How to Explain Septic Services to Your Boss

[Cataldo Lezlie]

Perhaps where you once lived, the house was connected to a sewer system. A septic tank and a sewer system have the same function. They are both waste drainage systems (of the sinks, toilets, bath tubs, laundry, etc.), for the house. Septic tanks are common in areas where sewer systems do not exist.

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In fact, there are more septic tank systems in use than sewer systems. Before septic tanks, you may have heard of cesspools. A cesspool is covered hole or pit for receiving drainage or sewage, from a house. In the cesspool, the inorganic solids sink to the bottom and the organic solids float to the top. Bacteria in the cesspool change the organic solids to liquid. The liquid flows through the dirt side walls of the cesspool into the adjacent soil.

How septic tanks work?

Septic systems are made up of three major components a septic tank, distribution box and drain fields (Sometimes called leach fields).

The raw sewage and waste water travels to the septic tank via the main waste or sewer pipe, from the house. From the septic tank, liquids travel by gravity to the distribution box. Which controls and directs the effluent after it leaves the tank so that it flows evenly into the drain fields. The drain fields are the beds in which the drain field piping is laid. The drain filed piping is perforated and the effluent waste water exits the perforated pipes. The drain field beds are made of sand and gravel to allow for good percolation of the effluent.

The septic tank:

The septic tank usually located just a few feet from the house foundation and usually buried just below the surface.

The contents inside of the tank consist of solids (sludge) that sink to the bottom of the tank. The liquids are the middle contents. This flows out of the tank to the distribution box. The top layer is the scum. It is made up of grease and oils. The solids in the septic tank are broken down into liquids by bacteria. The bacteria come naturally from the contents in the tank. The sludge builds up over time and needs to be pumped out. A typical septic tank needs to be pumped every 3 to 5 years. If the tank becomes full, drain lines from the house will become useless, and sludge will flow into the drain fields and clogging the drain field piping. Repairs of this are costly.

The size of a septic tank is based on the number of bedrooms in the house. The number of bathrooms does not matter. A 2 bedroom house usually is equipped with a 750 gallon tank, 3 bedroom, 1000 gallon tank, 4 bedroom, 1200 gallon tank, etc.

How to inspect and test a septic system:

Being the system is underground and not visible, we do not fully know if the septic system is functioning 100% flawlessly. With these suggestions and testing we can reduce the chances of costly repairs. Septic systems are expensive to repair.

Most home buyers and sellers know very little about septic systems. This said homeowners are not aware they may be selling a house with a failing septic system.

Ask the seller about the septic system, for example, how old is the house (or septic system), and how long has the seller lived in the home? Ask the seller for verification when it was last pumped. How often has it been pumped? If he doesn't have verification, ask him where the septic tank is located on the property. If he doesn't know and he has lived in the house for a number of years, it has not been pumped. It is suggested at this point, to ask the seller to have the tank pumped and the tank condition inspected while it is open for the pumping. It maybe advantages to you to pay, if the seller will not. The service contractor should give you verification that it is pumped and a report on its condition.

Make a visual inspection of the property where the septic system is located. Thoroughly walk over the entire area, looking for any signs of wetness and or odors coming from the ground.

Run a lot of water at all fixtures watching for back up or poor drainage. Inspect for leaking pipes. For example, a toilet that has a defective flapper can add many extra gallons of water into the system. Remember the less water added to the system the less the soil in the septic fields needs to absorb.

Talk to the neighbors about the septic systems performances in the area. Ask if they know anything about the septic system on the property of interest.

The dye test

A dye test is suggested. The dye test will show septic system and drain field failures. This is not a 100% guarantee. The system could be failing even if the dye test does not reveal an issue. On the other hand, it can show defects that are costly repairs.

To perform the test, drop the fluorescent dye in the toilet and flush, to get the dye directly into the system. Next run cold water down the drain for one to two hours from the bath tub. This should allow enough water in the system to flow into the drain fields. Walk the property once more looking for signs of the dye color. If signs of the dye are found, further inspection and repairs, should be performed by a qualified full service septic contractor as deemed necessary.

How to keep your septic tank from clogging:

What you put into your drains and toilets should be watched carefully to keep your system functioning properly through the years.

Food scraps, greases, oils, coffee grounds, washing machine lint should be at a minimal.

Anything that will kill the bacteria in the septic tank should be avoided. Such as paint, (even latex), solvents, chemicals, paint thinners, pesticides. Large amounts of bleach and laundry detergents. Small amounts bleach and detergent are ok. Space out clothes washing. Do not do several loads in one day. With an excess amount of water, the septic tank system works slower than normal and could cause clogging.

Toilets should be limited to toilet tissue and facial tissue. Items that can clog the drain piping are feminine products, Condoms, dental floss, diapers, and cigarettes. Anything indigestible should be avoided.

Persons moving to a home that uses a septic tank may need some information about this onsite wastewater treatment system. Septic tanks are an efficient way to safely dispose of contaminated water from the home. If properly cared for, the septic tank is a vital key top protecting the environment. Tanks that are not properly taken care of can allow raw sewage to leak onto the top of the ground and into runoff water.

Proper care for a septic tank begins in the home. There are certain items that should not be flushed down drains. Grease, plastic and latex do not break down in the system and should be disposed of in another manner if at all possible. If these items are flushed down a drain or toilet, they tend to add to the scum layer at the top of the tank and cause the tank to need pumping sooner.

While many household cleaners are diluted to the point that they do not cause a problem, occupants of the home will want to avoid overuse of these materials with the tank. In addition, it is recommended that when choosing laundry detergents, persons with septic tanks choose liquid detergents rather than powders.

Septic tanks require regular pumping. Generally speaking, a tank serving a family of four needs to be pumped every three years. If the home has more family members, the tank will need servicing more often. In addition, if the family makes heavy use of a garbage disposal, it can cause the tank to require servicing more often. Pumping should occur before the scum level drops below the baffle or solid materials may leak into the drain field and cause failure of the field.

When homes have septic systems, care must be used to avoid driving over the tank or drain field. Driving over the tank could cause the lid to break and may drop a vehicle directly into the tank. Driving over the drain field can compress the rock and pipe that allow the system to distribute the treated wastewater into the soil.

While it is possible to find many additives for septic systems, most experts agree that there is no need to add these materials to the tank. There is enough bacterial in the materials that fill the tank that will cause a natural breakdown of the substances. Most septic tank additives only add more pollutants to the streams.

Most older septic systems used gravity to distribute the treated water into the drain field. Today, however, in order to place septic systems on property in places where a traditional gravity flow drain field does not operate correctly, many homes are being built with pump systems or sand filters. These systems must be engineered to allow for pollution free distribution of the treated water. They can be very expensive systems and require even more caution at taking care of the system.

If a home uses a septic systems to treat the wastewater from a home, it is important to know how to take care of the tank. Septic tanks can effectively take Click here for more care of waste water if properly maintained, however, tanks that are neglected may cause pollution problems on the homeowner's property as well as that of his neighbors.