Spring Planting and Your Septic System

January 18th, 2019 Posted in Septic System
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Spring is a great time to update your landscaping. Adding new trees, shrubs and flower gardens can add beauty and value to your home. However, before you grab your shovel and rake to begin your spring planting, consider where you plan to add new foliage and how it could impact your septic system.

Roots and Septic Pipes

One of the biggest hazards to sewer pipes in your yard is the roots of trees searching for moisture. Tree roots can grow tens of feet out from a base of a tree trunk to collect water. If sewer pipes are nearby, tree roots will try to infiltrate them to get to the tempting moisture inside.

To protect your sewer pipes from expensive damage and root clogs, plan carefully when planting new trees. You will want to keep trees far way from your septic pipes to prevent problems down the road as they get larger.

Plants and Drain Fields

Another area to avoid when planting this spring is your drain field. The smaller pipes for your drain field are close to the surface and can easily be impacted plant roots, even smaller shrubs and bushes. Your drain field should only be covered with grass, no other plants, to prevent damage to this crucial component of your septic system.

Keep in mind how your landscaping can impact your septic system. If you have issues with your septic pipes or drain field, it can be caused by the plants and trees in your yard. Your local septic service can investigate the problem and fix any issue your beautiful trees and plants cause with your pipes and drain field.

Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(678) 873-7934

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Questions to Ask When You Schedule Your First Septic Pumping

January 18th, 2019 Posted in Septic System
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Is it time to schedule your first septic tank pumping? Before you call the first septic professional you come across on Google or in a business listing, there are some things to consider. First, you want to make sure you hire a licensed, trusted professional with a excellent reputation in your area. Secondly, there are some questions you should ask when scheduling your pumping service. Here are answers you need to ensure your pumping service goes smoothly.

What is the cost and what does it include?

There are some septic companies that have a flat fee that includes everything – the pumping, inspection and disposal. Others may use separate fees for each service. One way is not necessarily better than the other, but you want to know exactly what to expect and what is covered in the quoted price.

What type of access do you need?

It can save time and trouble to make sure there is room for the septic tank truck to park at your home. Ask how close they need to be to your tank and how much room they need.

How long will the service take?

Make sure you know how long to expect your septic contractor to spend cleaning your septic tank. A decision maker for the home should be present in case there are any repairs or issues that need to be resolved.

Septic pumping service is usually needed every 2-3 years for most homes, depending on the size of the tank and the amount of waste created in the home. If you know what to expect by asking a few questions, this service can go smoothly and quickly.

Posted on behalf of:
Kiddco Plumbing Inc
Sterling, VA 20166
(703) 435-4441

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What is a Sludge Check?

December 4th, 2018 Posted in Septic System
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When you have a septic system, keeping an eye on your septic tank is vital to prevent overflow and backups. Unfortunately, checking the level of your septic tank is not an easy task. There are deadly fumes in your septic tank and accessing the inside is a chore. Septic professionals are the best option to keep an eye on your septic tank levels, including a sludge check.

Sludge, when referring to a septic tank, is the layer of solid waste residue that forms inside your septic tank. This is solid waste that has been semi-dissolved, but it still a thick substance that should not be distributed to your drain field. During regular service, septic professional check the sludge level to determine if your septic tank needs to be pumped. This sludge check should be performed at least once a year to ensure it does not reach dangerous levels.

In most cases, if the sludge check reveals the tank is approaching the two-thirds level of fullness, it is time to schedule a septic pumping. This means the sludge is filling more than half the tank and will need to be removed before it backups into the sewer lines or overflows into the drain field. Sludge will not breakdown and can ruin a drain field. It is important to keep up with regular sludge checks and other maintenance to prevent septic failures.

If it has been over a year since you had your septic system serviced and a sludge check performed, it is time to call your local septic service professional. They can safely check the level of sludge in your septic tank and perform a pumping if needed.

Posted on behalf of:
Seagraves Plumbing Sewer & Septic
4980 Plant Atkinson Rd SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(494) 792-2221

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Is it a Septic Problem?

November 5th, 2018 Posted in Septic System
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Your plumbing and septic system are connected, but there is a difference between a plumbing issue and a septic problem. Your plumbing refers to the pipes and water system inside the house, while your septic system involves waste pipes, your septic tank and drain field. However, both can cause drain issues and sewer backups in your home. How do you know when you just have a clogged drain or if it’s a septic problem?

When a drain or pipe is clogged in your plumbing, it is usually a localized issue. If your toilet or kitchen sink drain is clogged, only those fixtures are affected. Your toilet can overflow due to a clog, but the bathroom sink and shower will still drain. These are clogs in the smaller pipes. Larger plumbing waste pipes can get clogged, but they will still usually only affect one area of the house, not all drains.

A septic backup will affect all drains in your home, usually the ones closest to the main sewer drain pipe first. This means drains in your basement or first floor are most likely to be the first to drain slower. If there is a septic backup, eventually all drains in the home will become slow and may begin not draining at all, or sewage may come up through the drains.

Any sewer backup in your home is a good reason to call a plumber. However, if you have what appears to be a septic backup, you want to call a septic professional. Your septic tank could be full or you may be experiencing a septic failure. Your local septic professional can perform an inspection and figure out the problem and propose a solution.

Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(678) 873-7934

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Distance Between a Private Well and Septic Tank

September 6th, 2018 Posted in Septic System
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When planning to add both a well and a septic tank to the same piece of property, it is important to make accommodations for distance. Contamination of drinking water from sewage can be deadly. If you are building a new home or business with both a private well and septic system, here are some considerations to keep in mind.

Ample Distance

Every local environmental agency may have their own rules and regulations, but there are some basic standards that can be used when planning wells and septic systems. The tank should be at least fifty feet from the well, while drain fields should be at least 100 feet from the well. However, you should always check your local regulations to ensure you are meeting the standards for your region.

Plan Before Your Build

Determining where the well and septic tank/drain field should be determined before you build. You must have the right spots for a well and for a drain field – not all ground will perc for a drain field, nor is it easy to sink a well. It is easier to find the right places for these systems and then plan the spot for your building.

Professional Advice

Your local septic service company can be of great service to you as you plan the plumbing for your new building. They can do the necessary testing to find the best spot for your drain field and septic tank, and they will know the local regulations on placement regarding water wells. Their advice in the planning stages can help save you time and money to ensure you meet all the local regulations and protect the quality of your water.

Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(678) 873-7934

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3 Things You Should Never Flush Down the Toilet

August 9th, 2018 Posted in Septic System
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If you have a home or business with a septic system, the toilet can be the nemesis of maintaining your system. Too often, items that can clog your filters or caused damage to your septic end up getting flushed down. Ask any septic technician that has been called to handle septic emergencies what causes the biggest problems and it is often things that are flushed down the toilet. Here are three things you should never flushed down the toilet if you want to avoid problems down the road.

  1. Plastics. Nothing made from plastic should enter your septic system. Unfortunately, there are many items that get used in the bathroom that are made from plastics and end up in the toilet. Feminine hygiene products, cotton swabs, prophylactics, bandages and other items should not be flushed, but thrown away.
  2. “Flushable” wipes. They may say they are flushable, but these wipes should not be disposed of down the toilet in homes with septic systems. Most of these wet wipes are not bio-degradable and can clog up your septic system.
  3. Cat litter. Most cat litter is made from sand and clay, substances that can clog pipes and create excess sludge in your septic tank. Keep cat litter out of the toilet to avoid plumbing and septic problems.

If you own a septic system, you do not want anything that will not breakdown to be flushed down the toilet. Urine, human waste and septic-friendly toilet paper should be the only items that go into the toilet. Keeping other items out can help protect your septic system and avoid emergency calls to your septic service company.

Posted on behalf of:
Septic Service Pro, LLC
Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30334
(678) 292-8728

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Why You Should Install an Indoor Septic Tank Alarm

August 9th, 2018 Posted in Septic System
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Do you have an indoor septic tank alarm? If you have a gravity system, you may not need one. Gravity does a great job of emptying your septic tank as needed. As long as you have regular service and inspections to determine when your tank needs to be pumped, you should not have a problem. However, other systems that rely on pumps to push waste out should have an alarm to let you know when there is a problem.

Mound or uphill systems require mechanisms to push waste out of your septic tank as needed. If something should fail or there is a blockage, the tank can quickly become full. If not corrected, the tank will overflow, causing a backup of sewage into your home or business. This can cause extensive damage and cost plenty in cleanup and repairs.

An indoor septic tank alarm alerts you to when the septic tank on your property is at dangerous levels. There can be many reasons the alarm goes off – you may have had excessive use or a piece of equipment is not working as it should. Whatever the cause, the alarm lets you know that there is a problem. Having it installed indoors will let you know as soon as possible when you need to investigate an issue with your septic system.

While it is possible for an alarm to sound when there is not an overflow, this is unlikely. In most cases, if your septic alarm goes off, you should call your local septic service company for an inspection. This can help mitigate the problem before it becomes a septic failure or backup that can cost you much more in repairs.

Posted on behalf of:
Seagraves Plumbing Sewer & Septic
4980 Plant Atkinson Rd SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(494) 792-2221

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Is it Possible to Move a Septic Tank?

August 9th, 2018 Posted in Septic System
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When a septic system is put in place, it is meant to last for decades. The position of the tank and drain field is carefully designed to best suit the property and building it serves. However, down the road, the property owner may decide that they want to build or make changes to the property. When that happens, the septic tank could be a hindrance.

While it is not a simple task, septic tanks can be moved. This involves digging up the tank, disconnecting pipes and putting in a new tank at a different location. New pipes will need to be added to connect the building with the new tank and to divert waste water to the drain field.

There are considerations that must be factored in when deciding to move a septic tank. Some old cement tanks may not survive the move. They can break or crumble when removed, requiring disposal of the old tank and purchasing a new tank for the revised location. In some cases, a larger tank may be needed, especially if the reason for moving the tank is to make room for additions to the home. For gravity systems, the right amount of downgrade is needed for proper drainage in the pipes leading to and from the tank. Everything will need to be re-fitted and secured once the new tank is in place to ensure proper function.

Before deciding to move a septic tank, have an inspection done by your local septic service and installation pro. They can help you determine the best options for moving your septic tank to accommodate your new project and give you a quote on the moving costs.

Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(678) 873-7934

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Tips on How to Handle a Broken Sewer Line

July 25th, 2018 Posted in Septic System
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One thing a homeowner doesn’t want to deal with is a broken sewer line, but it does happen. Sewer lines can last for decades without any issues, but even these durable pipes can eventually break. Tree roots, corrosion, pressure from vehicles/heavy equipment and other factors can cause a broken sewer pipe in your yard. When it does happen, knowing how to handle the situation can reduce the stress and cost of the repair.

Recognizing a Broken Sewer Line

First, you need to know how to quickly identify that you may have a sewer line problem. Most sewer lines are under the ground, so you may not know one is broken right away. Some signs you may have a broken sewer pipes include:

  • Wet spots in your yard
  • Bad odor outside your home
  • Backed-up drains in your home

If you notice any of these issues, it is time to act. Stop using your plumbing immediately and call your local sewer service company. If there is a sewer backup into your home, you may want to have any children or pets stay elsewhere until the issue can be resolved. Sewer backups contain dangerous bacteria and toxins that you do not want anyone exposed to, especially kids or pets. The mess will need to be cleaned up and the area disinfected before you bring your family back home.

The one thing you should not do is ignore a possible sewer line break. Even if the plumbing is working fine, don’t wait for a backup to occur. Call your sewer professional and have your sewer line repaired to limit the damage to your home.

Posted on behalf of:
Seagraves Plumbing Sewer & Septic
4980 Plant Atkinson Rd SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(494) 792-2221

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Is it Time to Back Flush Your Septic Tank?

July 25th, 2018 Posted in Septic System
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If you own a septic system, you know that regular pumping is required to keep your tank from overflowing. A full septic tank can ruin your drain field and backup sewer waste into your home. Pumping your septic tank removes the solid waste that accumulates over time that doesn’t breakdown into liquid form or effluent. But what about the solid waste that does not leave your tank after a pumping service?

Back flushing a septic tank is essentially a cleaning service for your septic system. Pumping will remove most solids, but some waste can be more difficult to remove. This thick sludge will not easily be pumped out of the tank. If your septic tank is not back flushed after pumping, this dense solid waste will continue to build. This can mean more frequent pumping and could eventually cause harm to your septic system.

To avoid this waste building up on the sides and bottom of your septic tank, a back flushing should be done after each pumping. This can break up those solids and allow them to be effectively pumped from your septic tank. This leaves the tank completely clean and empty, reducing the amount of time needed before your next scheduled tank pumping.

Some septic services may include back flushing with their pumping service, but not all do. Make sure to ask your septic professional before your next scheduled pumping whether back flushing is included in the price or if that is a separate service. It is worth the investment to back flush your tank – it will keep your septic system clean and extend the time before you need another pumping service.

Posted on behalf of:
Kiddco Plumbing Inc
Sterling, VA 20166
(703) 435-4441

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