A Little History About Septic Systems

Posted on July 1, 2014 by admin

The Invention Of The Septic System

It is believed that septic systems, first appeared in France and that a man by the name of, John Mouras, first thought of them. The records show that septic tanks started appearing around 1860 and since then, they have made our communities a nicer place to live.

Mouras’ septic tank design was made out of concrete and clay. It was built in Mouras’ home and the tank was in his yard. When Mouras was dismantling the system, after using it for 10 years, he noticed that his waste was not there anymore and that only some liquid remained. With the help of some scientists, Mouras found out that this was a great way to get rid of human waste and soon submitted the papers that he needed to get a patent.

By 1881, Mouras had a patent on his septic system design and two years later, the system was being used in the US. The British would then take the system to Africa and from there it would reach other countries as well. The importance of the septic system cannot be emphasized enough and if it wasn’t for people like Mouras, our communities would be entirely different.

While today, not many people consider installing a septic system in their home, there are millions who still benefit from them and that are thankful for this invention.

Septic Systems Have A Lifetime

Posted on May 31, 2014 by admin

Your Septic System Will Not Last Forever

It is common to think that your household’s most expensive repairs and renovation projects will be your roof and furnace, but the reality is that if your home has a septic system installed, it will most likely not last forever and you will need to repair or replace it at one time of your life. So having a budget saved for this sort of emergency, is a must, if you own a septic system, as you may depend on it and having problems, could really affect your life.

According to some studies, the life span of a septic system is usually around 15 to 30 years. It is common for tanks to corrode after some time, due to the humidity, moisture and water that is constantly within your home’s septic system.

The soil and groundwater around your septic tank, will also affect its life span and this will be very different in every home. The things that you flush down your toilet, will also affect how long your septic system will last and how often you will have to clean it. If you flush things other than toilet paper and human waste down your toilet, your septic system will most likely last a lot less, than if you only flush these things.

Sometimes, it is very difficult to detect when a septic system is failing and this is why, checking it on a regular basis, could help you to save a ton of money and problems. Installing a septic system, can cost more than $15000, which is why taking care of the one that you have right one, is a very smart idea.

Nothing lasts forever and since your septic system, is used almost on a daily basis, it will most likely last less, than those things that are not used on a regular basis. We can conclude that home owners who have a septic system, need to have some money saved up, in case their system fails and requires repairing. That septic systems need to be inspected on a regular basis and that it is not cheap to install or repair a septic system.

So be careful and check your septic system, as frequently as you can, so you don’t suffer from sudden failures and have to spend a lot of money, on emergency septic system repairs.

Spring Could Bring Problems To Septic Systems

Posted on March 22, 2014 by admin

Preventing Septic System Problems During Spring

Spring

Because many regions of the US have had a very tough winter this year, it is possible that spring may bring some problems to septic systems and their owners. The speedy melting of snow and some spring rains, may cause runoff from septic systems, which could contaminate other water sources or areas.

While it may be very difficult for this to happen, as most rural areas and agricultural land now follow certain procedures and standards for not having any of their livestock waste runoff into other septic systems, it is possible for some areas to experience problems and people should do their best to stay away from surface water, as there will be some high risk of bacteria levels and other waterborne diseases.

There are still however, some areas which are poorly placed or that have some damaged fields and this means that some water sources could become contaminated very easily. At the moment, authorities in several states are concerned about their rising streams and rivers, as these could be the water sources, which get contaminated first and take the bacteria to communities nearby.

Although their primary concerns are raising streams and rivers, authorities are also recommending people who live in rural areas or who have septic tanks to watch for flooding signs, as this may happen even if you do not live in a flood risk area.

The most critical warning sign to watch for is standing water on top of your septic system. This is an obvious sign that your septic system or tank is not draining as it should be. If you find some of your home’s drain to be working slower than usual or causing some gurgling, it might also mean that the septic system you have installed is experiencing some problems.

If this happens to you, it would be a good idea to reduce the pressure on the system by using less water than you usually do. If at all possible, you should stop using the septic system when you suspect that there might be a flooding problem or saturation problem, as this will prevent wastewater from being treated and it will only become a pollution source.

It is not a very good idea to pump your tank while the ground around it is saturated or even to use other equipment to try and reduce the water in the ground around the tank, as this could cause the situation to become even worse.

The best thing to do is to try and conserve as much water as possible and to wait for the system to restore itself and the water levels to drop down.

Watch Out For These Germy Household Items

Posted on December 22, 2013 by admin

Cleaning your home, should be one of the top priorities in your life.

Cleaning Your Home

In this blog post, we will tell you about the benefits of keeping your home clean and which parts of your home, you should focus your attention more on. The following, is a list of household items that usually have lots of germs on them and you should try to either stop using them or clean them more regularly.

Kitchen Sponges – While these items, are commonly used to clean countertops, dishes and other household items, the truth is that they are usually filled with germs and this means that you are actually not cleaning as well as you might think you are. It is a very smart idea, to always clean your kitchen sponge after every use and you can do this, by rinsing it in hot water and letting it fully dry on a clean surface.
Kitchen Sinks – This part of your kitchen is known for harboring more than 500000 types of bacteria, which means you should really use your energy on cleaning it almost every day. Using a scrub brush and a ¼ chlorine solution, with one quart of water, will get the job done. If you cannot clean your sink every single day, try cleaning it at least once per week, as this will keep the bacteria levels down and protect your family from getting an infection.
Bath Towels – Mildew and bacteria can easily start to grow on towels, when they remain damp for more than 20 minutes. This can easily increase the chances of getting rashes or other skin problems, which is why, you should try to let your towels dry well before every use and keep them as clean as possible at all times. Airing out towels completely, will usually help you to prevent any mildew or bacteria growth.
Pet Beds – If you own a pet and it has its own bed, you should be really careful where you place it, as these items can gather tons of bacteria and affect your home in many ways. You should really try cleaning your pet’s bed cover once a week, by putting it in the washing machine and rinsing it very well. This will stop bacteria from growing there and causing you any harm.
Septic Systems – This is an obvious one! Septic systems are filled with filth and bacteria, which is why you need to clean them at least twice per year. They can easily overflow or cause other problems in your plumbing system and this is why, you have to clean them out on time.

So if you are serious about keeping your home clean, make sure to focus more on these items and clean them as frequently as possible. Keeping them clean will really reduce the chances of you getting sick and it will also make your home look a lot nicer too.

New Environmentally Friendly Septic Systems Are Coming Our Way

Posted on November 27, 2013 by admin

Is It Time To Update Your Septic System?

Aerobic wastewater treatment systems are now in the market and according to many experts, these are the future of septic systems. For many years, scientists and other sewer system specialists have been working on improving the systems that we currently have available to us and they are concerned about human health and functionality.

As more people are starting to look towards green technology, scientists and technicians are also looking for new septic systems, which can provide more health benefits for all of us and prevent as many diseases as possible. The new wastewater and septic treatment solutions help to stop the growth of certain types of bacteria and they can even provide household owners with some compost for their gardens.

Some people are even deciding to install some concrete rainwater tanks, which help to store water when it rains and to use this water with your septic system. This not only helps to save water, but it will also help to reduce your water bill every month and to ensure that your septic system is always filled with water.

The new environmentally friendly septic systems are also perfect for those people who are thinking about building their homes in a non-sewage area. They are also an excellent option when your old septic system is producing bad odors or not functioning, as it should.

These new types of septic systems are capable of digesting solid waste and they also treat wastewater with natural processes, which will not harm your home or yourself. Once wastewater has been purified by these processes, it can then be used to water your garden or other similar purposes.

Even if you do not have lots of water to count on in your household, you can still own one of these new environmentally friendly septic systems. In fact, they will even benefit you, as they use a lot less water than normal septic systems do. Not only will you have a better working septic system, but you will also feel good about yourself since you will be protecting our environment and not wasting too much water as well.

If you are interested in one of these new environmentally friendly septic systems or other type of septic system treatment, you can contact the team at Lake Norman Septic for more information. We are always ready to help and recommend the best solution to your problems.

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.