Septic Services FAQ

A septic tank is just a sewage trap, sewage and water enter the tank, the sewage is trapped and the water keeps going out to the drain field. Periodically you must remove the sewage or the water leaving the tank will have sewage in it which can cause damage to the drain field.  It is also important to pump the tank to have the conditions of the tank and plumbing checked to make sure everything is working properly to prevent costly repairs.

It is recommended to pump your tank at least every 3-5 years to help prevent costly repairs.

The first step should be to check your property for lids at the surface.You will typically find round green lids a little bit smaller than a manhole. Sometimes they are concrete or black plastic as well. The next step is to contact your county environmental health department and request the “As Built” drawing that shows approximately where your tank is located. If they don’t have any records or you need to find it faster contact us for guidance on locating your tank.

The most common methods used to locate a septic tank are a ground probe or a metal detector. However if a tank is difficult to locate or is suspected to be under a deck, patio, or driveway a flushable electronic locator or a sewer line camera can be used to locate the tank.

Our vacuum truck which carries between 100 and 200 ft of hose will park on a roadway or driveway and run the hose to the tank. We then remove the water and the sewage from each chamber of the tank. During the pumping process we inspect the plumbing going into and out of the tank as well as the condition of the tank and look for signs of root intrusion.

No, you can not. Accessing the lids to the tank is the only way to pump a septic tank.

Each time the tank is cleaned, the pumper should check for any problems in your tank.

We rinse down the tank during the pumping process when needed.

Yes. Live bacteria live in the septic tank which break down the sewage. The bacteria from our bodies will suffice, however, during the breakdown process some of the sewage is digested and eliminated which means the more bacteria introduced to the system the better the system will operate. There are systems now designed with so much bacteria that all the sewage is eliminated and no pumping is necessary.

Typically the more bedrooms in your house, the bigger your tank will be. The minimum tank size varies by county regulation and the year the house was built. To help determine the size of your tank, contact us for guidance.

You and I naturally produce the necessary bacteria for a septic tank to function properly. Minimizing your use of bleach or other antibacterial cleaning products can help sustain the bacteria in your tank. If during the pumping process it is noted that a lot of the sewage is floating and not breaking down then you may want to add an anaerobic bacteria to help break down the floating sewage. You may also want to use an additive if you have a high number of people living on the system to help break down the paper faster. No bacteria will break down “Flushable” wipes.  Do not use wipes with a septic system or you may have to remove them by hand yourself.

Do not plant trees near your septic tank or drainfield.

Do not build anything like a deck or patio on top of the sewer line running to the tank, the tank itself or the drain field

Do not drive vehicles over the tank or drainfield as this can damage the buried portions of your system and lead to costly repairs.

Do not enter the septic tank for any reason, the gasses built up in the tank can kill you. Even if the tank is empty.

You should fix any leaky faucets or runny toilets as soon as possible as they can overload your drainfield and lead to a backup.

Inspectors should not enter the septic tank to look for cracks. Tank interiors are very dirty and entrance should be avoided. If a crack is present, it will likely be at the level of the effluent, which will have drained from the tank through the crack. A strong sign that a crack is present is an effluent level significantly below the level of the tank outlet. A tank with cracks that allow effluent to leak into the surrounding earth is essentially a cesspool and needs to be replaced.

Septic system inspection is outside the scope of general home inspection and requires special training. Laws vary by jurisdiction, and inspectors should know them well before performing this service. They should disclaim any part of the inspection of the septic system that they did not inspect.

Septic systems are designed to handle dangerous waste and can pose serious health hazards to homeowners and inspectors. The following are a list of precautions:

‍A professional septic tank pumping service should remove solid waste.

No one besides a licensed, equipped professional should enter a tank. Noxious fumes such as methane can cause rapid asphyxiation and death.

If a septic tank shows signs of weakness, tread with caution! Collapse can be fatal. Beware of tanks with rusting metal, homemade lids, or anything else that appears unstable.

Companies that keep thorough pumping records should have a system in place to remind you to pump out your septic tank every 3-5 years. Experience the “Blue Ribbon Difference”