5 Things in Your Home That Can Contribute to Septic System Failures

June 22nd, 2016 Posted in Septic System Maintenance
Comments Off on 5 Things in Your Home That Can Contribute to Septic System Failures

No one wants to come home to a backed up septic system that may need to be replaced. Septic system failures are messy and expensive, making it a priority to avoid anything that can cause this issue. However, most septic failures can be prevented if you know what can cause them. Here are five common contributors to septic failures that are in your home.

  1. Garbage disposal. Although garbage disposals are handy, they are also a bad idea if you own a home with a septic system. Even though the garbage disposal breaks down food, it is better to not put any food down the drain when you have a septic.
  2. Washing machine. Lint from your clothes can go down the drain from your washer and causing havoc in your septic system. Installing a lint filter in your washer can prevent lint clogs in your drain field.
  3. Toilets. The biggest drains in your house is your toilets, making them the most likely place for foreign items to enter your septic. Make sure your family understands what can be flushed and what cannot, such as feminine hygiene products, cotton swabs and disposable wipes.
  4. Cleaners. Many cleaners you use in your home can be harmful to your septic system. Make sure to use laundry soaps, dish soaps and all-purpose cleaners that are safe for septic systems.
  5. Medications. Did you know that some medications can be harmful to the bacteria your septic system needs to function? Also, flushing old tablets down the drain can clog your drain field pipes.

Avoid septic system disasters by being aware of these common culprits. As another preventative measure, make sure to have annual inspections and routine tank pumping by your local septic service provider.

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

, ,
Read More

Recognize a Failing Septic System

March 19th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Inspections
Comments Off on Recognize a Failing Septic System

The way a septic system functions is that it collects solid waste in the septic tank and allows wastewater to flow out into a drain field where it percolates into the soil.  As the wastewater seeps through the soil, natural biological activity treats the waste water.  Most of the solid waste in the septic tank decomposes naturally and any residual solid material is pumpied out of the tank periodically.  Septic systems are used in areas where a municipal sewer system is unavailable, such as isolated homes or larger subdivisions away from urban areas.

When a septic system is beginning to fail, it can become a very serious matter, as well as a health threat to anyone near it. If you ever decide to sell your home, having a failing septic system can have a drastic effect on the bottom line, impacting the sale price of your home and causing it to drop significantly. You should take care and be certain that you can afford to both keep and maintain the septic system you use at your home.

Be aware of any telltale signs that your septic system might be failing. If you see deep green grass over the drain field of your tank, more so than other places in your yard, that might be a cause for concern. If you notice standing water or liquid in the drain field after a heavy rain, it’s possible that it could be sign of a larger problem. Also, any foul or unpleasant odors in the area or even in your own home are a possible sign of a failing septic system.

The health and longevity of any septic system is of vital importance for those that live in its vicinity, and the environment at large around it. If you have any concerns about your septic system, contact a reputable sewer-septic contractor and arrange for a septic system inspection.

, ,
Read More

Does Your Septic System Smell Like a Sewer?

March 19th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
Comments Off on Does Your Septic System Smell Like a Sewer?

It’s possible for your home septic system to stop working properly, and it can cause your septic system to give off an unpleasant sewer smell, either outside or even inside of your home. The worst part by far is that no one likes the smell of sewage, and there’s very few ways to mask that smell for very long.

It’s normal for your septic system to create gasses that smell like a sewer, due to run off and waste materials. Gas will move through the pipes and be expelled out through a vent into the air where they disperse.

Problems occur when the a blockage or clog occurss in the sewer pipe. Other culprits might be a down draft of wind that sends gasses around your home or up into your house, when the inlet pipe for your septic tank is left unvented, or if water backs into your septic system and covers up the pipes. Any or all of these can allow gasses to be trapped and let the unpleasant smell into your house.

So how do you stop the sewer smell? One obvious solution is having the septic system pumped. If it’s been over five years, or even as little as two or three years since the last time the septic tank was pumped, you should contact your local septic tank professional to have the system checked. Other solutions involved using a charcoal filter, or to have the house vent extended on the roof of your home to allow the gasses to expel further away from the home.

Whatever you do, don’t just ignore the smell and hope that it goes away – bad smells are a sign that something is wrong with your septic system, and should be taken as a precursor and warning sign.

, ,
Read More

Leach Fields 101

December 19th, 2012 Posted in Drain Field
Comments Off on Leach Fields 101

Understanding the inner workings of a septic system can be quite complicated for the layman, but there are things that you’ll need to understand if you’re considering or just completed the purchase of a home with a septic system. The leach field, also called a drain field, is a network of trenches and pipes that are surrounded by gravel and a layer of soil to protect it from animals and environmental disturbances.

The leach field removes contaminants from the liquid that leaves the septic tank, allowing for disposal of organic materials with the assistance of the surrounding microbial ecosystem. Leach field failures are usually the result of intestinal bacteria that finds its way into the leach field, where they take hold and begin to secrete a substance called biomat. That substance, a mucal slime that begins to thicken over time, can eventually begin to inhibit the flow of liquid through the leach field.

The result is a rise of odorous waste to the surface and a fully clogged leach field. Pipes can also be broken or clogged by the roots of trees growing nearby, construction activity on your property or driving a vehicle over the leach field. Failure to pump a septic tank in a timely manner can also cause an accumulation of sludge and organic solids, which will contribute to the growth of biomat. A sewer-septic contractor can assess the problem and offer possible solutions for drain field repairs to restore proper septic system function, as well as addressing any issues that could be contributing to damage of the leach field or septic system failures.

, ,
Read More

Septic System Water Volume

July 20th, 2012 Posted in Drain Field
Comments Off on Septic System Water Volume

If you are new to septic systems or are a septic system veteran but never gave your septic system much thought, you should be aware that there are limits to the amount of water that a septic system can handle.  Most homeowners assume that since the septic system seems to be working properly without any backups or wastewater pooling in the yard, then the system is doing a fine job of handling the water load they are placing on it.

However, you can easily overload a septic system and cause damage to your septic field without any indications of a problem showing up for years.  This kind of long term damage can significantly shorten the life of your septic system or cause you to need expensive drain field repairs.

The septic tank relies on time and gravity to separate the solid material from the liquid effluent.  The wastewater should remain in the tank for about 48 hours to allow the solid material to collect on the bottom of the tank and any grease or oils to float to the top of the tank.  Then the effluent can flow out into the drain field and safely percolate into the soil.

Using too much water in a short time period can prevent the waste water from standing in the tank long enough for the solids to settle out.  For example, if  you do ten loads of laundry on Saturday, the extra waste water added to the usual waste water load can overload the septic tank.  It is better to do one or two loads a day throughout the week.

In addition, lowering your water usage by installing low flow plumbing fixtures can help reduce the water load on your septic tank and extend the life of your septic system.

, ,
Read More

Septic System Failures

November 6th, 2011 Posted in Septic System
Comments Off on Septic System Failures

A properly designed and installed septic system is an excellent way to treat and dispose of household wastewater.  However, a septic system needs to be used properly and regularly maintained or the septic system can fail and require expensive septic tank repairs or replacement.

A septic system works by accumulating household wastewater in the septic tank and holding it there long enough for most solid material to settle to the bottom of the tank where it forms the sludge layer.  Greases and other materials float to the top of the tank and form the scum layer.

The wastewater in between the sludge layer and scum layer is called the effluent and is allowed to flow into the drain field where it leeches into the soil and is purified through a natural organic process.  Baffles inside the septic tank prevent the scum layer from flowing into the drain field.  Bacterial action helps break down the solid material at the bottom of the tank

Septic systems usually fail because the septic field becomes clogged with solid material that prevents the wastewater from seeping into the soil.  Avoid flushing too much inorganic solid material down the drain such as from a garbage disposal or paper products. Failure to have the septic tank pumped when necessary can also lead to septic system failure.  The level of solid material in the tank rises so high that there is no room in the tank and the solid material flows into the septic field.

Septic system failures seem to occur suddenly, but in fact the cause of the failure has usually been building up over a period of months or years.  Most septic system failures can be averted through regular septic tank inspections and septic tank pumping when needed.

, ,
Read More

Find Local Company | Find Local Sewer Septic Services