Septic Systems

Do you know how to maintain your septic system? With septic tank repairs & replacement starting in the $1,000’s, it’s important to keep your septic system in the best possible condition. Fortunately, it’s not hard to take care of it, if you follow a few simple tips. First, though, let’s quickly review the basics of a septic system. Two parts comprise a septic system: the tank and the drain field. The septic tank is an underground container responsible for holding solids and scum that comes from your household wastewater. With the proper maintenance, it should last thirty years or so. Once in the septic tank, heavy solids sink to the bottom, and bacteria reduce them to sludge and gasses (this is the sludge layer). Grease and other lighter solids rise to the top to form a scum layer (maintaining proper scum levels is part of a well-running system); solid waste

If your home or business uses a septic system, holding system, or even a grease trap system, chances are you will eventually need a professional to address any problems. Before researching just any plumbing company that simply offers “septic services”, it’s smart to begin researching with a plan. How do you know a company is a good choice for septic service if you’re not sure what you should look for when researching? Here is your answer. Services That a Good Septic Company Offers Many plumbing companies offer “septic” service to their customers but often take on the job knowing they’re not fully experienced in all things septic. When choosing a good septic company, homeowners need to understand there is more to having a septic tank than simply a septic tank pumping. Septic systems are more complex than most are aware of, which is why a it’s essential to offer specific solutions

Maintaining a well-functioning septic system doesn’t happen by accident, but by homeowners knowing their septic tank needs, how their septic system works. They also know the correct additives to go IN the septic system, and keeping the correct things OUT of the sewer system. The other part of a properly cared for septic system is having the septic tank pumped on a regular basis. Septic tank pumping is also referred to as septic tank cleaning, and is the process of using a vacuum truck to suck the sewage out of the tank. When Should I Get My Septic Tank Pumped? How often a septic tank needs to be pumped depends on the size of the septic holding tank, as well as the number of people in the home and how much wastewater, liquid waste, solid waste, and water usage.  For most households, a septic tank should be on a pumping

Whether you have city water or get your water from a well, there are costs for your water in Kansas City. With city water, you typically get a monthly bill that includes your water usage along with sewer fees. For homes with wells, it costs electricity to pump the water out of the ground into the home. You also have added costs of maintenance of the good system and your septic tank.  Saving energy can be as simple as turning off your ceiling fans and light bulbs when not in the room (as well as replacing the incandescent light bulbs with new LED bulbs, which can be found at local retailers as well as Amazon and elsewhere), using smart power strips instead of unplugging devices that aren’t in use, as well as stopping air leaks with caulk and weatherstripping can all lead to a reduction in the amount of energy

Just like a roof, the paint outside of a house, carpeting, and many other aspects of a home, plumbing must be maintained and it will eventually need to be replaced; it doesn’t last forever. As a homeowner, you’ll not only need to take care of your indoor plumbing, you’ll need to watch out for any major issues that may arise, such as a burst pipe, or a clogged main line. We suggest that all homeowners learn where the sewer lines are located outside their home as this knowledge is critical in the case of a plumbing emergency. The indoor drains are all inter-connected and they lead to one central drain pipe, which leads away from your home and towards a septic tank (for homes in rural areas) or into the municipal sewer system. If you don’t know where your drain lines exit your home, where do you begin? For starters,

If you live in a rural area where the lot sizes are larger than in the city and the houses are spaced widely apart, it’s highly likely that your home is on a septic system, which treats wastewater just steps away from your home. Septic systems are fantastic, they’re extremely efficient and self-contained. Often, you’ll see septic systems in rural areas where the houses are widely spaced apart because they’re more economical than a centralized sewer system, the kind that we see in cities. Septic systems are really quite simple, and they’re affordable to install and maintain. Septic systems use natural processes to treat human waste and other wastewater from dishwashing, bathing, and handwashing. Septic systems are installed on the homeowner’s property, usually right in the homeowner’s backyard. Due to their convenient location, septic systems help the environment because they make it so we don’t have to install miles of

Modern-day plumbing is arguably one of the greatest inventions of mankind, next to the Internet and the smartphone. It’s also something that we don’t think much about until we see dirty water backing up in our kitchen or bathroom sink, or our bathtub. If you have water backing up in one of your drains, you want to get down to the bottom of the problem and you want it fixed right away. What could be causing the problem? It probably comes down to one of these three common problems. 1. A Blocked Drain Perhaps the most common cause of a sewer problem is a blockage located in the drain. If your toilet is backed up, or if your bathtub or sink isn’t draining properly, you probably have a clogged drain. If all of the other drains in the house are working fine and the problem is isolated to one individual

Plumbing is one of those modern-day conveniences that we rarely think about until we have a problem. But, as we all know nothing says pain in the neck more than a clogged toilet, loss of water pressure, or broken garbage disposal. Or worse, a burst sewer line that has sewage spilling into your home instead of the septic tank or sewer system! If you’re not the DIY type, you may not understand your home’s plumbing system all that well, but it’s really not that complicated. The trick is to gain a basic understanding of how everything works so you can maintain your system and prevent major problems before they start. Here’s a basic plumbing checklist to help you get started with maintaining your home plumbing. Review this inspection checklist and ask yourself whether any aspects of your plumbing system may be in need of attention, inspection, or repairs. 1. Do

If a home is not served by the public sewer, it will rely on a septic system to dispose of the household’s wastewater. If you own a home with a septic system, it’ll be important for you to maintain it otherwise, the septic system can fail, leading to biological contamination and costly damage. What constitutes a septic system failure? The purpose of a septic system is to help remove liquid wastes from a household and prevent biological and other contaminants from seeping into nearby wells, lakes, and streams. If the wastewater from your home gets into one of these areas, the septic system failed in some way. What Causes Septic Systems to Fail? What causes a septic system to fail? The greatest culprit behind a septic system failure comes down to the homeowner failing to properly maintain it. If a septic system is not pumped regularly, “sludge” will build up inside

As a homeowner, you are responsible for maintaining your septic system. By properly maintaining your septic system, you can protect your investment and your home. Were you aware that it’s important to periodically inspect your system, and to periodically pump out the septic tank? When a septic system is properly designed, built, installed, and maintained, it can effectively treat wastewater for a long time. If you fail to properly maintain your septic system, you may have to replace it prematurely, which could cost you thousands of dollars. If a septic system malfunctions, it can contaminate the groundwater, and if this is a source of drinking water, this poses a serious health hazard. Additionally, if you plan to sell your home, it’s essential that your septic system is in excellent working order. Components of a Septic System Septic systems are made up of four components: a pipe that comes from the