Why Does Your Septic Tank Need to be Pumped?

September 5th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Unless your home is connected to a public sewer system and maintained by your municipality, your home septic system does need your attention on occasion to keep it functioning properly. Since all of the water flowing out of your house (albeit sink, shower, toilet or laundry) enters directly into the septic tank, it stands to reason that this must occasionally be pumped out.

The septic tank is a large container made of concrete, steel or plastic that is buried beneath your property, usually in the back or side yards, at some distance from the house. As all the water from your house enters the tank, it effectively separates the liquids from the solids; solid waste then settles to the bottom of the tank, while liquid waste is pumped out of the tank into a drainage field. Over time, a lot of the solid waste also gets broken down by natural bacteria in the tank. However, what solid waste remains will eventually build up and need to be pumped out by your local septic system service company.

Periodic septic tank pumping is necessary to avoid the risk backup and overflow; meaning, what should be going into the tank could be coming back into your home. Furthermore, an overflow of your tank could damage the drainage field, possibly contaminating ground water, or cause other expensive damage to the septic system or your home; all of which could have been easily prevented by having the tank pumped. Have your system inspected yearly. Once you’ve established a pattern of how well your system functions in degrading and retaining waste, you’ll know just when pumping is needed.

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What to Do If Your Septic System Freezes

September 5th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Rarely do we ever consider the possibility of our septic system freezing until it actually happens, or your hear of it happening to someone else. If your septic system has been functioning properly, has had regular inspections and septic tank pumping, and winter presents with a heavy blanket of insulating snow with moderate temperatures, then chances are good that your system should be fine. However, caught unaware by a cold, snowless winter without having placed insulating mulch over your system, cracked or missing pipe covers, leaky faucets and running toilets, you just may discover that your septic system is frozen.

If you are experiencing a backup of wastewater into your drains, you will want to shut off all running water in your home. Frankly, the next best course of action that you can take is to call your local septic service professional right away. Dealing with a frozen septic system is not a job that you want to do yourself; this is one of the jobs that is truly best left to the professionals. To attempt to remedy this situation without a professional could cause further costly damage to either your septic system or your home.

You can rest assured that your local septic tank professional has the experience and equipment to tackle the problem. Sometimes they will try to unfreeze the tank or piping with steamers, hot water from high-pressure jets, applying heat tape to the pipes or a heater to the tank itself. Above all, do not add any anti-freeze or other chemicals to reverse the freezing, as they will harm the natural bacteria in your tank needed for the breakdown of waste.

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What Determines the Size of Your Septic System?

September 5th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Yes, in regards to septic sewer systems, size does matter! Although septic tanks are manufactured in a variety of sizes, it must be able to adequately process the wastewater capacity of your home or business. Commercial septic tanks can hold up to 5,000 gallons or more; whereas, residential tanks are usually 1,000 to 2,000 gallons in capacity and are generally based on the number of bedrooms in a home. Likewise, the size and capacity of the drain field into which all the liquid waste is pumped must accommodate the size of the tank. Furthermore, the size of the drain field can vary, depending on the type of soil at the site.

It should be noted that, for residential homes, local building codes or public health ordinances may determine the size of the septic tank, regardless of the number of bedrooms. Most regions seem to have a minimum tank capacity of at least 1,000 gallons, even if you just have a one bedroom home. With that exception in mind, you can easily count the desired septic tank size for your home simply by counting the bedrooms. One or two bedroom houses typically need a 750 gallon septic tank. Next, add 250 gallons to the tank for each additional bedroom. When in doubt, choose the larger capacity.  A septic system that is too small will require more frequent septic tank pumping and is more likely to fail prematurely.

You may want to have your local septic sewer service professional inspect your septic system to ensure that it is functioning properly and that it is the right size for your home. Furthermore, if you are considering building onto your home an additional bedroom, installing a larger septic system may be necessary; check with local public ordinances and health codes to ensure you remain in compliance.

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Protect Your Septic System from Freezing

September 5th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Inspections
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Although most of us are still experiencing the heat of summer, Labor Day and fall are just around the corner; after which, we can expect the onslaught of winter. In anticipation of the upcoming seasonal change, we can certainly take some protective measures to prevent the freezing of our septic systems. By taking the time now to proactively ward off potential trouble, we are saving time and expense down the road should this be the year of a harsh winter.

First of all, it is a good idea to have your septic system inspected by your local septic service professional, especially if it has been awhile since it has been pumped, just to ensure that your system is ready to handle colder weather. That should catch any cracked or missing pipe covers that could allow the cold to enter your system. Also, check for and repair any leaky faucets or running toilets which could cause the system to freeze.

One of the primary causes of freezing septic systems is lack of snow cover because it acts as an insulating blanket over the soil and your system. Therefore, it is a good idea to put eight to twelve inches of mulch over the drain field and the tank, as well as the pipes. Compacted soil, or snow, can also lead to freezing because the air spaces have been removed; air spaces serve as another form of insulation. It is a good idea to keep all traffic off of your septic system, all year long. If you have a septic system at a cabin or home that you visit infrequently, either close it up for the winter, draining all water sources; or, alternatively, have a neighbor run warm water in your home once a week.

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How Often Should You Have Your Septic System Pumped?

September 5th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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If you are accustomed to the thought-free ease of city sewer systems, and have recently purchased a home with a septic system, this is a question for which you need an answer! Do not, however, lose sleepless nights fretting about how to care for your septic system. There is really relatively little maintenance beyond learning what not to put down your pipes, and the occasional pumping done by your local septic sewer service professional.

Your septic tank, in essence, is a self-contained wastewater treatment system through which all the water flows from the drains in your home. As the water enters the tank, liquids are separated from solids, the liquid is pumped out into a drainage field while the solids collect on the bottom. Natural bacteria in the tank continues to breakdown the solids, but eventually they will accumulate until they need to be pumped out. How frequently your septic tank requires pumping depends on several factors including the size of the tank, the size of your family (how many people are utilizing water for showers, toilets, laundry, etc.), whether or not you have a garbage disposal and the care you take in preventing the disposal of non-biodegradable waste through your plumbing.

If you have not already established a historical pattern with your septic system that gives you an idea of when septic tank pumping is needed, you may wish to have your septic professional inspect the system yearly to ensure that it is functioning properly and to measure the amount of sludge in the tank. It is recommended that when the sludge level reaches within 6 inches of the outlet pipe, it should be pumped. On average, most septic systems are pumped every one to three years.

 

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