Septic tanks are a great solution for remote or urban property owners who either cannot or do not want to be part of a municipal sewage system. A septic system is connected directly to the pipes of the residence or business and serves as an immediate filter and containment unit for water-bound domestic waste. There are certain risks related to the installation and maintenance of a septic tank; such risks have resulted in rules that need to be followed to protect the environment and property especially with the regular removal of the contents of the tank by a vacuum truck.

Frequency

Depending on the size of the unit and the household, a tank must be emptied every three to five years. This is necessary not only because of space limitations but also because the tank needs to be inspected with some regularity to check for cracks, leaks and blockages. Other reasons are as follows:

• • Emergencies – Pumping can also become necessary in cases of emergency. Sewage backup and drain clogging may occur due to blockages which need to be cleared immediately to keep the problem from escalating. Flooding can cause similar problems.

 

• • Precautionary Measure – Emptying the primary container can also be a precautionary measure when there are many household members; parties with many guests; or other circumstances where many people would be using the toilets.

 

• • Odors – Sometimes tanks are suctioned due to permeating sewer odors escaping from the system as that could be a symptom of leaking gas needing to be repaired separately. Evidence of septic failure must be attended to immediately by a professional repair company.

 

• Selling Property – It is also customary to pump out the septic system before selling property.

Septic tanks serve a very useful purpose for many households. As long as properly maintained by regular pumping, cleaning and inspections, they should correctly function under all conditions and for a long service life. Hopefully this information will be helpful in knowing how a septic tank is cleaned!

Follow these safety tips given below when inspecting your septic system:

1. Septic tank lid
Make sure that the access port of your tank is covered with a solid lid. Make sure that the lid is strong enough. Kids should not be able to open it. If you have no idea as to how to install the system, you can call a professional for help. The company will be more than happy to help with the inspection.

2. The tank opening
You should never lean over the septic tank opening. The reason is that the gasses that come out of the tank may knock you out. You may also fall in the tank, which may prove fatal.

3. Driving Over The septic system
Driving heavy machine on the ground where the tank system is buried is not a good idea. Actually, you may have to bear heavy costs in order to get the broken pipes repaired. So, make sure you don’t drive heavy equipment or machinery on the ground where you buried the tank system.

Contact Info:
Name: Billy Fowler
Email: info@asapadvancedseptic.com
Organization: ASAP Advanced Septic & Drainage, Inc.
Address: 5011 E Busch Blvd, Tampa, FL 33617
Phone: (813) 986-6070

How To Repair A Failing Septic System

Septic tanks usually handle waste liquid and scum daily. If a tank is filled to capacity, scum and effluent have no place to go but to back up to into toilets, sinks, and drains. To prevent this embarrassing and disgusting scenario from happening, septic tanks must be cleaned out at regularly scheduled intervals. This process is not something that can be done alone but needs a specialized device to safely remove the sludge, scum and effluent from the tank and carried to a disposal site. An additional thought is that it is a wise idea to clean a septic tank prior to a big gathering or party to avoid the overloading of sewage water into the septic system that can occur during periods of large usage.ReasonsIt is an unfortunate occurrence for a system to back up during large gatherings such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, weddings, summer barbecues or other such parties. The reason this occurs is that the tank is having trouble due to over usage, a problem that does not usually happen during normal use. The increased waste water entering the tank can't freely flow into the drain field. This can cause a blockage in the sewer line which in turn can result in the effluent backing up into the house. Oftentimes, it is not the large amount of waste water but something foreign that has been flushed down the drain that causes the obstruction. Although this could possible be handled by using a plunger to remove the clog, frequently the main problem is in the septic system itself.Using vacuum trucks, elimination of septic waste is very simple, although this should always be accomplished by a professional that is equipped to handle the job. Vacuum trucks are used to remove the effluent, scum and sludge at scheduled intervals as well as prior to big parties. It is indeed a good idea to pump the tank before a party to avoid clogging the sewer line caused by over usage; however, the best practice is to establish and maintain a regular pumping schedule to extend the life of the system. So have that party and have no sewage system problems to ruin the event!

 

Septic Treatment Products Vs Home Made Septic Cleaners

For those people who work with septic trucks and are involved in their day-to-day operation, it is important to know and understand that this piece of equipment should be regularly maintained to accomplish its tasks easily and efficiently.Although this scenario is rare or seems as if it impossible to happen, it is possible for a septic truck to stop working in the middle of a job. This can happen if the equipment is not properly maintained on a regular basis. Following are some guidelines to keep the entire vehicle as well as the system itself in excellent operating condition.Septic Tank Cleaning and MaintenanceIt is approximated that about 25 percent of all households in the United States use septic tank systems. Each system must be regularly maintained to prevent sludge and scum from building up and preventing the whole setup from proper functioning. This means that the septic truck is a piece of equipment that is regularly used to perform routine septic system maintenance.By following and performing these simple tips in maintaining a septic truck, there will be a great impact on the value and profitability of the business investment in this heavy-duty vehicle. Happy cleaning!

Septic Drain Field Problems and Repair: What to Look for and How to Get the Help You Need

What is a lint trap?

Lint traps are mesh screens that are designed to go over the discharge hose of a washing machine that empties into a sink, and are also known as lint snares or lint filters. They can be made of aluminum, stainless steel or nylon. They are used to capture any lint that is discharged from the water to keep it from going down the sink. Lint traps are more important today since washing machines no longer come with a built in lint filter, as a result, more lint gets washed down the drain, and stays on the clothes.

If you are anything at all like me, you realize the effect that lint from your laundry has on your pipes, sink and septic system. This lint that is discharged with the water, clogs your pipes and can harm the flow of your septic system. It took a while before I realized that there were pre made solutions out there that were easy to use and inexpensive to buy. To me time is money and searching for a old nylon stocking and finding something to attach it with onto the hose so that it wouldn’t come off when the water was coming out of the hose, was more of a pain and more expensive time-wise for me.

If I have to spend more than 15 minutes to create something, then it’s worth the $5 to just buy the solution. To create my own solution meant that I would have to find a nylon that was long enough and still had enough integrity to it to effectively filter out the lint. I would then have to find a rubber band that would twist tight enough to hold the nylon in place for until it was time to replace it. This solution worked in being able to reduce the lint, however the solution was always haphazard and took way to much time for me to spend to get it to work. Luckily I found these lint traps that are especially made for washing machine drain hoses to specifically filter the lint from the drain water. The particular snares I found are made of stainless steel and come with an attachment tie that holds the filter to the hose tight enough to keep it secure when the water discharges from the laundry machine. The great thing is that there is no additional equipment needed to attach them to the washing machine output hose. That means I don’t have to spend time searching the house for something to attach it with. Remember for me, time is money. Once the lint traps get full of lint, the best practice is to replace them when they are about 1/2 full, although I have seen them 90% full before they were changed.

5 packs of lint traps on Amazon are available for purchase or you can just search for washing machine hose lint filters on Amazon and see what comes up.

Some problems that Lint Snares keep us from having to experience:

- clogged sink drains that are caked with lint from the discharge water during the laundry machine spin cycle

- your sink filling up with water during the water discharge because the drainage screens get filled with lint over time and begin to block the water from draining out of the sink.

- globs of lint getting stuck to the side of the sink to have to be washed out time and time again… more maintenance!

Unfortunately these lint traps don't solve the problem of more lint on our clothes now after the wash cycle..... That is another problem for another solution to handle.

Washing Machine Lint Traps Facts

- Usually made in China but some are made in the USA too.
- comes in a range from a pack of 2 to a pack of 50 lint traps and ties.
- simple to install - includes ties to attach lint filters to the output hose and no additional tools are needed.
- large enough to fit almost all washer hose sizes.
- they can be made from stainless steel, aluminum or nylon
- they should be replaced when they are half full.

What are some benefits of Washing Machine Lint Traps?

1. Lint Traps Help to Protect Your Septic Sewage System

Households that utilize septic systems have to especially be aware of what goes down their drains and their toilets. With many homes, their drain water flows into the septic drain field, therefore it must remain clear of debris so water can pass freely through the drainage field. Most lint from the washing machine is made of non biodegradable particles and if these particles eventually build up in the lint field, then they will eventually create enough of a blockage to reduce the efficiency of the drain field, thus causing the septic system to fail over time because the water can no long pass through it easily. Filtering out the lint from the water will go a long way over time to keep the drainage field free of non biodegradable particles, so therefore, using lint snares will keep the health of your septic system in tact.

2. Washing Machine Lint Filters Protect the Household Plumbing

I have read many stories about homeowners having to deal with clogged pipes and needing to call the plumber out to clean the out. One particular story I read was the plumber showed the homeowner some of what was stuck in the pipe and there was a lot of lint fiber that was mixed with food particles and grease stuck to the pipe. That combination of substances cause a hard layer of coating that caked on the pipes over time. This particular plumber shared with the homeowner one thing that would keep that from occurring again. The plumber told the homeowner about lint traps and how that would keep the lint out of the drainage water. The homeowner had never heard of them before so they were quite grateful and began using them right away. They have since been rewarded with trouble free plumbing. It’s great when a plumber is willing to empower their customers enough to talk them out of future work!

When lint builds up from washing machine waste water, it can create problems for homeowners. The two mentioned above and in addition, lint build up from sinks can occur as well. That is one more thing that needs to be taken care of in regards to home maintenance that these filters can help you with. The good thing is that these solutions are very inexpensive and are very simple to install. They can be found at the hardware store, or on online places like Amazon and other retailer websites.

Clean Your Septic Tank Before the Party!

An aerobic treatment system or ATS, often called (incorrectly) an aerobic septic system, is a small scale sewage treatment system similar to a septic tank system, but which uses an aerobic process for digestion rather than just the anaerobic process used in septic systems. These systems are commonly found in rural areas where public sewers are not available, and may be used for a single residence or for a small group of homes.

Unlike the traditional septic system, the aerobic treatment system produces a high quality secondary effluent, which can be sterilized and used for surface irrigation. This allows much greater flexibility in the placement of the leach field, as well as cutting the required size of the leach field by as much as half.[1]

The ATS process generally consists of the following phases:[2]

The disinfecting stage is optional, and is used where a sterile effluent is required, such as cases where the effluent is distributed above ground. The disinfectant typically used is tablets of calcium hypochlorite, which are specially made for waste treatment systems.[3] The tablets are intended to break down quickly in sunlight. Stabilized forms of chlorine persist after the effluent is dispersed, and can kill plants in the leach field.

Since the ATS contains a living ecosystem of microbes to digest the waste products in the water, excessive amounts of items such as bleach or antibiotics can damage the ATS environment and reduce treatment effectiveness. Non-digestible items should also be avoided, as they will build up in the system and require more frequent sludge removal.[4]

Small scale aerobic systems generally use one of two designs, fixed-film systems, or continuous flow, suspended growth aerobic systems (CFSGAS). The pre-treatment and effluent handling are similar for both types of systems, and the difference lies in the aeration stage.[1]

Fixed film systems use a porous medium which provides a bed to support the biomass film that digests the waste material in the wastewater. Designs for fixed film systems vary widely, but fall into two basic categories (though some systems may combine both methods). The first is a system where the media is moved relative to the wastewater, alternately immersing the film and exposing it to air, while the second uses a stationary media, and varies the wastewater flow so the film is alternately submerged and exposed to air. In both cases, the biomass must be exposed to both wastewater and air for the aerobic digestion to occur. The film itself may be made of any suitable porous material, such as formed plastic or peat moss. Simple systems use stationary media, and rely on intermittent, gravity driven wastewater flow to provide periodic exposure to air and wastewater. A common moving media system is the rotating biological contactor (RBC), which uses disks rotating slowly on a horizontal shaft. Approximately 40 percent of the disks are submerged at any given time, and the shaft rotates at a rate of one or two revolutions per minute.[1]

CFSGAS systems, as the name implies, are designed to handle continuous flow, and do not provide a bed for a bacterial film, relying rather on bacteria suspended in the wastewater. The suspension and aeration are typically provided by an air pump, which pumps air through the aeration chamber, providing a constant stirring of the wastewater in addition to the oxygenation. A medium to promote fixed film bacterial growth may be added to some systems designed to handle higher than normal levels of biomass in the wastewater.[1]

Another increasingly common use of aerobic treatment is for the remediation of failing or failed anaerobic septic systems, by retrofitting an existing system with an aerobic feature. This class of product, known as aerobic remediation, is designed to remediate biologically failed and failing anaerobic distribution systems by significantly reducing the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and total suspended solids (TSS) of the effluent. The reduction of the BOD5 and TSS reverses the developed bio-mat. Further, effluent with high dissolved oxygen and aerobic bacteria flow to the distribution component and digest the bio-mat.Doing so on single tank systems where solids do not have anywhere to settle, or there is no a clarifying area can do damage to the field lines as the solid matter is stirred up in the tank.

Composting toilets are designed to treat only toilet waste, rather than general residential waste water, and are typically used with water-free toilets rather than the flush toilets associated with the above types of aerobic treatment systems. These systems treat the waste as a moist solid, rather than in liquid suspension, and therefore separate urine from feces during treatment to maintain the correct moisture content in the system. An example of a composting toilet is the clivus multrum (Latin for 'inclined chamber'), which consists of an inclined chamber that separates urine and feces and a fan to provide positive ventilation and prevent odors from escaping through the toilet. Within the chamber, the urine and feces are independently broken down not only by aerobic bacteria, but also by fungi, arthropods, and earthworms. Treatment times are very long, with a minimum time between removals of solid waste of a year; during treatment the volume of the solid waste is decreased by 90 percent, with most being converted into water vapor and carbon dioxide. Pathogens are eliminated from the waste by the long durations in inhospitable conditions in the treatment chamber.[5]

The aeration stage and the disinfecting stage are the primary differences from a traditional septic system; in fact, an aerobic treatment system can be used as a secondary treatment for septic tank effluent.[1] These stages increase the initial cost of the aerobic system, and also the maintenance requirements over the passive septic system. Unlike many other biofilters, aerobic treatment systems require a constant supply of electricity to drive the air pump increasing overall system costs. The disinfectant tablets must be periodically replaced, as well as the electrical components (air compressor) and mechanical components (air diffusers). On the positive side, an aerobic system produces a higher quality effluent than a septic tank, and thus the leach field can be smaller than that of a conventional septic system, and the output can be discharged in areas too environmentally sensitive for septic system output. Some aerobic systems recycle the effluent through a sprinkler system, using it to water the lawn where regulations approve.

Since the effluent from an ATS is often discharged onto the surface of the leach field, the quality is very important. A typical ATS will, when operating correctly, produce an effluent with less than 30 mg/liter BOD5, 25 mg/L TSS, and 10,000 cfu/mL fecal coliform bacteria. This is clean enough that it cannot support a biomat or "slime" layer like a septic tank.[6]

ATS effluent is relatively odorless; a properly operating system will produce effluent that smells musty, but not like sewage. Aerobic treatment is so effective at reducing odors, that it is the preferred method for reducing odor from manure produced by farms.[7][8][9]

So, these are a few precautions that you may want to take if you are going to work on a septic tank system. This is important should you want to keep you and your family safe around the system. When in doubt, it’s a good idea to call a local septic service in Palm Harbor . Hopefully, these tips will help.

SEPTIC TANK CARE | WHO TO CALL FOR SERVICE IN Palm Harbor

There are multiple costs associated with a Septic System. I'll start with an explanation of the costs and give the actual estimates at the bottom:

Explanation of Septic Costs:

Cost to Pump Out the Septic Tank: Homeowners should have a licensed septic contractor pump out their septic tank every 3 to 5 years. If the tank is never pumped, then grease and other particles will flow into the leach field and clog the distribution pipes and the surrounding soil. Once that happens, he will need to have a new leach field installed at a cost of $10,000+.

Listing of Estimated Septic Costs:

Cost to Pump Out the Septic Tank: $150 to $250

Cost of Septic System Testing with Dye: $75 to $125

Cost to Remove Clog in Pipes to Tank: $50 to $250 (or more, if it's serious)

Cost of Complete Visual Inspection: $300 to $600

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Pinellas County Aerobic Septic

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