Using a Water Softener With a Septic System

May 22nd, 2012 Posted in Septic System
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If you have a water softener at your home or are considering installing a water softener, you may be concerned about the impact the water softener has on your septic system.  Two or three times a week, a water softener goes through a “regeneration cycle” during which it discharges 50 to 70 gallons of water with a high level of saline.  This raises concerns about the effect of the saline on the beneficial bacteria in the septic system and about overloading the septic system with too much water.

A septic tank is designed to hold water for about 48 hours to allow solid material to sink to bottom of the tank and for grease and oil to accumulate at the top of the tank.  The effluent then flows to the leach field where it percolates into the soil.  Placing an additional water load on the septic tank can cause the effluent to move out into the drain field before the solid material and oily or greasy material has fully separated. When this happens, solid material or greasy material gets into the drain field and can clog it.

A lot of waste water entering the tank can also stir up the water in the tank and cause the same problem.  However, the effect of a water softener is about the same as washing one or two loads of laundry three times a week so it should not be a concern unless the septic system is undersized or otherwise subject to other heavy water loads.

The bacteria in the septic tank and drain field are important for they system to operate properly.  When solvents, chemicals, and other such materials kill off too many of these  bacteria, the system can have problems.  Research to dated has shown that the additional saline from a water softener does not harm significant numbers of beneficial bacteria.

If you have any concerns about whether your septic system can handle the additional load imposed by a water softener, schedule a septic tank inspection by a good local sewer septic professional.

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Septic System Dangers

May 22nd, 2012 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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A properly designed, installed and maintained septic system provides a safe and effective means of treating and disposing of household wastewater.  A well designed septic system will usually provide dependable service for years if it is inspected every year or two and pumped as needed which is usually every three to five years.

However, homeowners should not become complacent and attempt to handle the septic tank inspection or septic tank pumping themselves.  Septic tank pumping and septic tank inspections are strictly for trained, qualified septic system professionals.  Trying to do it yourself can lead to a serious injury, illness or even death.

First, an inspection or pumping involves accessing the septic tank which contains the poisonous gas hydrogen sulfide.  This gas is created by the bacterial action in fecal matter and smells like rotten eggs.   Hydrogen sulfide attacks the central nervous system. Inhaling this gas can kill you or make you very ill so you never attempt to open the septic tank or even an access port unless you have been trained in how to do it safely.

Next, the septic tank can contain methane gas which although non-poisonous, is highly flammable.  A spark, open flame, or cigarette can set off a methane gas explosion.

Finally, it goes without saying that a septic tank contains raw sewage that may contain viruses, harmful bacteria, and other pathogens.  Exposure to raw sewage can cause infections, diarrhea, and intestinal distress.

The bottom line is that any maintenance that involves opening the septic tank including septic tank inspection and septic tank pumping should only be accomplished by a professional with the training, equipment and experience to handle the job safely.

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Septic System Overview

May 22nd, 2012 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Millions of American homes that do not have access to a municipal sewer system rely on septic systems for the treatment and disposal of household wastewater. A septic system is a relatively simple, low maintenance system that ordinarily works well when the system has been properly designed, installed and cared for.

A septic system has two main components: a septic tank and a drain field (also called a leach field).  Most septic systems operate solely on gravity and do not have any electrical components.  A septic system has to be designed and installed to allow household waste to flow from the home to the septic tank and then on to the septic field.

Household waste water is collected in a large drain line which routes it to the septic tank.  Once in the tank, the solid material sinks to the bottom forming the sludge layer and oily or greasy material floats to the surface and forms the scum layer.  The middle layer, called the effluent, then flows thought an outlet pipe to the drainfield which is a series of perforated pipes buried underground in a bed of gravel.

The effluent percolates through the gravel and into the soil below.  As it percolates through the soil, the effluent is filtered and treated through natural biological processes.

Meanwhile, the septic tank has baffles that prevent the scum layer from flowing out of the tank with the effluent.  Bacteria and enzymes naturally reduce the amount of sludge and scum in the tank, but eventually the accumulation of sludge and scum will need to be pumped out of the tank.  Septic tank pumping every three to five years will keep most septic systems in good shape.

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Leach Field Biomat

May 22nd, 2012 Posted in Septic System Maintenance
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The leach field is a very important component of your septic system.  A leach field is made from a series of perforated pipes (called leach lines) buried in shallow trenches full of gravel and covered by dirt.  The leach field’s job is to dispose of the liquid waste water (called effluent) after most of the solids and oily or greasy material has been collected in the septic tank.

The effluent flows from the septic tank into the leach field where it percolates or filters into the gravel and soil underneath the leach lines.  Natural bacterial action in the soil treats the wastewater as it percolates through the soil.

Over time, a layer of black, sticky substance builds up in the leach field trench under the leach lines.  The biomat is made of microorganisms and bacteria and helps to filter and treat the wastewater as it flows through the trench.  The microorganisms feed on the organic matter in the wastewater.

Biomat growth under the leach lines is a normal occurrence and is expected in any leach field. However, in some cases biomat growth can become too thick which slows the rate that the wastewater can seep into the soil.  Infrequent septic tank pumping or abusing the septic system by overloading it or flushing chemicals or other materials down the drain can cause the drain field to clog and increase the thickness on the biomat.

When the drain field becomes too clogged to allow the wastewater to percolate into the soil fast enough, the septic system is on the verge of failure.  Your sewer septic professional may be able salvage a failing leach field, but in many cases it will be necessary to expand the drain field or abandon a failed drain field and install a new drain field.

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What Causes Sewer Line Clogs

May 16th, 2012 Posted in Sewer Lines
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There can be all kinds of reasons for a sewer line clog, but the most common causes include deposits or build-ups of grease, oil, hair, and food waste flushed down the drain, foreign objects that get flushed down the toilet or drain, tree roots, and a collapsed sewer line.  In most cases, the clog is caused by two or more of these factors.  The good news is that no matter what the cause, your sewer-septic professional is an expert at clearing clogged sewer lines and can diagnose the problem and provide you with a cost effective solution that will get your sewer line flowing freely again.

Even if you don’t flush pure grease and oil down the drain, food waste and even human waste contains oils that adhere to the walls of your sewer line. Over time, the greasy build up accumulates other material such as hair, coffee grounds, food particles, egg shells, and other material and builds up inside the pipe.  Eventually, it blocks the pipe and causes a clog.

Foreign objects such a child’s toy or a wash cloth can also get stuck in the greasy deposits and begin to accumulate other material such as toilet paper and hair.  A clog will quickly form behind a foreign object lodged in your sewer pipe.

Tree roots are attracted to the moisture inside the sewer pipe and will infiltrate any cracks or joints in a sewer line, no matter how small.  The roots will then grow, expanding the crack and allowing more roots to enter.  Eventually, the roots will form a mat of roots inside the pipe that quickly accumulates oil, grease, hair, paper, and all sorts of other material and forms a tough clog.

Finally, your sewer line can become clogged if it fully or partially collapses.  This is a common problem with older cast iron or Orangeburg sewer lines.  These types of clogs cannot be cleared.  Instead, you will need a sewer line replacement or repair.

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Keep Your Septic System Healthy With Regular Septic Tank Inspections

May 10th, 2012 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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For most homes that are not connected to a municipal sewer system, a well-designed and properly installed septic system is a reliable, effective way to treat and dispose of household waste water.  Regular septic tank inspections and periodic septic tank pumping are the keys to keeping a septic system working smoothly.

A septic system should be inspected by an experienced sewer-septic professional every other year and pumped as needed.  During the inspection, the sludge level and scum level will be measured and your inspector will tell you if septic tank pumping is needed.   The average septic tank system will need to be pumped every three to five years.

In addition to measuring the sludge and scum levels, the inspection will include checking the condition of the tank and making sure any mechanical components are working properly.  The inspector will usually flush all of the toilets and run the water in the home for a short period to see how the septic system handles the water flow.

Some septic systems have a filter in the outlet line or near the distribution box that will be cleaned as part of the inspection.  Finally, the inspector will make a visual inspection of the drain field for any signs of a drain field failure.

An inspection can catch a small problem with your septic system before it becomes a serious concern.  A septic system failure that allows solid material to flow into the drain field will quickly clog the drain field.  There are some methods to attempt to clear a clogged drain field, but in most cases the drain field is just abandoned and a new drain field is installed. Regular septic tank inspections will help avoid these serious problems with you septic system.

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Warning Signs Of Septic System Problems

May 10th, 2012 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Most American homes that do not have municipal sewer service use a septic system to treat and dispose of household waste water.  The waste water is routed to a septic tank where it is held for about 48 hours to allow the solid material to separate from the liquid and settle to the bottom of the tank.

The liquid effluent flows to the drain field and leaches into the soil where it is treated and purified through natural biological action.  Most of the solid material left in the tank is decomposed by bacteria, but over time a layer of sludge accumulates and must be pumped out of the tank.  The frequency of septic tank pumping varies, but every three to five years is common.

Most septic systems have no electrical components and very few moving parts.  They are usually very reliable systems unless they have been abused through overloading, failing to have the tank pumped, or flushing chemicals or non-organic material down the drain.

Raw sewage backing up into your home is an obvious indication that there is a problem with your septic system, but there are other more subtle signs that a problem may be developing.  For example, smelly, wet, mushy areas around the drain field are an indication of a clogged septic field.  Strong sewage odors in the drain lines or around the septic tank are cause for concern as are slow drains.

If you notice any of these problems, have the septic system checked out by a sewer septic professional right away.  Septic system problems usually get worse over time and you may be able to avoid more expensive repairs by addressing the problem as soon as you notice it.

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Proper Tank Size Is Critical For An Effective Septic System

May 10th, 2012 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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If you are building a new home with a septic system or replacing the septic system at an existing home, properly sizing the tank is important to ensure the septic system operates properly and provides many years of reliable service.   The main components of a septic system are the drain line that collects the waste water from the residence, the septic tank, and the drain field (or leach field).

The drain line routes the waste water to the septic tank where it is held for about 48 hours to allow solid material to settle to the bottom and form the sludge layer and grease and oil to rise to the surface to form the scum layer.  A series of baffles hold the sludge layer and scum layer in the tank while allowing the liquid effluent to flow into the drain field where it percolates into the soil.

Installing a septic tank that is too small will cause it to be overloaded with wastewater.  The solid material will not have sufficient time to sink to the bottom or float to the top and will instead flow out into the leach field with the effluent where it will clog the drain field and ultimately cause the system to back up or for untreated sewage to make its way to the surface of your yard.

On the other hand, installing a septic tank that is oversized does not cause much of a problem.  In fact, you may be able to go longer between scheduled septic tank pumping.  Be careful not to get complacent – have the system inspected every couple years to see if it is time to have the septic tank pumped.

 

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Understanding Septic Tanks

May 10th, 2012 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Most septic tank and septic system failure can be traced to the homeowner’s misunderstanding of how their septic system works and what maintenance is needed for reliable operation.  Since they don’t know any better, they abuse their septic system and then complain when it fails.

For this reason, septic systems have earned an undeserved reputation for being unreliable.  The reality is that if a septic system is properly designed and installed, if the homeowner treats the system with care and has regular septic tank pumping, a septic system should give reliable service for 20 to 30 years or more.

Unfortunately, the old adage “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it” doesn’t apply to septic systems.  A septic system needs to be pumped periodically even though it is working perfectly.  The frequency of the pumping varies, but every three to five years is typical.  If you have the system inspected annually, your septic system professional will let you know when the tank is getting full.

If you wait until there is a problem with the septic system to have the tank pumped, it will be too late.  The damage to your septic system will already have been done.  A septic system is designed to hold solid waste material in the tank and allow the fluid effluent to flow into the septic field where it percolates into the soil.  Failing to periodically pump the solid material out of the septic tank will allow too much solid material to accumulate in the tank and it will flow out into the septic field where it will clog the leach field.

A clogged leach field or drain field is very expensive to repair if it can be repaired at all.  Avoid this problem by having the septic tank pumped regularly.

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