Preventive Home Sewer Maintenance by Septic Tank Pumping

Posted on January 14, 2013 by admin

Septic tank pumping removes sludge buildup from the tank and helps maintain a healthy home septic system. To understand the benefits of this process, you need to understand how a septic system works.

The septic tank is the first step in a septic system. Wastewater from the home flows into this tank where natural bacterial and enzyme action break down solids into liquids which rise to the top of the tank. The liquids then flow into a drain or leach field where it soaks away.

But not all solid waste breaks down. Some accumulates as sludge and sinks to the bottom of the septic tank. If the level of sludge rises high enough to flow into the drain fields it can clog the field and would render the septic system unusable. Think of septic tank pumping as preventive maintenance to make sure the system works well for years to come.

Homeowners should consider pumping the septic tank when the sludge levels reaches somewhere between a third and a half of the tanks capacity. Open the tank at the access cover and probe with a long stick. You should be able to determine the level of sludge and liquid based on the residue on the stick. If probing the septic tank isn’t something you look at as a fun weekend activity an annual or twice a year cleaning, depending on level of use, could be planned as a preventative measure.

Contract with a reputable septic cleaning service to have the tank pumped. This commonly involves using a pump and truck system to remove the sludge and liquid in the tank. The septic tank cleaner should use specialized hose attachments, sometimes called septage spoons to clear even the corners of the tank. It is not necessary to wash or flush the tank but all sludge and liquid should be removed.

There are steps homeowners can take to reduce the requirements for septic tank pumping and improve the overall health of the system. Limit things going into the septic system to water, toilet paper and human waste. Never flush disposable diapers, paper towels or even waste food. These items do not break down in the septic tank and contribute to the sludge buildup. In addition, limiting the amount of water introduced into the septic system by the use of conservation toilets and repairing leaks promotes the overall health of the septic system.

Winterizing Your Sewer and Septic Systems

Posted on January 14, 2013 by admin

There is a much needed balance when it comes to maintaining your sewer and septic system. If you happen to own one of these systems, you will find out quickly that they need some care and maintenance in several different ways. One of the times these systems need maintenance is during the winter months. Below are some tips that you can use to help maintain the care of your septic and sewer systems during the harsh weather conditions of winter.

One of the biggest misconceptions out there is that anti-freeze will help keep your sewer and septic system from freezing. This is far from true and is not recommended at all. The reason you should never put anti-freeze in your systems is because it will throw off the balance of bacteria, which causes major problems to develop in your septic or sewer system. The depth that your systems are built within the ground along with the warm waste water is plenty enough to keep your sewer or septic system from freezing up.

Take some time to check the cover of your septic tank or sewer. This is one of the most important steps in your inspection process. Depending on how deep the cover is, you may have to have a professional inspect it. If it is far below ground level, when you have service on the system, they can check that for you. If the cover is flush to the ground, or above the ground, you can check it out yourself. Look for anything being loose or in danger of breaking off. Oftentimes, this is the most overlooked part of the inspection process when winterizing the system.

Be sure you don’t run anything over the drain field of your septic or sewer system. When you run things over the system, such as a snow plow, you can damage the pipes or compact the soil which makes the septic or sewer tank less effective and less functional.

Take the time out before the winter months to ensure you are not dealing with any problems that would cause damage to your septic or sewer system. Prevention happens to be your friend when it comes to your septic and sewer system. Don’t let the winter months cause you any expensive repairs due to issues that weren’t corrected beforehand.

How to Handle a Plumbing Emergency

Posted on January 14, 2013 by admin

A plumbing emergency is an issue that most homeowners don’t want to think about, but it is something that most will have to deal with at some point. There are a number of issues that may qualify as being an emergency. Issues like a burst pipe, leaking pipe, a blocked sewer line and more all may be emergencies that require immediate plumbing services. You know that you are dealing with a true emergency when water or sewer waste is entering your home or when the flow of clean water into your home has ceased.

How you handle a plumbing emergency is critical to enjoying the best results and minimizing the impact that the emergency has on your home and your family. If you are dealing with a situation where water is leaking into the home, waste water is flowing back into your property, may be consider locating a shut off valve as a first step. The main water shut off valve to your property can be turned to prevent additional water from entering your home. Shutting off the valve to the toilet may prevent waste water from a blocked toilet from flowing into the bathroom. If possible try to contain the water or waste with buckets, towels and more. By taking this step, you can minimize the exposure of your flooring, drywall and more to water, and this can minimize the possibility of damage being done to your home. However, if a sewer line rather than a toilet is backed up, you should be aware that sewer waste can contain harmful bacteria and other toxins. Many homeowners will contact a remediation specialist after sewer issues for clean-up after the plumbing issues has been addressed.

You should call for emergency service from Lake Norman Sewer and Septic as soon as possible. The company offers 24 hour emergency service, and a live professional will answer the phone around the clock. Most emergency service requests will result in a skilled plumber visiting your home within an hour. The plumber can diagnose your issue, and you will receive a quote for the repair services you need before any work is done. All plumbers are dispatched in a well-stocked vehicle to ensure that most services can be completed immediately.

Leave Your Dirty Chores for your Sewer Cleaning Service

Posted on January 14, 2013 by admin

Let’s face it, nobody wants to have to take care of a house’s many responsibilities. That’s why it is of great importance to try to minimize your own work to as little as possible, by finding professional services to take care of your specific household requirements. Whether it is mowing the lawn, painting the walls, or construction work, it all gets easier when one finds a professional service to get the job done quickly and easily. One major household requirement which must be dealt with by a professional service is the sewer cleaning process, therefore making a sewer cleaning service a must to find.

Finding a professional service to clean the sewer is a very important process, as a service with little experience can cause more damage than help. Therefore, it is crucial to perform the necessary research before hiring a service to do so. This can be done by Googling service reviews and asking friends and family for recommendations.

Sewer lines can often get damaged or clogged from roots and other different environmental conditions. A blocked or damaged sewer line can be a huge nightmare when the sewage itself gets retrograded into the house or apartment. Fortunately, today’s sewer services have many options to offer in terms of sewer replacement, sewer cleaning and sewer repair. Decades ago, sewer repair meant having to dig up the lawn and a major undertaking. Due to recent technological advancements, most sewer contractors now have the option to offer alternative techniques, rather than digging into the lawn.

Depending on the exact sewer line issue, an experiences sewer service is able to provide the best solution to take care of your unique sewer repair. Issues like clogged sewer lines are often solved way easier if a sewer camera inspection gets involved.

At the end of the day, it is up to the property owner to be aware of the major responsibilities he has and to hire an experienced sewer cleaning service to make the job right. If you’re experiencing such problems, do the necessary research, and hire a contractor as soon as possible!

Septic System Maintenance and Tips

Posted on January 14, 2013 by admin

Failures in your septic system will have negative implications on your family’s health. This can be unsightly, produce foul smell, as well as contaminate your well water. It’s for this reason that septic system maintenance is of great importance.

Septic system maintenance isn’t difficult

All you need is to follow some basic tips such as diverting rainwater from your septic drain field. A soggy drain field will not absorb and neutralize the liquid waste, so ensure you divert excess water away from the septic drain field.

Avoid overloading your drain field and septic tank. You should for instance try reducing the amount of water required to flush your toilet, reduce the amount of water used for your small loads of laundry, as well as reduce the amount of water you use at the shower.

You should avoid disposing garbage to your septic tank, because they will clog the tank in no time. Never flush disposable diapers, cat litter, sanitary napkins, paper towels, cigarette butts, or facial tissues. Your septic system should only have tiny particle waste, which is easier for it to digest.

As part of septic system maintenance, you should also minimize on the use of heavy duty cleaners as they kill beneficial bacteria in your septic tank. Such bacterial helps in the breakdown of solid waste. Avoid hazardous chemicals such as vanish, gasoline, paint thinners, and motor oil, because they ruin the septic system. You should also avoid pouring grease down the drain, as it makes it impossible for the soil to absorb liquids.

Having dense grass cover or other shallow rooted plants over your septic tank is beneficial. However, keep trees away from your septic tank because their roots can clog the system or break the pipes.

The septic tank should be pumped every 2 to 5 years, based on the use. This prevents particles of sludge or scum flushing out of the tank and clogging the drain tiles. You should hire a professional to clean your tank.

What is Septic?

Posted on January 14, 2013 by admin

What exactly does the “septic” in “septic system” refer to?

According to Dictionary.com, “septic” means “pertaining to or of the nature of sepsis; infected” or “putrefactive.” It comes from an original Greek word meaning “rotten.” FreeThesaurus.com lists synonyms including dirty, germy, infectious and unhealthful.

Clearly, nobody would want to be around anything that is septic.

So why would anybody want a septic tank or a septic system?

The “septic” in “septic tank” or “septic system” refers to the environment in the tank, which is, yes, septic because of what goes into it from sinks, bath drains, washing machines and toilets. This septic tank environment is rich in anaerobic bacteria, meaning bacteria that do not use oxygen. These bacteria break down the nasty elements that settle to the bottom of the tank into food for other bacteria. What goes into a septic system is indeed dirty, germy, infectious and unhealthful for us, but makes a lush banquet for our single-celled friends. The leftovers remain settled on the bottom, to be cleaned out periodically by trained technicians who can haul it off from our property and dispose of it. From there, it can go to a sewage treatment plant, a cesspool, or an approved landfill.

In some areas, the sludge from septic tanks is portioned out as fertilizer. In a few areas, it’s used to generate electricity by being broken down to release methane, which is then burned as fuel for a generator.

What of the stuff that doesn’t settle to the bottom? The fluid in the septic system makes its way to a drain field, where the organic material serves as a fertilizer for whatever plants are growing there.

Thus, while what goes into the septic system is indeed septic for us, it is nutritious for bacteria and plants, and can even become a renewable source of clean energy.

Solving Septic System Problems with Air

Posted on January 14, 2013 by admin

A septic system is designed to clean household wastewater and restore it to the ground. This occurs through a two-step operation that involves bacterial digestion to break down solid material and soil filtration to remove toxins. Oxygen is vital to this process. Without air, the system cannot work properly and wastewater will back up, possibly contaminating wells and other water sources. The leach-field, the component that handles this function, is a common culprit in septic systems that perform poorly.

Over time, soil in the field can become densely compacted and deprived of oxygen. The aerobic bacteria responsible for waste digestion die off and the water is unable to percolate through the ground. Pathogenic bacteria and viruses are not filtered out and nitrogen accumulates in the soil. Homeowners may notice slow draining toilets and sinks, frequent blockages in plumbing fixtures, bare patches of ground around the system, and sewage odors inside the home. During servicing, a technician may note that water flows backwards into the holding tank.

Repair traditionally requires digging up the old system and relocating it or installing a new system. Although costly and time consuming, it may still be the best option in many cases. If the old septic system is damaged beyond repair or there is a significant increase in the demand for wastewater processing, a new tank and field line are necessary. Occasionally the old system can be left in place and used as a backup for heavy workloads.

For septic problems caused by poor soil drainage and aeration, lakenormanseptic.com recommends the Terra-lift technology as an affordable alternative. Using special equipment, high-pressure blasts of air are injected deep into the ground at various locations. Creating large fractures in compacted soil, new drainage channels are opened thereby increasing oxygen levels and loosening the dirt. Inserting plastic beads into the ground ensures that the new fissures remain open and prevent soil re-compaction. Ultimately, this leads to better waste water filtration and lower nitrogen levels in the system.

How Often to Clean Out Your Septic Tank

Posted on January 14, 2013 by admin

There are all too many homeowners that spend unnecessary amounts of money to repair or replace their septic tank. This is likely because not many realize that regular maintenance performed by a professional company can help to save bundles in the future.

There are various factors that will determine how often your septic tank will need to be cleaned. Each home will require different cleaning times depending on the frequency of use and whether there are harsh chemicals or garbage disposals contributing to the pile. Other factors like the number of members in the household, size of the tank, and amount of waste also contribute to filling the tank.

The costs for a septic tank cleaning are minimal compared to the expenses involved with repairing. With the help of modern technology, septic tanks are fairly simple to maintain and empty but this operation should not be done by the inexperienced. It is vital that homeowners do not try to clean the tank on their own because harmful fumes can be damaging to the body when inhaled.

Even homeowners with new septic tanks installed should regularly empty, maintain, and clean the system. This is crucial because over time, sludge can buildup and cause problems with operations. A simple issue can quickly turn into a messy complication so simply because you do not see or smell the problem yet, having professional care is highly recommended.

Most homeowners do not hire professionals to care for their septic tank for fear that the costs are too high. But actually, finding an honest company with a wide range of services can be the answer to saving money in the long run. It is certainly important to beware of the companies that scam and do not have the sufficient foundation to complete the job.

Choosing the wrong company to do the job could mean unnecessary expenses and stress. A reliable way to go would be to choose a company like All About the Pipes Inc. because with experience necessary, fair pricing, and the utmost professional practices, your septic tank and wallet will be healthy.

The Dog and the Clog

Posted on January 14, 2013 by admin

Christina got the call at work.

“I swear, I was only gone for five minutes!” her thoroughly flustered husband explained. “I had just given the kids their lunch. I left to go to the bathroom. When I came back downstairs, they had smeared peanut butter all over the dog.”

The situation seemed straightforward enough to Christina. “Give the dog a bath,” she told him.

He did. Unfortunately, instead of taking their golden retriever outside and bathing her in the wading pool, her husband lathered up the besmeared pooch in the bath tub.

Needless to say, the next call Christina got was that the tub wouldn’t drain. It wasn’t going to drain with plunging. It wasn’t going to drain with a bottle of drain cleaner. This drain needed professional help.

Fortunately, professionals like the folks at Lake Norman Sewer & Septic have the tools and the know-how to deal with situations like this. A quick snaking cleared out the gooey dog hair, and the tub was soon draining normally.

It doesn’t take a move straight out of a situation comedy to clog a drain. Sometimes it’s just the accumulation of hair and products from innumerable showers. Sometimes all the grease and food bits from dinner plates congeal. Sometimes an outside drain is blocked thanks to a tree root. Lake Norman Sewer & Septic can help.

The skilled technicians at LKNSAS have cable snakes to tackle drains of all sizes, from 1 1/4 inch kitchen and bathroom sinks to 4-inch sewer drains. Their high pressure water jet trailer unit can take on gutter lines, floor drains, and exterior sewer drains of all sizes, up to 12 inches.

Their drain service for three inch and four inch drains include a high tech sewer camera that allows a thorough inspection of drains for bellies and breaks.

Whatever the problem is, from a peanut-butter-and-dog-hair clog fest to the toddler flushing his training pants down the toilet, Lake Norman Sewer & Septic can be there whenever there’s a need. The best Charlotte drain cleaning professionals are never more than a phone call away.

Huntersville Septic and Huntersville septic cleaning

Posted on January 14, 2013 by admin

Finding The Best Septic Company Locally
In areas where septic systems are prominently installed, it’s important to find a professional septic company quickly. These localities have a number of choices. Choosing the septic service with top quality technicians and performance takes a more discerning view of personalized needs for septic service.

Lake Norman Septic
Visit www.lakenormanseptic.com and you’ll find a wealth of much-needed information that helps educate customers before services are performed. It’s reassuring to know Lake Norman Septic serves the entire North Charlotte area. This indicates a wider knowledge of local issues regarding terrain, water, septic problems and customer service. This is especially important for residents of the Hunterville area.

Hunterville Septic Service
Septic services in Hunterville are a big help to new home owners and those who relocated to this area. Correctly identifying locations of septic systems is performed reliably by Lake Norman Septic. This is part of their expertise acquired in 43 years of a family-owned business. With a staff that has 30-plus years of experience, customers need only make the initial contact at www.lakenorman.com to see that each detail of septic business for Hunterville septic systems is fully explained for customer convenience.

Hunterville Septic Systems
The certified, licensed professionals at Lake Norman Septic offer a variety of services for Hunterville septic systems including a technique of drain field service that’s particularly effective. In addition, they offer baffle replacement, pumping, system repairs, leaching line tracing and mapping as well as riser/cleanout installation and a range of additional services. They use only the best state-of-the-art equipment and provide a full report of their work.

Click on www.lakenorman.com
A professionally created website tells much about the business owner.
Click on www.lakenorman.com and it’s evident that every detail of service is clearly outlined for customer convenience. Take the time to view the website. Most visitors find a wealth of information on the company, status in the septic industry, services offered, regions serviced, complete details of each aspect of the numerous services offered and photos of their professional staff and the location of their business. With all of this information so near at hand, Hunterville has the advantage of insuring their septic systems are well maintained at cost-effective rates.

When An Emergency Occurs In Hunterville Septic Systems Whether the need is for regular maintenance or when emergencies occur, having the very best septic professionals ready to assist is a big relief.