand the age old question of will hydrogen peroxide clean septics? Septics are wastewater treatment systems that are especially designed and built for your household. It could only accommodate the number of household members that you have. If you have plans of increasing the number of people that live in your home, you may want to upgrade your septic as well. As you may know, the septic system is composed of two basic components—the septic tank and the drain field. It cannot be denied that the septics of your household experience a very strenuous experience of holding and treating wastewater.

Because of this, it is constantly exposed to tough stains and detrimental pathogens. It is definitely a must for the septic system to undergo regular maintenance and care. Sadly, not every homeowner believe in constantly looking after their septics. They usually just carry on with the old ways of just leaving them be or just dropping in yeast cakes every now and then. The septic system is a living organism underneath your property that you should take care of because it takes care of you. With this fact served up, you should adhere to the pump out and treatment schedules recommended by your septic expert.

The septics should be regularly cleaned as well. There are so many products in the market these days that are considered effective and safe for your septics. It can be very overwhelming to scan the aisles of septic stores to find the perfect one that you could use. You should keep in mind that the cleaning solution to pick should be economical and safe for you, the environment, and for your septics. One of the chemical additives that you should consider is hydrogen peroxide. But will hydrogen peroxide clean septics optimally?

Hydrogen peroxide isn’t like other chemical additives in the market today. This is truly a very versatile chemical compound because of its many uses both as a cleaning agent and an antiseptic/disinfectant. It is commonly used by women to instantly get rid of blood stains during their period especially when they are outside their homes. You could also find hydrogen peroxide in first aid kits because this compound is effective in removing blood and killing off any bacteria present in the wound area. Here are other uses of hydrogen peroxide that you may already be familiar with:

  1. If you want to remove tough blood or wine stains on fabrics, just spot apply three percent hydrogen peroxide.
  2. In dental hygiene, hydrogen peroxide can be used through the following ways:
    1. If you want to make sure that your toothbrush remains safe from bacteria when you’re not using it, soak it in three percent hydrogen peroxide especially when you store it in one container with the other toothbrushes at home.
    2. Your dentures should be rid of stains and bacteria as well. Soak them in three percent hydrogen peroxide solution for half an hour or overnight. Rinse it under running water before you wear it again.

 

  1. Lighten your hair, clean your face, and rinse your mouth with diluted hydrogen peroxide as well.
  2. One pint of hydrogen peroxide in a gallon of water could be used in disinfecting and cleaning walls, humidifiers, windows, and blinds.
  3. 50:50 parts of water and three percent hydrogen peroxide could be used in cleaning the bathroom areas (shower, glass doors, mirrors, floor, and sink).
  4. You could also use three percent hydrogen peroxide in cleaning your meats before you cook them. It could also be used in cleaning cutting boards, trash cans, refrigerators, dishwashers, and areas of the kitchen (sink, counter, floor, and walls).

Because hydrogen peroxide is effective in getting rid of the pathogenic bacteria in your septics, there is a significant change in the septic odors. It is practically odorless already after hydrogen peroxide usage. Remember to ask the guidance of your septic expert so that the proper dilution can be used in cleaning your septics. It may be very useful and harmless when diluted but when hydrogen peroxide is in its pure form, it can be dangerous already. Be sure to store your stock of hydrogen peroxide in a place that cannot be reached by pets or children. We hoped this article helped the reader understand the age old question of will hydrogen peroxide clean septics?

Raised mound repair costs

May 2nd, 2013
by Service.
No comments yet

This article will cover the issue of raised mound repair cost for residential septic systems. Life can be so unpredictable. One moment you’re home, watching your favorite TV series and the next thing you know, your bathroom’s all backed up with wastewater and your yard is flooded. It was not your cup of tea to live in a foul environment. You had health issues and the last thing you wanted was to wade in wastewater and breathe raised mound odors. Your septic expert told you that your raised mound had to be well-maintained because it’s a bit more special than the conventional septic system.

You did your best but there were just not enough time for you to maintain the status of being an ideal homeowner. You had your job and your health to look after. After calling up your septic expert, he came over to inspect everything. He said that there were some parts that he needed to replace and there were some that only needed repairs. In a way, you were relieved that you didn’t have to pay thousands of dollars for a brand new raised mound system.

The septic expert enumerated a number of possible causes for your malfunctioning raised mound:

  • non-biodegradables in the system
  • grease in the system
  • corrosive chemicals in the system
  • no pumping out
  • increased water load
  • hardwood plants over or near the raised mound
  • construction over the raised mound
  • vehicles over the raised mound
  • the construction fabric needs replacement

The septic expert did a thorough inspection so that he may be able to identify the exact cause of the raised mound malfunction. With proper cause determination, the septic expert could very well start with the necessary remedies. It was a good thing that your septic expert was licensed. There are other septic professionals who claim that they’re certified but just do mediocre work for a fast check.

The raised mound repair costs that you have to prepare for depend on the septic professional and the services to be given with the repairs. It’s more like a “by case” pricing. It also depends on the state that you live in and the prices of the products to be used on your system. The following are some of the estimates amounts for particular areas to be repaired or replaced:

  • for a new shut-off valve,  25 – 50 USD
  • for repairing the drain field, 1,200 – 2,500 USD
  • for a new raised mound,  8,000 – 15,000 USD
  • for a waste pipe replacement, 25 – 75 USD 
  • for copper replacement of supply pipes, 10 – 15 USD 
  • for raised mound tank replacement,1,800 – 2,500 USD
  • for the insulation of supply piping, 1 – 3 USD 
  • for outside hose bib replacement,75 -150 USD
  • for supply pipe replacement,5 – 10 USD 
  • for trap or drain repairs, 75 – 200 USD 
  • for pvc replacement of waste pipes, 5 – 10 USD 
  • for cast iron waste pipe replacement, 10 – 15 USD
  • for ordinary leak repairs, 75 -125 USD

The raised mound repair costs could be very overwhelming if you’re not ready for it. It should be a rule in your home to have a raised mound repair fund, much like your medical funds. You’ll never know what might go wrong with your raised mound system.  You just have to allot small amounts like a swear jar to help you accumulate enough. It doesn’t have to cripple your budget.

When your raised mound “gets sick”, you often ask yourself what you could have done wrong. Most of the time, homeowners are not aware that they bring harm to their septic. The mere accommodation of more household members could cause problems already because the raised mound’s capacity was designed and built according to the number of people who live in the house at the very start.

Remember to coordinate with your septic expert about the raised mound repair costs constantly so that you may be updated and be ready with the prices. Take care of your raised mound because if it suddenly fails, it will cost more than you have the first time. We hope this article covered the issue of raised mound repair cost and the effects they can have of residential septic systems.

Drain field enzymes

Apr 29th, 2013
by Service.
No comments yet

This article will cover drain field enzymes and the effects they have on septic systems. What are enzymes? Enzymes are substances that act as catalysts to hasten the metabolism of living organisms. You have them in your body, particularly in your digestive tract. They help accelerate the process of digestion so that the food you eat could be efficiently absorbed by your body. Because of this function, enzymes are also used for the improvement of your septic.

The septic system is essentially a living organism found underneath your home. It is composed of the septic tank and the drain field. The septic tank is where the primary wastewater treatment process happens. Here, the anaerobic bacteria break down the solid waste materials that flow inward with the wastewater. Enzymes are present there to enhance the digestion process that takes place. The drain field is where the final phase of wastewater treatment takes place. Here, the minute traces of solid waste are degraded by the aerobic bacteria that thrive there. The bio-mat soon filters and purifies the resulting effluent, stripping away the harmful pathogens and pollutants. The aerobic bacteria regulate the bio-mat by consuming it so that it won’t get thick enough to clog the drain field. Enzymes are also present in the drain field to help the aerobic bacteria with their work.

But there are times when the drain field fails to efficiently do its job and this can be detrimental to the household, to the system, and to the environment. If the drain field malfunctions, the rest of the septic is affected. Many septic product manufacturers recommend the use of drain field enzymes to correct any malfunction caused by slow performing bacteria or by heavy blockage. Enzymes are found in biological additives that like bacteria, occur naturally. The biological additives contain enzymes and by applying drain field enzymes to your system, the drain field’s performance will greatly improve. But there are experts that disagree on this note. 

Experts say that the enzymes contained in these additives are not enough to make significant improvement in the drain field’s performance. They argue that humans waste has much more beneficial enzymes. By simply dumping human waste every single day, you could already supply the drain field and the rest of the septic with generous amounts of enzymes needed for more efficient functioning. They only recommend regular pumping out of the septic to prevent the sludge from overflowing and dispersing into the drain field.

Because of the today’s demanding lifestyle, many homeowners opt for the easy way in taking care of their drain field. They would love to skip the pumping out process already because they think that this could save them more time and money.  The cry of the consumers for a pump out-free septic is taken advantage of by septic product manufacturers. They come up with new products and promise consumers that they will NEVER have to pump out their septic if they patronize the product. As a result, more and more consumers believe the promises and depend on the drain field enzymes as a means to maintain the system’s health. The exaggerations of these manufacturers reel in new buyers of their products even if pumping out is still needed.

Pumping out the septic is the number one method of maintaining your septic system. With this regular treatment, the sludge level is kept at normal levels. In effect, the drain field is kept safe from clogging and the process of wastewater treatment is kept at a smooth, steady pace. But there should be a set schedule for pumping out your septic. This should be done according to the number of people who live in your home. If you have two people living in there, pump out every 3 years. If you have a moderate sized household of up to five people, pump out every 2 years. A yearly pump out is a must for a large household of 6 or more members.

Using drain field enzymes or not is completely up to you. Just always make sure that you use the septic properly and coordinate with your septic expert at all times. We hope this article covered drain field enzymes and the effects they have on septic systems.

Leaking septic system distribution box

Apr 25th, 2013
by Service.
No comments yet

This article will cover leaking septic system distribution boxes the how they work. Morning came too abruptly that day. Somehow, the hangover was still working its way through. But you knew that you had to start your day early for your girlfriend’s birthday picnic. Coffee was an order for you so you showered, got dressed, and went downstairs only to find your pug sitting beside a poo gift on the floor. The entire house smelled awful. It couldn’t have come from that small poo. You checked the entire lower floor. The sinks, toilets, and drains all backed up. No wonder the shower drained slowly upstairs.

Your septic expert arrived after you cleaned up what your pug left on the floor. Your housebroken dog didn’t poo inside the house since he was a two months old. It was because of the disarming smells inside your home that made your pug think that the entire house suddenly became his huge toilet. The septic expert inspected your whole property and discovered that you had a leaking septic system distribution box.

As you may already know, the septic system is composed of the septic tank and the drain field. The drain field is where the last stage of wastewater treatment takes place. It is where the pre-treated effluent is purified by the aerobic bacteria and then filtered by the bio-mat, ridding it of disease-causing microorganisms and pollutants. The drain field has components that equally distribute the recycled wastewater back to the surrounding environment. These are the lateral lines and the distribution box. The distribution box is aptly named because it really distributed the effluent to the entire drain field and the surrounding systems. It’s also called the d-box as a shorter term.  

The leaking septic system distribution pipe could have been brought about by soil compaction or old age. Soil compaction results from placing structures or vehicles over the drain field. Their heaviness compresses the soil, crushing drain field components such as the d-box. Old age of the d-box can be a cause of the cracks and broken connections as well. If any kind of damage is incurred by the d-box it should be immediately repaired. If there are any parts to be replaced, it should be done immediately. However, if the damage is too extensive, it would save you more if you just have the unit replaced by a new one.

Your septic expert worked on repairing your leaking d-box. You watched his every calculated step:

a)       The soil was dug clear from your distribution box.

Soil should not enter the d-box or it will aggravate the situation. At least 12 inches should be cleared. Since the d-box is leaking, thick boots and gloves were worn as protection. There should be more than enough work space.

b)       Thorough inspection of the d-box was made.

Any damaged PVC pipe should be immediately repaired. If there are PVC portions that need to be cut off and replaced, do so with new ones and fix them with PVC cement. Debris should not enter the pipes or the d-box as it’s being repaired.

c)       The needed amount of cement was mixed thoroughly and was poured slowly into the mold.

The sides of the frame/mold should be tapped to get rid of trapped bubbles.

d)       The wooden mold/frame was removed carefully after 24 hrs of setting the cement.

The adhesives should be checked as this is done to make sure that there would be no future leaks.

e)       The distribution box was well-sealed before it was buried with soil.

Proper sealing should be done to keep the d-box the effluent in.

f)        The d-box was leveled properly.

It needs to be leveled well so that the effluent could be equally distributed throughout the drain field.

It took a while but the septic expert and his team was able to clean up that day. You had to cancel the celebration for a day because of the sudden crisis. But all was well. You asked your septic expert to help your with your septic so that nightmare of a morning won’t happen again. This article covered leaking septic system distribution boxes the how they work. We hope it helped the reader to better to understand how a distribution box works.

Leaking septic system d-box

Apr 25th, 2013
by Service.
No comments yet

This article will cover leaking septic system d-box. You have definitely changed ever since you moved into your very own home. It was a pretty huge change indeed but your attention to detail was even more enhanced the moment you started life in your new house. Everything needed to be in the best condition possible.

One weekend morning, you wanted to have breakfast on your back porch. It was beautifully designed and really complemented your flower garden. When your eyes stopped at the lawn, you squinted a bit to see if what you were seeing was real. And yes they were. Wet spots were all over your drain field area. You didn’t waste another minute more. When you phoned your septic expert, he said that he would be right over.

After a few minutes, he arrived and inspected the area. He said that there was a leaking septic system d-box in your leach field. Your eyes widened and wondered why your new septic system would have troubles already. It just so happened that the agent who sold you your house didn’t tell you that the drain field has a faulty d-box. You decided to phone in the complaint after the septic expert did his job.

In order to fix a leaking septic system d-box, the following steps were done by your septic expert:

1)       The dirt was cleared away from the d-box because any trace of soil could aggravate its incurred damages. Make a clearing of twelve inches. Proper protection such as thick boots should be worn to protect the skin from the leaking wastewater. There should be more than enough work space.

2)       The damage of the d-box was carefully inspected. The broken or cracked PVC pipes were the  ones initially repaired. The damaged portions were well-measured and well-cut. A PVC pipe cleaner was used to prepare the new pipes. PVC cement was then used to fix the new set of pipes.

3)       If there were any large pieces of cement that have broken off the d-box, they were removed. The form was built once the d-box had no debris anymore. It as made sure that the boards were firmly placed before the cement was added.

4)       The cement was mixed well and poured slowly to fill the mold. The sides were tapped so that no air bubbles would form. More cement was added to reach the needed height. It took a day to set the cement.

5)       The wooden mold or frame was removed carefully and checked if there was good bondage in the repaired components like the pipes.

6)       To prevent future leaks, the d-box was sealed well before it was covered with dirt.

7)       It should be properly leveled so that the d-box could distribute the effluent evenly. Once even, the hole of the d-box was refilled.

The septic expert and his team were careful in what they did. They wanted to do their job well. You noticed how meticulous he was so you went inside and prepared some snacks for them.

The d-box interior should be clear of all debris, dirt, or excess concrete. It the d-box encounters a clog inside, the repairs would be much more expensive. Before the septic expert started, he let you know that if the d-box was beyond bandages, you have to just replace the d-box unit rather than keep on having it repaired all the time. Repairing the d-box of your drain field is always a very crucial decision. To allow the setting of the cement, you would have to stop using the septic for a day. That would be a huge sacrifice on your part. Unless you’re prepared to experience having to use a neighbor’s or a relative’s bathroom every now and then, you would just have to really see if the system would be better off having the leaking septic system d-box replaced instead of just repaired.

It was really important to you to have everything done in just one go, to save time and money. At that point, your septic expert was able to repair the leaking septic system d-box but you were certain that you would have it replaced soon. This article covered leaking septic system d-box. We hoped it helped you.

Cesspool treatments

Apr 18th, 2013
by Service.
No comments yet

Your house is said to be your very own haven. It is your escape from everything that is negative outside. Every week, you always look forward to spending time at home with your mellow cocker spaniel. As with any homeowner, it is always important to maintain a clean and functional home where you can recharge your batteries. Lately, you have been trying to recall what schedule you had to keep. Suddenly, your cesspool expert called. He reminded you of the cesspool treatments that your system had to have that month.

That was the call that you have been waiting for. It was mandatory for you to make sure that the cesspool doesn’t malfunction or fail. It was very necessary to have the cesspool treatments to make sure that your house will remain functioning for decades to come. For years, you have subjected your cesspool to regular treatments. But you didn’t really know what kind of additives your cesspool expert uses on your system. Thanks to the Internet, you were able to analyze the various innovations in the field of septic care.

When it comes to cesspool treatments, there can never be a better person to give them than your cesspool expert. He is a professional and is very well-protected from the possible harsh chemicals and the toxic components of the cesspool. It is very important to perform the cesspool treatments correctly and safely.

Safety in the administration of cesspool treatments is very important. The cesspool is a receptacle of all the wastewater that your household produces. As the wastewater stays there to be treated, the toxicity level increases. The fumes contain gases that could cause harm to anyone who might inhale them. The wastewater itself is a mixture of various toxic substances. The skin absorbs 60% of anything it gets in contact with. If the person is not properly protected, his health could be heavily affected by the untreated wastewater. More so, by the chemicals that will be used to treat the cesspool.

There are many additives used in  cesspool treatments. Cesspool additives are generally classified into three major groups—organic, inorganic, and biological. Organic additives are used in organic treatments. Baking soda and yeast are the common substances used. Baking soda is a strong base that lowers the pH (partial hydrogen) in the cesspool. This makes the environment very pleasing to the resident bacteria. But using these organic additives in excess is not good either because the performance of the resident bacteria will be affected. The inorganic additives are the bases and acids that corrode the physical components of the cesspool and kill off the resident bacteria. Many experts recommend that these additives should not be used in cesspool anymore.

It is very hazardous especially to the surrounding environment because inorganic cesspool treatments leave a chemical discharge. The best cesspool treatment uses biological additives. These are non-pathogenic bacteria or enzymes that enhance the performance of the resident bacteria. This will definitely put a stop to clogging and cesspool failure.

Cesspool treatments involve the use of innovative additives but experts say that this is not necessary at all. They say that the human wastes are enough to provide the enzymes needed to improve the performance of the bacteria in breaking down the solid waste particles. For them, the only thing that you have to do as a homeowner, is to make sure that you pump out the cesspool regularly.

Even if there are strong recommendations like this, it is still your prerogative if you’re going to use cesspool treatments or not. What you should prioritize is the safety of your home. Taking good care of your cesspool is essential in keeping it inhabitable and disease-free. After all, no homeowner in his/her own mind will put up with sewage backups and cesspool odors.

After the cesspool expert treated your cesspool, you exhaled in great relief because a new extension on the life of your cesspool was once again given.

Septic tank preventive maintenance

Apr 15th, 2013
by Service.
No comments yet

Septic tank preventive maintenance is the subject of this article. In a brood of five females, you have always been the responsible one. You were the eldest son in a huge way, you assumed the role of a guy so that you would be able to take care of your sisters and protect them when your parents were not around. It was a hard thing to do. As you grew up, you became very intimidating to every man you met. This resulted to a non-existent love life. But being tough had its advantages. One of them was being able to get things fixed around the house and being able to know more things about electronics and the septic system.

Your sisters usually ran to you or called you if they had problems with their plumbing or septic system. You wore not a septic expert but when the problem was too big for you to handle, you told them to call the real guys in. One of the things that you always educated your sisters about was proper septic tank preventive maintenance. If they knew a great deal about it, then they would be able to save a lot of money.

Many homeowners are surprised at the amount of money that they have to prepare when their entire septic system fails. A new septic system could cost up to 30,000 USD. With this, your sisters were grateful that you always made time for them whenever they needed your help. Septic tank preventive maintenance is always beneficial.

The following are the basic things that you have told your sisters: 

a)       You should just allow the ordinary wastewater and biodegradable tissue paper to enter your septic tank. Avoid dumping kitchen grease, cigarette butts, tobacco buts, sanitary napkins, tampons, car grease, and diapers into the tank. These are known as non-biodegradable materials. As you know, these cannot be broken down by the resident bacteria in the tank. These substances just stay in the tank until the time they completely clog block the incoming wastewater or get dispersed into the drain field. This is a common cause of septic tank failure.

b)       Leaks or damages in the plumbing and fixtures should be repaired or replaced immediately. The leaks contribute to the backing up of wastewater.

c)       Never allow vehicles to drive over or park on your septic tank area. Relocate your construction projects away from your septic tank area. These cause the soil to be compacted over the septic tank. Soil compaction causes damage to the tank and also to the drain field.

d)       Know the exact location of the septic tank so that you may prevent damaging it through the planting of trees, parking of vehicles, and performing construction. You could do this by asking the help of the department that issued the permit for your septic system to be installed. Find out for yourself by tracing the dry or soggy grass areas on your yard. These indicate the location of the drain field and the septic tank. It will be much faster if you ask the help of your septic expert. He could charge you extra for that.

e)       A septic expert should regularly inspect the tank before any treatment is done to it. Inspection is needed to see if there are any damages in the tank, if there are any trees or hardwood plants on or around the tank, and id the level of sludge in the tank is normal.

f)        Only color safe oxygen bleach should be used

g)       A schedule for your septic tank’s preventive maintenance should be maintained

h)       The septic expert should perform the following septic treatments:

  1. Activator, restores the normal population of the resident bacteria
  2. Porosity restorer, restores tanks, drain fields, and dry wells
  3. Regular pump outs
  4. Septic maintainer, improves septic tank function, quickly digests paper/detergents, protects drains, and stop septic odors

Even if it took forever for you to meet the love of your life, it was all worth it. You were proud to be there for your sisters even if it was about household technicalities. Septic tank preventive maintenance will save homeowners thousands overtime.

Leach field treatments

Apr 11th, 2013
by Service.
No comments yet

This article will touch basis on leach field treatments and the importance of treating a septic system. You have always been the type of homeowner that is considered hands-on. When it is about your home, you always made sure that every component is set according to what your septic expert recommended. You do this because you believe that your home is your legacy. It would be your shelter and the shelter of future generations in your family. Even if it meant having to devote an entire day for your home’s care and maintenance, you gladly did it. You would rather do the maintenance than have an extensive and expensive repair.

One aspect of your home that you always focused on was your septic system, particularly, your leach field. It was something that you thought had to be given special attention because if it failed, you knew that your home and the surrounding environment would be negatively affected. You knew that if the leach field suddenly stops functioning, it would mean that you and your household would be surrounded by septic odors and septic water. Diseases would infect everyone and everything within the area. That thought never left you that was why you did everything just to keep the leach field and the entire septic system optimal.

One way to keep the leach field unclogged and in good condition is to apply leach field treatments. In today’s day and age, there are so many developed leach field treatments that you could choose from. The treatments are categorized into inorganic, organic, and biological. Inorganic leach field treatments use harsh chemicals such as strong alkalines and acids that often kill off the resident bacteria and corrode the physical components of the system. The organic leach field treatments use baking soda or yeasts that benefit the system for a time. It is advised that the organic treatments should not be used for long because they could affect the performance of the leach field and the entire system as well. The safest, most recommended leach field treatment is the biological one. This leach field treatment is made up of non-pathogenic, cultured bacteria and enzymes that significantly improve the performance of the resident bacteria in breaking down the solid waste materials.

There are studies that show how unnecessary the use of enzymes in leach field treatments. According to these experts, the simple dumping of human wastes could already provide the enzymes that accelerate the digestion of the solid wastes in the system. But it’s still the homeowner’s prerogative whether to use the leach field treatments or not. You just have to make sure that the leach field treatments are done according to standards, with the proper procedure.

Even if you have decided to use leach field treatments, you still have to do your part in taking good care of your leach field. It all starts in the home. You should make sure that your household properly uses the entire septic system. Drains, toilets, and sinks should not be treated as waste receptacles. This means that you should not dump your food scraps, grease, disinfectants, tampons, toilet paper, and diapers into them. You should also refrain from using antibacterial household cleansers that destroy both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in the system. If you have a rain gutter that directs the rain fall directly onto the leach field, you should redirect it at the soonest. This would only increase the water load in the system and prevent the leach field from taking in water. Any form of construction and vehicle should not be placed over the leach field. The heavy weight will cause damage to the leach field components such as the lateral lines and the d-box. Heavy footprints could also cause this same destruction. It is best to have that leach field area off limits.

Leach field treatments are just there to help you improve the leach field’s condition and performance. They are not magic potions that “cure” your leach field of any ailments. You have already done this and you don’t seem to have any plans of stopping.

What is a septic system?

Apr 9th, 2013
by Service.
No comments yet

What is a septic system and how do they work is a common question asked by many new homeowners. It’s not a yes or no question. It is something that you have to know a great deal about to elaborate the presented term. If you don’t have access to the city or town’s sewage system, you have a septic system installed in your property to take care of your wastewater production. It is has been known to be a very effective means to collect, treat, and dispose of the produced sewage in suburban and rural households.

Wastewater is called as such because of the filth, contaminants, and pathogens that will definitely cause a health and environmental havoc in the surrounding system. With the help of the septic system, the wastewater is treated and purified before it is safely returned to the environment. Two main components make the system efficient—the septic tank and the drain field.

The septic tanks size is determined and built according to the number of people that it has to accommodate. When the wastewater is collected in the tank, the pre-treatment already starts. Here, three layers are formed—scum layer (top—lightweight solid particles), effluent (clear liquid layer), and sludge (bottom—heavyweight solid particles). At the bottom part, the anaerobic bacteria take action and digest the solid wastes.

The drain field then received the clear, pre-treated effluent from the tank. There are up to 5 trenches installed in this area. These trenches have lateral lines that are perforated to enable the dispersion of the effluent. A d-box or a distribution box is also situated here to allow equal distribution of the treated effluent. The drain field or leach field is also known as the soil absorption field or nitrification field. It also has the aerobic bacteria and the biomat that purify the pre-treated effluent before it reaches the nearby lakes, estuaries, ponds, or rivers.

What is a septic system? The function of the septic system actually depends on the soil that you have around your home. If the soil you have has a good percolation rate and could effectively purify the effluent, then the septic system could serve your household well. But if the soil in your property is not capable of performing the effluent purification and distribution, then a health and sanitation problem is bound to happen. When the soil isn’t right for the septic system, the drains and toilets will back up and the groundwater will be contaminated. The type of soil should be bright red, yellow, or brown with gray spots. This is known to be very wet soil. The texture should be just right—not too clayey or sandy to the feel. To know if your soil is really fit for the septic system, you should ask the help of your environment health professional or sanitation professional so that a proper inspection may be conducted.

To have a septic system installed in your property, there should be a permit issued by the local health department. It must be understood that proper maintenance and care should be given to the septic system:

  • Lessen your daily water load
  • Do not dump non-biodegradable materials or grease into the system (only wastewater should be present in the system
  • Install a dry well to take care of the grey water (helps lessen the septic water load)
  • Know the exact location of your septic system
  • Keep construction activities and vehicles away from the system area
  • Adhere to the regular pump out schedule
  • Avoid planting gardens or trees over or around the septic system area

The homeowner’s main responsibility is to maintain the regular pump out sessions with the help of the septic expert. You have to discuss the living situation in your home so that a stable pump out schedule can be established. Biological or bacterial treatments could also be used to enhance or improve the performance of the resident septic bacteria. Aeration could also be performed. This process increases the number of aerobic bacteria that helps break down even the smallest solid waste particles. We hope we helped you in determining what is a septic system?

← Earlier Posts Newer Posts →