Septic tank maintenance

Common Causes of Slow Draining Septic Systems

Mar 7th, 2012
by Service.
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Are you experiencing a stagnant pool of dirty water for a few minutes to about an hour after you have just showered, used the tub, or washed the dishes? It is quite disheartening to notice the slow draining of your tub or sink and naturally, you should definitely seek out what might be done to help cure the clogs. Lets examine and address some of the most common causes while septic systems drain slowly and what steps you can take to help correct that. 

Usually, to save on costly service calls, you tend to get a plunger and try to pump out any clog that may have stayed in there to make the water move slowly. This can be a solution but not on a long term basis since you cannot expect yourself or any member of the household to get rid of the clog manually with the use of the plunger every single day. You know that there is something wrong with the septic system and you wonder what to do. Well, here are a few things that many homeowners are guilty of and perhaps you too. Take a look and see where you might be able to improve. 

Slow draining septic systems can be caused by several things: 

1. System overuse

If your household has too many people who give out waste and use water, more than what your septic tank has the capacity for, then expect a slow drain to develop pretty soon. Water usage is of primary concern here because if there is too much water used, then the septic tank takes too long to drain. Plus, the sediments at the bottom of the tank will be stirred up again and then flow into the leach field. This will clog up the system and cause backup flow of the raw sewage into your home and yard perimeter. Excessive water use leads to increased pressures throughout your system. This pressure directly influences the efficiency of your system since bacteria begins to slow down consumption as pressure increases. So, not only does heavy water use increase the transfer of undigested solids to your field at a faster than normal rate, it also continually decreases the speed at which bacteria digest. With undigested raw waste particles lodging into the field pores, a snowball effect is created where your failing system begins to exponentially get worse. 

2. Long maintenance intervals

Maintaining your septic system indeed takes time, attention, and money. But if you adhere to the regularity of the inspection, pumping, and overall maintenance of your septic system, then you will have a happy septic system and a quick-draining home. You should have a schedule already set for this or at least assign a member of the family to remind you of the pumping schedule. Maintaining the system not only includes bacteria additives, a regular system check including a baffle inspection is critical since baffles often times rot away or become unset from their positioning. Once your baffle is gone, correcting a system failure is virtually impossible until the baffle is reset. 

3. Clogs

This is the most common reason as to why there are slow draining septic systems. You may experience stagnant pools on the bathroom floor or in the kitchen sink that also reek of unpleasant sewage odors. This may be caused by hairballs, tissue paper, scum, solidified cooking oil, or other solidified materials that have stayed in the drain for a long time. These clogs hinder the flow of water into the septic tank and cause the slow drainage. You could use a plunger, hot water, or drain clearing products available in the market today. While many clogs are organic in nature, some are related to root intrusion, soil or plastic blockages. 

4. Mechanics

Mechanical issues also case slow drains. There might be some part of the sink or toilet that has become Ill fitted over time which is now causing the slow drain. These should be checked by a service man so that you may use your drainages and fixtures properly and efficiently. While it is not very common, component shifting does occur and can result in a bad pitch which will not allow water to flow properly. Slow flow leads to sludge buildup within the lines in you home and out in your septic field. 

5. Failure

The failure of the septic system is a very obvious cause of slow drainage. This may be caused by so many factors such as excessive water use, dumping of antibacterial soaps and solutions, poor maintenance, and even using too much baking soda in cleaning drains. If the septic tank is left in poor condition with very little bacterial population and too much sediment, then accept the fact that your drains will be slow for a while. Failure can addresses using a strong restoration product provided mechanical breakage or root intrusion is taken care of first. 

In any scenario, prevention is better than a cure so make use of strainers, and avoid irresponsible use to keep slow drains from happening in the first place. Remember, water is now “liquid gold” when you are dealing with any type of slow drain issue brought upon by a septic condition. Recovering from slow drainage can be achieved so long as you become familiar with the working of your system and understand what you need to do in order to help heal the field.

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Septic System Safe Household Cleaners

Feb 16th, 2012
by Service.
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Since having a septic system is a great deal of responsibility as a homeowner and you should be very careful of every decision that you make in caring and maintaining it. The most crucial care that you could ever provide your septic system involves treating your system regularly and utilizing septic safe household cleaners and detergents. Adhering to these two crucial elements of system care will help prevent sludge from accumulating too heavily within the septic tank since when the sludge gets too thick in the tank, the incoming wastewater can back up into your home or onto your yard. If this happens, sewage and septic odors will overwhelm your property and that will definitely be an unhealthy situation for your family and your neighbors.

 There are other things aside from this that you can do for your septic system’s well-being such as not planting trees over your septic system; not using harsh chemicals; not pouring grease, fats, and non-biodegradable materials into toilets and drains; not allowing vehicles and construction over your septic system; diverting the rainwater runoff away from the area of the septic system; and installing a dry well to lessen the water load of the system.

Another very important measure that you have to do is to choose the septic system safe household cleaners. The collection of household cleansers can be very confusing especially when they present overwhelming promises as to how “Green” they are and how compatible they are with all septic systems. They could also have promos or freebies which is why homemakers end up with products that are harsh to the septic system without even knowing it. If you look at majority of the commercial household cleaners, you may notice a common feature that is usually taken advantage of by manufacturers—antibacterial. This additive is not good for your septic system at all because bacteria are what make the breakdown happen in the first place. If the bacteria are maintained in high numbers, there will be much less chance of clogging, malfunction, or failure. But because of the antibacterial products used by millions of households, homeowners are often faced with frequent problems which are usually expensive and frustrating.

Fortunately, there are septic system safe household cleaners that also make it to the grocery and septic store shelves. The only thing that you have to do is to prioritize the septic system. Learn to read the labels of the commercially produced household products that catch you attention and see if they could benefit you and your septic system as well. Make sure that the household cleaner is “septic system safe” and “low in phosphorous”. When you say “septic system safe”, this means that the ingredients do not harm the physical components of the system and hopefully, the bacterial population as well. When you pertain to “low in phosphorous”, this means that the household cleaner does not let the algae proliferate in the surrounding water systems. If the product is high in phosphorous, the algae in the surrounding bodies of water will grow dramatically and will dominate the aquatic system. This will significantly lessen the amount of oxygen in the water and wipe out the living organisms that reside in body of water. This phenomenon is known as eutrophication.

To veer away from the oftentimes manipulative products in the market, why not consider the natural household cleaners? Here are some of the natural septic system safe household cleaners that you could consult with your septic expert:

  1. Earthstone—this is a cleanser that is made from glass that is finely ground.
  2. Pumice stone—works on cleaning but maintains the sensitive environment of your septic system.
  3. Vinegar—is a common household product that you can mix with water and then spray on surfaces as an effective cleaner. Adding essential oils such as tea tree oil, lemon oil, and eucalyptus oil into the vinegar solution could mask the smell and even improve the its ability to clean.
  4. Baking soda—can be used in combination with vinegar. Just wait about twenty minutes before pouring hot water into the drain. You could also use baking soda for scouring bathtubs, sinks, stove tops, and tiles. Make a paste of baking soda, apply on the surfaces, and then rinse it with water.
  5. Lemon juice—is also a natural household cleaner that has acidic properties. It could also leave the surfaces with a nice, fresh scent.

Talk to your septic expert about your choice of natural septic system safe household cleaners so that you may really achieve its long term benefits. Since septic systems cost a fortune to replace, learning to think of your system as a “compost” is prudent since your system really is just like a compost! You will never catch a farmer pouring toxic chemicals on top of his compost and you should adopt the same principal to assure long term system health.

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Will Rain Water Keep My Drain Field Flooded?

Jan 24th, 2012
by Service.
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When the rainy season comes, flooding always becomes an issue especially with septic systems that have drainage problems in the drain field lines. This can become more of a severe problem with homeowners that live in flood zones or areas where the water table is relatively high. These areas are some of the toughest zones to try to install and maintain a functional septic system. In some areas, there are times when you cannot go outside without wearing boots and the surround yard areas become a complete mess of muck and mud. 

Your septic system’s drain field depends on gravity to keep liquids flowing out to the field lines for absorption. It is comprised of trenches that are lined with perforated piping and filled with gravel. These drain field lines are the components that function so as to equally distribute the wastewater through the subsoil’s below the system. The drain field is responsible for the secondary treatment of the household’s wastewater as it enters the trenches. The wastewater is them further filtered by the bio-mat before it is finally absorbed by the surrounding soil. 

If you have a weak system, you may start to notice that your drains become slow whenever it rains heavily and your toilets may make strange noises, sometimes flushing at a slower than normal rate. It can really be frustrating when wastewater starts to backup into your home and if the backup is driven by rainwater, only Mother Nature knows how long the flood battering will continue. The backing up of the sewage happens simply because it has nowhere else to go and that the flooding in your yard has greater pressure and pushes back the wastewater into your home. 

It is common notion that when all of this commotion happens, there must be something wrong with the septic tank and while this may be true, usually the problem lies in the field lines. Some homeowners do not pump their tank according to schedule and as a result, sludge accumulates and this flows right into the drain field. If you are proactive and assure that only healthy material pass into the tank area, generally you can rule out a full septic, especially if you use bacteria additives and have the system inspected every few years for sludge levels. 

Consider the leaks or damages that can be present somewhere in your septic system. These leaks or damages can be a cause of floodwater take in or a leakage in the wastewater out into the surface of the drain field. Sediments may also enter the pipes in the drain field or distribution box that may cause blockages. As a result, the water will not be absorbed as quickly as it should and may backup to the surface of the yard, above the drain field. This is aggravated by rainfall or excessive use of water in the household. 

 If you have ruled out other causes of leakage and are certain that your drain field is flooded, the first thing that you have to do is to reduce the amount of water that your household consumes everyday. Doing so will decrease the water flow into the tank and lessen the water load in the system. Next is to plug the floor drains where the wastewater could backup to. You wouldn’t want to wade in sewage until the problem is solved. Try to flush only once a day per person or use a portable potty along with off site laundry care in emergency situations. Fewer showers won’t hurt, too. It is also a must that you do not use your dishwasher for a while and just have your clothes washed at the Laundromat while the drain field situation is being controlled. Also check for any leaks in the house plumbing. Another thing that you can vigilantly do is not to use anti-bacterial detergents or solutions. This lowers and even depletes the bacterial population in the septic tank. When this happens, the solid wastes are not properly digested, resulting to the drain field blockages or clogs that make things worse when flooding occurs. 

Don’t fret. Once the water output has been reduced, plan a treatment course based on the amount of people in the home and the size of the system. You can obtain help from a remediation professional who specializes in restoring drainage to weakened or clogged drain field lines here on this site. If there is no visible or probable damage to your septic system then everything should return to normal after committing to water reduction followed by various drain field restoration treatments. While some drain field systems are flooded as a result of breakage, most systems are simply clogged and can usually be corrected through diligence and the right tools.

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Sand Mound Preventative Maintenance

Jan 21st, 2012
by Service.
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For households that have a sand mound as their septic system, one should be aware that it needs to be cared for and maintained just like any other type of septic system out there. It is part of your home and it is responsible for the proper disposal of the wastes that you have every single day. The systems are usually stable and proficient but there is a fine balance that must exist between the bacteria life within the system and what fuels you feed the system daily.

If you do your part in the preventive maintenance of your sand mound, you can be sure that your will have a smooth operating system for years to come. Since sand mounds are finicky at times and are relatively expensive compared to common drain field type systems, it is vital for you to have your sand mound inspected regularly to determine if and what might be needed to enhance system performance. Regular inspections will assist in detecting problems immediately before they even have the chance to really harm the system.

The sand mound system is complex and very prone to inadvertent abuse from its owner. When something goes wrong with the mound system, it will be very expensive to repair and many people are generally not prepared for the financial hit that a septic system can create. Six months after it is installed, the sand mound should be re-monitored and double checked to assure that proper settling has occurred and that there are no leaks or misalignments. The monitoring continues again after six months and then every year thereafter. Here are the particular points that should be considered when you perform preventive maintenance on your sand mound system.
1. Sludge inspection
Sludge inspection should be done on an annual basis. Gunk and sludge accumulate gradually. As they do, ample room for the wastewater becomes smaller and smaller. This allows the wastewater to pass through the tank at a much faster rate, which gives the bacteria not enough time to digest the solid wastes before they leave the tank. The tank lowers in its efficiency to protect the sand filter from blockages and contaminants.

2. Pump the tank
Watch the level of sludge in the tank. If it reaches a foot deep, the tank should already be pumped. This can be a very dirty job to do but you have to do it to make sure that your tank is in tip-top condition. If you are squeamish about it, you could just have the professionals do it for you. You should know the exact location of your pump tank and septic tank for easier maintenance.

3. Include pump tank
When you have the septic tank pumped, include its compartments and the pump tank as well. A report should be given after the pumping processes.

4. Tank baffles
Tank baffles are the ones that separate the solid from the liquid wastes. These devices make sure that the solids are able to settle at the bottom for digestion. They just permit clarified effluent to enter the sand filter. Make sure that you always check the filter baffles because if these clog up, there will be a backing up of wastewater and the drains will go slow. They should be checked and cleaned up on an annual basis. You can do this on your own. Just make sure that no one uses the water inside the household as you clean the filter baffles. Ding this regularly will make sure that sludge and scum do not get to the sand filter layer.

5. Pump tank and controls
Between the tank and the sand filter of your sand mound is a pump that delivers the effluent. From the sand filter to the mound, another pump makes this happen for the effluent to be distributed to the surrounding soil. There are also control floats that regulate the amount of effluent that enters the sand filter. These components should also be maintained to ensure the proper conveying of effluent to the sand filter and mound.
6. Considerations
To make the job easier for your sand mound and to prevent any untoward malfunctions, consider making a compost out of the food scraps that you have instead of using the garbage disposal unit. This lessens the solid wastes that enter your tank. Divide your laundry tasks to prevent water overload into your sand mound system.

The sand mound is basically a leach field that is elevated due to whatever conditions lead to the requirement for such a system. Remember that all septic systems need to be looked at regularly and inspected at least once each year. If you do not use a regular maintenance additive then you most certainly will need frequent pump-outs to assure that the tank sludge never escapes out to the pump station that feeds your mound.
Let a septic remediation professional guide you through more of the needed information about your sand mound’s preventive maintenance. This will enable you to have a better and clearer grasp of your responsibilities as a sand mound owner.

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Do Water Softeners Harm Septic Systems?

Jan 11th, 2012
by Service.
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Millions of households resort to using water softeners to make their water more usable for drinking, bathing, washing dishes, laundry and pretty much everything else one might want to do with water. If your well or central supply is feeding your home with hard water., When the water is hard, the soaps and detergents do not lather up and therefore, do not clean well. While chemically altering hard water to a more suitable state is relatively easy, for homeowners that have septic systems, the usual question is… do water softeners harm septic systems?

                You may already know that your septic system receives the waste water that your household produces everyday. The septic tank catches everything including the solid waste materials. The solid wastes settle at the bottom of the tank and get degraded by the anaerobic bacteria found there. The resulting pre-treated effluent is then dispersed into the drain field to be purified and then returned to the environment by the distribution box.

                Since all of this water travels throughout the home and eventually into the septic system, there is some concern over whether or not the agents used in the softening process will have a detrimental effect o the bacteria life found throughout the septic system. The process of water softening is done by the exchange of chemical cations. This process replaces magnesium and calcium with potassium or sodium. The water that is to be used by your household first passes through a resin bed wherein the magnesium ions and calcium ions are removed. This resin bed is designed to handle a certain amount of water that needs to be rejuvenated to provide water that is already softened. When exhaustion reaches the resin bed, the control valve washes it out and absorbs the salt. When the salt gets in contact with the resin bed, ion exchange takes place. The calcium and magnesium ions are collected in the resin bed are then washed and drained. When the final rinse to remove the salt is done, the resin bed is reset to give soft water again.

                The effects of the water softening process are brought up because the excess salt and the excess water may prove harmful to the septic system and may cause premature failure. It is said that salt has a direct effect on the bacterial population in the septic tank. If the bacteria present in the tank thrive without the excessive presence of salt, then their population might dwindle when salt is dumped in great amounts as a result of water softening. While some manufacturers claim that their units discharge produces very little concentrated salts to be discharged into the septic system, the only true way to determine the actual composition of the discharge would be through testing each individual design in a real world setting. Set aside this and focus on the increased amount of water that enters the system during the process of water softening. 

The volume of water depends on the design of the water softener, diameter of the pipe, and water pressure. If the issue of water volume is raised, studies show that this does not significantly harm the septic system. The flow increase from water softening is much lower than from an automatic dishwasher. With the time lock used in water softening, water in your household is only regenerated when needed. In effect, this lowers the amount of water discharged. When it comes to the soil percolation rate, water softening improves the percolation of the soil types that are fine textured. This is brought about by the calcium ions that are found in the discharge of the water softening process. The calcium improves the soil porosity of the soil. Bare in mind, softeners that discharge concentrated levels of salt or high volume water can and will affect the bacterial life and those units that discharge high amounts of water will cause excess water pressures. Excess water pressure disrupts normal decomposition, regardless of salt content.

                With all the evidence collected, it can be concluded that the water softening process may or may not negatively affect the septic system. Super efficient designs can actually offer simple benefits. For instance, having a water softener installed can lessen the amount of soap or detergents that you use because when water is soft, it

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How to Get Rid of Septic Tank Bio-Mat Buildup

Dec 23rd, 2011
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Biomat is that dark substance that resembles tar which forms and accumulates at the sides and at the bottom of the trenches situated in the drainfield or drainage pit area. The bio-mat is basically undigested waste that is left over during the decomposition process involving anaerobic bacteria. The anaerobic bacteria, found throughout the entire system, feed on the wastewater because of its rich organic matter. In stressed systems, the biomat develops into a thicker goo that decreases the flow rate of the soil that surrounds the septic drainfield or drainage areas. A small amount of bio-mat is healthy for a system since it acts as a pathogenic filter when the wastewater goes through it. This means that the biomat gets rid of the disease-causing microorganisms that the wastewater has, making it safe for the environment when it reaches the groundwater. 

Beyond the premises of the biomat are where the anaerobic bacteria reside. These bacteria consume the biomat to prevent it from becoming too thick where it is maintained so that the wastewater could still pass through to the subsurface soils. When there is flooding or system abuse, the bacteria colonies begin to die down. This leaves the biomat free to become thicker and thicker because smaller numbers of bacteria cannot completely digest the waste properly. The excessive thickness of the biomat and the formation of sulfides will cause the drainage to be clogged and eventually stop the wastewater flow. A waterproof barrier will form courtesy of the excessive biomat accumulation and the wastewater absorption comes to a screeching halt. 

Where does biomat come from? This tar-like substance is from the solid wastes that settle in the septic trenches.  How does this happen? Well, you know the expert way households dump harsh chemicals into their drains, right? These chemicals kill the naturally-occurring bacterial population in the septic tank. The outcome is, of course, the inefficient digestion of the solid wastes. When the septic tank is not pumped out or heavily maintained according to schedule, the solids spill out into the drainfield. Here, the organic waste material builds up and coagulates, allowing thick biomat to form. This very thick substance will eventually clog the entire drainfield, causing the contaminated and untreated wastewater to the drainfield surface. Evidence of such failure usually results in poor drainage, backups, odors and so on. Septic bio-mat clogging can be a major headache but fortunately there are many techniques and methods to help improve digestion rates, thereby lessoning bio-mat buildup.

One way is to excavate your drain field and septic tank and completely replace the entire system. Obviously, this is usually the last resort since this replacement is normally very, very costly. The preferred method to restoration is to shock the septic system with a very high concentration of good bacteria. The good bacteria are introduced into the septic system via an additive. These additional bacterial colonies will aid in bringing back the normalcy in the digestion of the biomat that is throughout the drainage areas and piping. As with any mass of decomposing matter, additional bacteria will offset most toxic chemical damage caused by household cleaners and detergents. The amount of bacteria supplement will coincide with the amount of “abuse” your system is experiencing and this figure is usually tied to the current capacity of your home or building. 

                As a preventative, you can help prevent the build-up of biomat by not using water excessively, not dumping solid wastes into your toilets or drains, and not running your vehicles on top of the drainfield. Excessive use of water can make the sediments and gunk all stirred up. As a result, the solid wastes get swept  towards the drainfield, allowing biomat to flourish. Regular monthly maintenance will help assure that bio-mat does not develop to a point where blockage becomes an issue. In healthy systems, adding a commercial strength bacteria additive will supplement the natural colonies to help decrease the effect of general cleaners. Keep in mind that no additive can combat the ongoing damage caused by highly toxic chemicals such as ethers and those comprised of highly anti bacterial components. 

                Biomat can only be a problem when not kept in check. Having your system inspected every 2 to 3 years will help you understand the systems current condition and allow you to plan for use changes if needed. While most maintained systems rarely experience heavily compacted bio-mat, inspections are critical so as to verify that the structure of the system is still in operating order. While there exists dozens of advanced methods to bio-mat reduction or depletion, the regular use of bacteria additives along with a conscious effort to help keep the existing bacteria healthy is your first step to getting rid of and preventing bio-mat.

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How Septic Additives Help Septic Systems?

Oct 27th, 2011
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Houses, particularly in the rural areas have septic tanks where the water from the sinks and toilets gets collected. The natural bacteria present in the tank are responsible for breaking down a huge amount of solid material into gas or liquid. However, the bacteria are unable to break down certain types of solids such as plastic and other similar materials. These solids settle down at the bottom of the septic tank and form sludge. The solids, which are lightweight float on the surface. Septic tank additives work towards breaking down such types of solids. 

Septic additives are of two types biological and chemical. In fact, chemical additives are responsible for breaking up oil and grease. Some chemical additives contain sulfuric acid as the prime ingredient. Although, the acid is highly capable of breaking down heavy solids, it also causes a physical damage to the septic tank. Therefore, additives containing sulfuric acid are no more in production. 

Unlike the chemical additives, biological additives contain bacteria, enzymes or yeast. In new septic systems, these additives act as starter agents.  Flushing these additives down the toilet on a weekly or a monthly basis will keep your septic system in a good shape. Numerous studies have proved that biological additives cause no harm to the environment. 

For almost more than four decades now, the effectiveness of septic tank additives have been a huge point of debate among researchers and the companies manufacturing septic additives. Some of the researchers are of the opinion that the anaerobic decomposition process is rarely of any use to the septic systems. However, experiments and researches carried on the recent past tell a different story. 

Septic tank additives are easily available in the supermarkets and hardware stores nearby. You must have come across several septic additives commercials on the television as well as Internet. All of these claim to be the best. However, blindly falling for such claims will not really help. It is important that you choose an additive only after you have carried out a good amount of research. Before buying one, check out its ingredients. 

Some chemical additives when flushed down the toilet or the sink may kill the bacteria present in the tank. Therefore, most of the experts suggest homeowners to go for organic septic additives. The best thing about these additives is that they, in most of the cases, eliminate the foul odor caused due to the over-filled septic tanks. 

With some products the quality of bacteria in a biological additive is too small as compared to the quality already present in the tank; commercial grade additives with high count bacteria colonies will make a huge amount of difference. Most of the people are unable to differentiate between a biological and chemical additive and therefore, believe that additives kill all the good bacteria present in the septic tank. You need to know that the ones that kill bacteria are chemical additives and not the biological ones. 

Even though there are various other ways that can help you in taking good care of your septic system, septic additive turns out to be one of the most effective ways. To get the most desirable results, it is important that you choose the right additives.

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What Causes Septic Tank Systems to Back Up?

Oct 24th, 2011
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A septic tank is one of the prime components of a sewage treatment system known as a septic system. These tanks are common in areas not connected with the sewage pipelines set up by the government or other private organizations. A septic tank forms the major drainage system of many rural areas across the globe. It is a perfect substitute for city’s sewer systems. Improper maintenance of these tanks can lead to backup and therefore, it is very important to check if the tanks are operating efficiently on a periodic basis.

Block lines are one of the major factors responsible for causing a septic tank system to back up. The blockage in lines can occur due to a number of reasons. For instance, flushing down waste materials like tampons, garbage and diapers can cause the tank to back up. Therefore, flush only those materials into the toilet that can pass through the drain without choking the line.

Not many people are aware of the fact that waste produced in the kitchen too is highly responsible for causing the septic tank systems to back up. When you pour a greasy substance down the drain, it hardens and gets accumulated in the septic plumbing and covers the inner surface of the drain. Due to the blockage caused by the hardened greasy material, the other waste that you pour out is not able to pass through very easily.

It is not just the blocked lines causing the septic tank system to back up, as back up can also cause due to some fault in the tank itself. A periodic septic pumping is very important to prevent the tank from backing up. The tank should also contain sufficient number of septic tank bacteria. These bacteria are responsible for breaking down the waste matter present in tank. If your tank does not have a high level of bacteria, the solid waste transforms into sludge and blocks the pipeline.

Septic tank systems back up also occur due to a damage caused in the underground lines that connect to the tank. The damage may be a result of a slight shift in the earth for instance, during an earthquake. You may yourself unintentionally damage the lines if you drive your vehicle across the areas where the tank is buried. 

What should you do when you realize that your septic tank system is backing up? This is the question asked by many people. You first need to check if the problem lies in the lines connecting to the tank or the tank itself. Use a drain rooter and bacterial treatment to solve the problems. If the problems still exists, the fault is not with the lines, but with the tank. In such a case, you will need to seek assistance of a qualified and a professional technician. To keep the septic tank in good shape, it is important to take the necessary measures. Do not overload the septic system. Also, make sure that you do not pour any toxic chemicals into your kitchen sink, as this can kill the bacteria in the tank. Check your toilets and sinks for leaks and drips periodically.

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Winter Care for Septic Tanks

Oct 3rd, 2011
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The owning of a septic tank is a serious issue and its maintenance cannot be taken lightly. There are a dozen or more items that can go wrong with a septic system and a good portion of these can occur in the winter months. It is due to this that the time is now for inspecting and maintaining the system to the standards that will allow it to flow freely and trouble free this winter. There are around three to four areas that can cause some serious concern for a person that owns one of these systems. Let’s look at them now. 

The first area of inspection should be that of the cover. There is a lot that can happen with a cover that can actually cause it to be damaged a great deal. If you are unable to inspect the cover due to being buried low into the ground, and then make sure that, you have it inspected the next time that the system is given overall maintenance. If this cover is not intact, it can allow contents to seep out or rain water to seep in. This brings up to the actual contents of the septic tank. 

The amount of sludge that is in the tank at any given time, will greatly affect the performance of the tank. It is often advised that you have the tank pumped out before winter weather hits. This is especially true if you have a lot of material that goes in and it has been a while since the last pumping. In winter a tank has a tendency to not perform as well as it should, so make its job easier by not allowing it to build up too much content. 

One fear is that if you do not place anything in the tank that it will freeze. There are two reasons why this is not the case. The first is the fact that many of the pipes are buried low into the ground. This helps them to not be affected by the cold weather. Another reason for this is due to the large amount of wastewater that is flushed through the system on a regular basis. This also helps to make sure that the water in the system does not freeze and cause any serious issues.

In areas that a person experiences a lot of snow, there is the problem of running a snow plow over the drain field and damaging several of the pipes that are associated with the operation of the system. A snowplow is one of the more destructive things to a septic system for a person that has issues with it in the winter months. If you have a lot of snow and clearing the drain field is essential consider a small hand snow mover to use in this area. 

These are all but a few of the many things that can be done in helping to make sure that a person has the care that they need for their septic system in the middle of winter. The cost of repair or even replacement can be through the roof anytime but having to have it done in the winter months can almost double the overall cost.

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What is a Greywater System?

Sep 20th, 2011
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Today with the world looking at complying with the environmental issues people from all over are trying to do their part by basically saving water which is slowly growing to be a costly commodity in years to come. Just as people today are in wars with each other due to oil reserves, days will come when people will be against each other over water resources. We all are well aware that on a daily basis we are disposing of great amounts of waste material that comes out from us utilizing toilets, baths, kitchens, sinks and other factors which lead to waste being accumulated for disposal. We normally call the waste matter coming from toilets and baths as “blackwater” and waste emitting from sinks, washing machines and other similar items as “greywater”.

A greywater system is a process where water from basins, washing machines and similar objects are being recycled as washwater to be utilized for various options like irrigation to possible filtered water for cooking and drinking purposes. It has been found that numerous advantages exists to greywater recycling where it is most beneficial in areas where there is a shortage of water supply. In addition it has created a huge impact in places where people are very much concerned about the usage of water and the influence it creates on the environment.

The greywater system is considered a simple process where it has to do with steering water from washwater equipments like sinks, washing machines and showers to a designated location or storing tank, instead of permitting it to flow into the sewer system. With desired needs for this greywater people could treat the water for the necessary requirements. The basic recycled greywater could be used for watering the plants in the garden and flushing the toilets by undergoing a filtration treatment to remove undesired particles. In addition greywater could be submitted to further treatments whereby it could be accepted and utilized for drinking and cooking purposes.

By installing a greywater system in their premises people have the advantage of saving on their water consumption eventually leading to saying on their water bills. They also would trim down the risk of waste spills along with contamination which are normally occurred when both greywater and blackwater come in contact with each other. Studies have shown that if the greywater is redirected to another source it would ease the strain on septic tanks and the sewage system providing safer and long last life to the sewerage treatment system.

Posted in: Septic tank maintenance.
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