Copperopolis, California top septic maintenance firm? Your septic tank may not always be top of mind when you’re considering home maintenance, but it’s an important part of your home and something not to be overlooked. Properly caring for your septic tank will extend its life and value, while helping to keep septic tank costs down. Follow these nine easy steps to septic tank care, and you’ll help maintain your septic tank even longer: Don’t throw rubbish down your toilet. It’s so tempting to flush rubbish down your toilet, but it’s very unhealthy for your septic tank system. When you flush items such as cat litter, facial tissue and paper towels, you can clog your septic tank. Use your litter bin for these items.
The most common cause of a failed system is overloading it. This can be caused by the consecutive use of high-volume activities such as laundry, showering, and running the dishwasher. Space out their usage as well as follow water conservation efforts year round. This is particularly important during heavy rain, which can quickly overwhelm a drainfield on its own. Also common are blockages, which can cause pipes to be clogged and the drainfield to overflow. To prevent this, avoid flushing anything besides the three Ps (pee, poop, and toilet paper). “Flushable” wipes and FOG (fats, oils, grease) clog pipes so should be thrown in the trash. Avoid the use of a garbage disposal which can improperly break down debris.
First we need to explain the reason for pumping the septic tank or tanks. The normal riding level of waste water in a tank is approximately 4 feet deep, with a floating scum layer and a bottom solids layer. If a tank is not pumped prior to inspection, a proper visual inspection cannot be performed as no one can see through 4 feet of waste water. The tank floor & sidewalls, the tank center seam/seal, the tank baffle and the complete inlet/outlet sanitary tees are not visible for inspection and system evaluation without pumping the tank first. See more info at septic pumping near valley springs.
Don’t build any structures on top of the drain field. Drain fields work because of evaporation. Any structures, including raised decking, will inhibit the rate of evaporation and slow or even stop the process. Don’t allow excess water to enter the drain field. Runoff from roof drains, sump pumps, and other rainwater drainage systems should be directed away from the drain field. Excess water in the drain field can slow down and even stop the wastewater treatment process. If your septic system is giving off an unpleasant odor or you see visible sewage in the drain field, you’ll know right away there is a septic problem. However, there are a few other signs that many people don’t immediately recognize as a problem.
Save money by renting a backhoe and installing your own septic system! Stamped, engineered, septic system plans are typically not necessary unless your property percolation test was extreme (greater than 60 minutes per inch or less than 5 minutes per inch); or the site has seasonal groundwater; or there is bedrock or unsuitable soil less than four feet below the proposed leach field; or if the ground slope is in excess of 30% in the area of the proposed leach field. Engineered systems require a local professional engineer to approve (stamp) your site’s septic tank and leach field plans.
Foothill Sanitary Septic and Foothill Portable Toilets has been serving California in the Calaveras, Tuolomne, Amador, San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties for many years. With locations in Copperopolis, Valley Springs and Arnold we are equipped to fulfill all of your septic or portable toilet needs in a timely manner to your complete satisfaction. We’re committed to providing you with the highest level of service, so you’ll always choose us for your septic pumping, maintenance and repair needs.
The content on this page will be better understood if you are familiar with the operation of a basic septic system. If you haven’t done so, please visit our “Septic Systems” page and take a couple of minutes to familiarize yourself with the 3 main components of a basic septic system. A Standard Gravity System is used when you have ideal conditions. Effluent from the Septic System gravity flows directly from the septic tank to the drain field without the aid of any pump. The soil has very good absorption characteristics and can handle the effluent from normal use being introduced into the drain field. The soil also has good treatment quality, in a sufficient amount above the water table to effectively purify the waste water before it enters the water table. Read more details on here.