Are the chemical additives you are pouring in your septic really helping?

June 16, 2015

Numerous septic tank chemical additives products are readily available in the marketplace today. Manufacturers claim that these additives are designed to “rejuvenate” bacterial populations living in a septic system, which can easily be destroyed by household chemicals. Other enzyme type-additives are intended to reduce fats, oils, and grease in a septic tank and supposedly minimize the need for pumping. However this marketing can be very misleading. In fact, additives are not needed to enhance the normal function of a septic system. Don’t be fooled! They have no proven benefit, can contain questionable ingredients, and can be costly. Drain Cleaners Can...

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Keeping Your Grease Trap Clean

April 30, 2015

What Are Grease Traps? As their name implies, grease traps are designed specifically to trap fats, oils, or grease (FOG) before they can go down the drain and enter the public sewer line. Left unchecked, FOG can solidify and stick to the insides of pipes, trapping small pieces of food debris and other items. Left unchecked over time, this solid mass can continue to grow until it clogs the sewer lines and causes all kinds of destruction in the sewer system including sewage back up. The easiest way to solve this problem is to use a grease trap and prevent...

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Rainy Season Is Here! How Do Storms Impact Your Septic System?

April 2, 2015

After a long wet winter, more of us are getting out into our yards as spring approaches. Rain continues in the spring here in the Puget Sound area. Everyone knows that April showers bring May flowers, but did you know that April showers can greatly impact your septic system? After a heavy rain, septic problems can be common. Significant rainfall can quickly flood the ground around the soil absorption area (drainfield) leaving it saturated and making it impossible for water to flow out of your septic system. With nowhere to go, the water eventually travels backward through the plumbing system...

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Water Conservation: Good for the Environment and Good for Your Septic Tank

March 20, 2015

World Water Day is March 22, which is a good day to stop and notice how water is being used (or maybe even wasted) in and around your home. Using less water is not only good for the environment but it is also good for your septic system. Your septic system treats and disposes of sewage from toilets and also receives wastewater from other fixtures like showers, kitchen sinks, dishwashers, and washing machines. By using less water you are placing less of a load on the soil absorption area (drainfield) thereby extending the life of your septic system. Like any...

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What to Expect When Your Septic Tank Gets Cleaned

March 11, 2015

The average home with two baths and three occupants will produce 250 to 300 gallons of wastewater per day! That is a lot of flow for your on-site septic system to handle. Pumping your septic tank is the most important aspect of maintaining your septic system. A neglected system can quickly become a neighborhood health hazard and an expensive problem. Just how you would regularly service your car and get the oil changed every few thousand miles, you should regularly clean your septic tank after a few thousand flushes. If not, your septic tank, just like your car, may fail...

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Winterizing Your Home “Prep your Plumbing” and Avoid the Freeze

January 22, 2015

The cold winter months can bring a lot of headaches for homeowners. The low temperatures can cause pipes to freeze if specific precautions are not taken. Unlike other liquids, water expands when it is frozen. If water fills a pipe and it freezes, the frozen water often causes the pipe to literally burst. Broken pipes can result in extensive water damage that can ruin flooring, walls, and ceilings. The damage can be incredibly expensive to repair and worse yet can leave homeowners without access to water for days in the dead of winter. Even though you can never anticipate how...

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How often are septic tanks emptied, and where do the contents go?

October 15, 2014

The most common cause of septic tank failure is neglecting to have your tank pumped on a regular basis. Fortunately, a little maintenance can go a long way in avoiding problems. Regular inspections and pumping can help ensure the proper maintenance and long-term functioning of your system. On average, your septic tank should be pumped every three to five years. The actual frequency of septic tank emptying depends on a number of factors including: Type, size, and volume of tank Age of level of use and/or abuse of the system Volume of wastewater produced Condition of the septic tank drainfield...

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What you should not put into your Septic System

May 31, 2012

As home owners we put lots of stuff down our sinks, toilets and drains that we should think differently about. What things should not go into a septic? Fats, oils & greases (FOG). After cooking most people wash dishes and washout milk containers and all other food scraps into the sink. A lot of this adds FOG to our septic. Coffee grounds, egg shells, nut shells. All these kind of things cause your septic to fill up with solids faster and can be pushed through out to drain fields and plug up drain holes & soils. Sanitary napkins, tampons, condoms,...

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The Need For Cleaning Your Catch Basins At Your Home Or Business

March 2, 2012

If you have any catch basins on your property, you as the business or homeowner are responsible to keep the basins free from debris, both inside and outside of the drain system. Keeping the grate clean is the easy part, but removing the grate and cleaning inside the basin might require a Vactor truck to suck up the debris inside the basin. The storage area of the drain system will accumulate debris that settles on the bottom of the drain requiring you to clean it out to prevent the flooding of streets and properties. A professional Vactor truck company will...

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