Pinellas County Aerobic Septic

A septic system consists of a septic tank and drain field, and in some cases a pump tank for those who cannot gravity feed to the drain field like here in many parts of Pinellas County. Septic systems can last for decades, if given the proper maintenance along with some helpful tips and knowledge that all homeowners should know.

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

Septic Tank Maintenance

Best Septic Tanks

Understanding septic systems capabilities and limits is needed to ensure water quality. A septic system is a type of On-Site Sewage Facility and is a self-contained, underground waste-water treatment system. By using natural processes to treat the waste-water on-site, septic systems do not require the installation of miles of sewer lines, making them less disruptive to the environment. A septic system consists of a septic tank, a distribution system and a soil absorption system, also called a drain field. The septic tank is a watertight box, sometimes made out of concrete or fiberglass, with an inlet and outlet pipe. The septic tank treats the waste-water naturally by holding it in the tank long enough for solids and liquids to separate. The waste-water forms three layers inside the tank. Solids lighter than water float to the top forming a layer of scum.Solids heavier than water settle at the bottom of the tank forming a layer of sludge. This leaves a middle layer of partially clarified waste-water. The layers of sludge and scum remain in the septic tank where bacteria found naturally in the waste-water work to break the solids down. The sludge and scum that cannot be broken down are retained in the tank until the tank is pumped. The layer of liquid flows from the septic tank to the drain field. A drain a series of trenches lined with gravel or sand and below the ground. The drain field treats the waste-water by allowing it to slowly trickle from the pipes out into the gravel and down through the soil. The remaining impurities are trapped and disposed of in the soil. The excess water is eliminated through percolation into the soil, and eventually returning to the ground water, through evaporation, and by uptake through plants and transpiration.The Center for Watershed Protection notes that septic systems can be effective methods of water treatment, however failures are common in many areas. Even properly functioning septic systems can leak and are not designed to effectively deal with most of the phosphorus and nitrogen load found in the water it treats. Pathogenic fecal bacteria are also a concern. The primary concern for a municipality is proper maintenance of septic systems, and in some cases the total load of partially treated pollutants that can impact local drinking water and wildlife. A solid understanding of septic systems capabilities and limits, and a good government plan is needed to ensure water quality.

Typically, a 3 bedroom home with 2250 sq ft of living or less has a 900 gallon septic tank and can be used here in Pinellas County . The septic tank receives all the waste water from a home. This includes showers, toilets, washing machine, dishwasher and sinks. According to the American water works association, the average person uses about 70 gallons per day on average. The family of 4 would add up to 280 gallons a day. So, just imagine how fast your septic tank will fill up, and how much water must flow through the tank to make it out to the drain field.

Septic Tank Pumping - You Can Repair Many Septic Tank Problems Yourself And Save A Ton Of Money

Septic Clean Out

Septic tank systems are common in rural areas. Homes that are not attached to a municipal sewer system use these as a form of sewage treatment. A septic system carries the waste from a home into the septic tank. Regular maintenance and checks are required to keep it all working the way it should. Over a period of time, the sludge builds up in the container. It is necessary to pump out this sludge and keep the tank working the way it should.

Symptoms Of A Choked Septic Tank

There are some distinct symptoms that indicate a sludge build up and you will need to hire the services of a reliable septic tank cleaning company to have it cleaned out once every few years. These personnel are trained in carrying out sewage treatment and pumping. You should call them the minute you detect foul odor in the vicinity of your home. Water accumulation in the yard or above the container is another indicator that there is a blockage. Do not delay in calling them the minute you notice any of these indicators.

Professional cleaning companies have trucks that have powerful vacuums attached to them. They carry out the job in an efficient manner. The tank will have some water in it even when the sludge has been cleaned out. This is very normal and cleaning the tank regularly is very important.

Through consistent septic tank pumping, and by following these important tips can help avoid costly backup and also increase the life of your system.

Tips for Maintaining Your Septic Tank

Septic System Contractor Service

Improper maintenance of your safety tank could jeopardize the safety of your health, finances and of course the environment. Leaks, blockage and sludge build-up in the tank could contaminate the groundwater, soil and the even the nearby water bodies. Following the following septic tank maintenance tips will help keep your tank in good shape.Make Sure To Protect The Tank And The Drain FieldSafeguarding your tank from any physical damage would ensure the longevity of your septic tank. Never plant anything other than grass around your septic system. This is because the tree roots are capable of damaging the system. It is also suggested that you don't operate any heavy machinery near the tank or build a shed or structure above the system.Keep rainwater away from the drain fieldA soggy drain field leads to improper neutralization and absorption of liquid waste. Therefore go for roof gutters, landscaping and foundation drains to divert all the extra water from the septic drain field.Go For Regular MaintenanceThe solids in your septic system need to be pumped out from time to time. Ideally you need to pump your septic tank every three to five years to ensure its longevity. It needs to me mentioned that you should never attempt to open your septic system on your own since it contains poisonous gases and bacteria.


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Septic Tank Cleaning Pinellas County

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

Septic Tank Installation, Repair and Replacement

Drain Field Repair Companies

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]

 

Septic Tank Maintenance - 5 Essential Factors For Proper Septic Systems

Sewage Tank Pumping Service

Do you know people who have had to spend thousands of dollars for the repair or replacement of their septic systems? How about the expense of cleaning up or repairing the house and yard from damage caused by septic backup? Septic system backups create unhealthy and very unpleasant smelling conditions on your property, both inside the house as well as outside the house. If you have a septic system on your property, septic tank pumping should be a very high priority and concern.

All septic tanks need to be pumped out (emptied) and the system inspected periodically. How often should you have your system pumped and inspected? Most septic service companies in Molalla recommend septic tank pumping is done every 3 to 5 years, depending on several variables. Those variables are septic tank size, number of people in the household and the amount of water going into the system.

Having your septic system inspected can save money in costly repairs or replacement. Your local septic service company can inspect the valves, drain field, water inlet and outlets and the general condition of your tank to catch problems before they become a costly repair. Most septic tank pumping and service companies in Molalla will be able to make the repairs or replacements. Your local septic service company can also recommend additives to your tank to help control the sludge and scum that can be part of that expensive septic system failure that you want to avoid.

Clean Your Septic Tank Before the Party!

Sewage Tank

Septic systems fulfill a crucial function for many homes and businesses, especially in rural areas, though many people are clueless as to how they work. While septic tanks are usually low-maintenance systems, they can become extremely tricky and expensive if something goes wrong. A basic knowledge is important to anyone wishing to avoid future problems with their septic tanks.

What is a septic system?

Septic systems are small-scale sewage treatment systems that are used in areas not connected to a sewage system operated by the government or a private company. They are often used by homes and farms in rural areas where it is too costly to connect to faraway sewage mains. Septic systems work by pumping wastewater from bathrooms, kitchens and laundry facilities into effluent tanks, which process the waste and then disperse it onto a septic drain field.

What is a septic tank?

What happens to waste that doesn't decompose?

Some of the contents of the effluent tank will not decompose; therefore it is important to empty the tank occasionally. If tanks are not pumped the septic tank can fill with undecomposed substances that will be pumped into the drainage field. This can result in environmental problems as well as expensive repairs. How often the tank needs to be pumped clean varies depending on its size, the number of people using it and the outside temperature. Because there are so many variables, there is no rule of thumb for how often the tanks should be pumped: some need it every few years while other can go between 10 and 20 years without pumping. Have a professional inspect your tank to let you know when it needs to be pumped.

Septic Tank Maintenance - 5 Essential Factors For Proper Septic Systems

Drain Field Installation Contractor

Septic system problems can occur and worsen extremely quickly. Learn how to identify issues with septic drain fields so that you can minimize damage and get the necessary repairs as soon as possible.

When you live in an area that is not connected to a municipal sewer system, your septic tank and system are an essential part of your day-to-day life. As such, it's vital to keep them in good working order and to deal with any issues that come up as soon as possible. Septic system drain fields, in particular, often experience issues. Find out what problems to keep an eye out for, and how your local septic repair and service firm can resolve them so that your septic system stays in top shape.

Drain fields are the part of your septic system where organic liquid waste drains out of the septic tank and is treated. After solid waste settles to the bottom of the septic tank, the remaining wastewater passes into perforated pipes. These pipes are covered by a layer of soil and disperse the wastewater over a large area. The wastewater then travels through a layer of gravel, then through a layer of soil. Here, bacteria in the soil filter the wastewater so that it is neutral before it reaches a groundwater level.

Your drain field is the unseen hero of your septic system. From root removal to tank clean out, make sure you take care of it so that it will stay healthy and intact for years to come.

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 Pinellas County . Hopefully, these tips will help.

SEPTIC TANK CARE | WHO TO CALL FOR SERVICE IN Pinellas County

In order to ensure that your septic tank has no damages, you need to monitor it regularly. It is necessary to get in touch with the health department in your area to know about the regulations in terms of maintaining a septic tank. In case you face some septic tank issues, you have to hire a septic tank repair professional to take care of the operation. Your local health department can surely help you in finding the professional. But to make sure that your tank is working well all the time, here are some precautions that you can consider.

Always Maintain Your Septic System

There are many things that you can do to maintain your septic tank and you can go online to get some ideas. But one common way is to always be aware of how long you have last pumped your tank. Also, you have to know the last time you had issues with it. A lot of sewer and cleaning services stressed that it is necessary to your tank every three to five years. As a precaution to some tank problems in the future, you should know where your septic system is exactly located.

Be Alert in Determining Trouble Signs

Whenever you suspect tank leaking, you must contact your local health department immediately so the situation can be dealt with. Leakage signs include grass growth abundance in the drain field and overflow of water around the system. If your home is situated near a river or lake you observe that your friends or family have been experiencing illnesses after they swam into the water source, find a professional to test your water because it may be contaminated already. Be alert with unusual odors which could develop around the place.


Pinellas County Aerobic Septic

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