According to the Environmental Protection Agency, over 20% of homeowners are refusing to use common wastewater systems. They are choosing individual septic systems, which dispose of the water.
Once you are running a septic system, knowing its operating principles is essential, such as how to avoid leaks and blockages that will degrade the system over time. Having the necessary maintenance information will drastically prolong the lifetime of your system.
A septic system combines a septic tank and a leach field. It connects many pipes running from the house wastewater line through the septic tank and to adjacent leach fields. Proper septic tank maintenance can serve anywhere between 15 and 40 years. The leach field as an individual component can keep up with more than 50 years of service! Employing professionals to provide important maintenance tasks will increase the health and performance of your septic system throughout its lifetime, and extend its lifetime significantly if you hire the right professionals who know what they’re doing.
The septic treats organic matter. It separates the floating substances (e.g. oily and greasy stuff) with solids from the wastewater. With traditional, otherwise soil-based systems, the liquid (generally called sewage) drains out of the septic tank into an array of pre-perforated pipes arranged in a leach field, chambers or some other special installation used to discharge the sewage into the soil. It is a disposal field. Some alternative solutions use pumps or gravity to help septic tank wastewater seep through the sand, organic substances (for example peat and sawdust), septic tank tablets, engineered wetlands or through other media to dispose or detoxify pollutants such as pathogens, nitrogen, phosphorus and other impurities. Many alternative systems serve to vaporize wastewater or disinfect it before discharging underground.
Septic tanks come in four different types, named for the materials used to make them. There are concrete, steel, plastic, and fiberglass septic tanks.
Concrete septic tanks are massive, heavy structures that are pre-cast for easier installation. Their specific gravity amounts to approximately 2.40 – This makes concrete septic tanks more than strong enough to resist buoyant forces when set into the ground. Their durability increases over time due to the way they are constructed and installed in the ground.
Steel septic tanks are the least popular choice nowadays. The main problem with steel septic tanks is the inability of the septic tank cover to withstand harsh weather conditions over time. While inspecting steel
septic tanks, you should take care not to allow the top cover to become corroded. This will compromise the tank’s structural integrity and render it susceptible to collapse. Such tanks are not used commonly nowadays due to their potential for catastrophic failure.
Plastic septic tanks have the advantage of being incredibly light. They are easier to handle and install than concrete and steel ones. Plastic septic tanks feature a specific gravity near 0.97, making them relatively lighter than water. If you install the tank in an area where the water table is low, it will float above ground
level. To prevent this from happening, you must take great care to check the water table before installing your new plastic septic tank.
Fiberglass septic tanks utilize fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP) for their manufacturing. Fiberglass armoring strengthens septic tanks much more than plastic-type septic tanks. They are lighter in weight and easier to handle. The light weight of the tank is likely to cause the tank to float or shift. It is possible to overcome this by fixing the tank to the ground correctly.
For your typical domestic septic tank, you should trust a septic tank professional to service your septic tank at least once every three years. Our professional, certified plumbers at Express Drain & Sewer Cleaning can help you accomplish successful septic tank servicing. If your septic tank is installed with operated float switches, pumps, or other mechanical components, they will require more frequent septic tank inspection recommended at least once a year.
Generally one associates a septic tank with a toilet. However, another set of overlooked outlets for septic tanks are residential washing machines and dishwashers. The sewage coming from the washing machine and dishwasher is safe for the septic tank, yet there is something to be aware of which can affect the septic tank’s lifespan significantly. Your septic tank is rated for a certain water volume per day. If you wash more than once or twice in a given period, you risk overloading the septic tank filter by not allowing it enough time to flush out the residual wastage before starting the next wash. Try to spread out your wash cycles evenly throughout the day and week.
No matter how small the items themselves are, no matter how many times the packaging says ‘flushable’, some ordinary household wares can cause costly problems for your plumbing and drainage septic system. Sewage companies, environmentalists, and consumers are constantly engaged with manufacturers to correct product labeling. Meanwhile, please ensure that personal care products, cleaning products, and other household waste arrive at the correct disposal: in a garbage bin, in a reusable waste container, or at your local household waste disposal unit for unsafe waste.
Waste water pipes drain away sewage from washbasins and tubs. That means that the toilet paper and man-made waste into your septic tank directly from your toilet bowl. Many people end up clog drains. They pollute the environment, and risk damaging their plumbing system by flushing their waste down the toilet. Once the item is to be disposed of does not mean that you can flush it down the toilet. Instead, you should roll it up in a plastic bag and place it in the garbage bin. Avoid flushing waste that does not belong in your pipes at all costs. Otherwise you risk damaging your septic system and clogging your waste water pipes with “disposable” wipes, Q-tips, and other waste that belongs in a garbage basket.
Dishwashing soap and laundry detergents can be incredibly destructive to your plumbing and septic system. These cleaning agents contain surface-active substances and phosphates, both of which are hazardous to your tank and the natural environment.
Try to opt for biodegradable varieties and choose liquid forms of soaps and dishwashing liquids. Non-liquid detergents tend to contain clay, which can clump together and cause clogs and expensive leaks in your plumbing system. They make it tougher for the septic tank to degrade waste and can cause further damage that requires inspection and maintenance. You are better off preventing these leaks than fixing them down the road. Luckily, “eco-friendly” or “green” detergents are readily available on the market in liquid form.
