A mushy spot in the vicinity of your field (paticularily during the dry season) COULD be a warning sign of a plugged up or failing field. Call a reputable Septic Cleaning Service as soon as possible
Q: My backyard has a spot that is overly wet with a blackish slime. What does this mean?
Q: I hear that it is unsafe to flush certain products. I use a lot of cleaners. Do they hurt my system?
An overabundance of commonly used home products that will kill vital bacteria necessary for proper tank operation are toilet cleaners, detergents, and bleach. NEVER dispose of acids, polishes, antibiotics, polishes, caustic drain cleaners, oil or paint in your tank. Also detrimental are feminine products, condoms, kitty litter, cigarette butts and prescription drugs.
Q: I have seen products on the internet that unclogs and prolongs the life of my field. Do you recommend any?
Our company does not promote any of these products.These poducts tend to overstimulate bacterial activity and this alone can to harm to the natural action ocurring in the system This is a personal opinion as we are firm believers of regular maintenance schedules and the natural anaerobic breakdown which happens within a septic tank.As many of these products have originated out of Canada, they are not recommended by any Canadian authorities. We do recommend the natural septic starter recipe found on this page for low occupancy dwellings who are not producing enough bacteria for antural breakdown.
Purchase one pound of frozen yeast (we have found this at Leung's Grocery
Cut into 8 equal pieces. Wrap 7 individually and keep in freezer
8th piece thaw completely, add 1 tsp of sugar and 1 cup of warm water. Allow to become frothy (sounds like baking bread...here's where it differs!)
Flush down toilet:repeat monthly. This will help promote bacterial breakdown of solids when there are not enough occupants to produce needed bacterial levels
Septic Starter
Recipe
The frequency of pumping is a great question. The rule of thumb is 2-5 years. The bottom line is "depends on use." Not all waste is organic. The Sludge layer in the bottom of the tank contains a lot of dirt from clothes washing that will never decompose. The Scum layer contains grease from dishwashing and will float forever in the tank. When either of these layers encroaches on the baffles (threaten to leave the tank by under flowing or overflowing the baffles), or when the tank volume has been reduced, your drainfield is at risk and the tank needs to be pumped.
Therefore, cooking, washing and other variable habits make the pumping frequency uncertain. If you move into a home formerly lived in by another family, always have the tank pumped immediately, and have the pumper check the condition of the tank and the baffles (plastic or concrete barriers that block the outlet from scum). Once you have lived in the home for two years, have the tank checked by a licensed pumper. It may or may not need pumping. He or she will check the depth of both layers. Either the scum layer or the sludge layer will build up faster on the safe zone (roughly three inches of free space above the outlet baffle of the tank, and 12 inches of free space below the outlet baffle is required in a healthy tank). You will now know how often to have the tank pumped.
Yes, Yes, Yes. One of the most important things is providing your septic system with the proper maintenance, just think - you would never drive your car 50,000 miles without changing the oil. When your tank is pumped out, the scum and sludge layers should be removed and the leaching portion of your system is able to take a brief break from receiving any liquid.
Q If I’m not having a problem with my septic system, Do I still have to have it pumped out?
Septic odors do not indicate that it is time to pump your tank.
A septic odor inside the house could be contributed to one or several things. Make sure that all traps (drains) have water in them. When a sink, shower or toilet is not used for an extended period of time, the trap could dry up allowing the septic gases to enter the house back through the dried trap. If a sink, shower or toilet has not been used allow the water to run for several minutes. Also another cause for the septic odor to be in the house is the gasket/seal (wax ring) around the bottom of the toilet. Check to see if gasket/seal is broken (sniff around bottom of toilet), if broken , call our comapny. If you are a handy man or woman you may choose to fmake the repairs yourself. It is a relatively simple repair.
If you get a septic odor outside it could be coming from the septic tank, the vent pipe on the roof or the vent pipe at the end of your leach field (if you have one). Septic gases can and will escape out of any small opening. To eliminate an odor from the septic tank keep caps securely fastened on all stand pipes, monitor tubes and cleanouts. Caps on all pipes also keep rocks, sticks and debris from being dropped in causing blockages. If odor is in the air it could be coming from the vent pipe on the roof (over the bathroom). This pipe vents the septic gases from the house out through the roof.
Q: I smell Septic in the house. Does that mean it is time to pump?
Most septic systems will fail eventually. If properly maintained, most systems have a useful life of 20-30 years, under the best conditions. Eventually, the soil in the leaching facility becomes clogged with organic material, making the system unusable.
Many other factors can cause the system to fail before the end of its ‘natural” lifetime. Pipes blocked by roots, soils saturated by high water tables, crushed distribution pipes, improper location, exceeding design capacity, poor original design or poor installation can all lead to major problems.
By far the most common reason for early failure is improper maintenance by homeowners. When a system is poorly maintained - not pumped out on a regular basis -solids build up in the septic tank, then flow into the leaching facility, clogging it beyond repair. The use of chemical or enzyme additives, which are prohibited in many towns, is not a substitute for regular pumping. It is essential that septic systems be pumped every 2 to 5 years, depending on size and use.
