Have a Septic Tank? This is What You Need to Know
February 16th, 2010 | 
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If you have a septic tank, you probably have a love/hate relationship with it. Most of the time it saves you money, because you do not have to pay regularly for water reclamation services. However, when something goes wrong, it can be a costly and messy affair. People with septic tanks need to make sure they are properly maintaining their tanks, and they can do so with these basic tips.
Pump the Tank when Needed
You need to pump your septic tank regularly. The regularity of pumping depends on the size of the tank and the size of the residence. Experts recommend a typical home with a 1,000-gallon tank should be pumped every three to five years. If your tank is smaller, you will need to pump it more often. Pumping the tank removes the solid build up that is an inevitable part of the septic process.
One way to stretch the time you can go between septic Tank Pumpings is to increase the amount of solid waste that is destroyed by the bacteria in the system. You can do this by installing a Fixed Activated Sludge Treatment (FAST) septic system in your home. FAST systems create the ideal environment for the bacteria that are necessary to decompose much of the solid waste you send into the system. FAST systems house these bacteria in an underground, aerated, self-cleaning reactor chamber that allows for optimal bacteria growth. This unique system leads to a 90-95 percent removal of total suspended solids from the waste water.
Keep Water Flow Even
Too much water and too little water sent through a septic tank can cause problems. To keep the tank running efficiently, keep the water flow as balanced as possible. Too much water, such as what you may send through the system if you are doing extensive laundry, can put more water through the system than it was built to handle. This means that it can flood the system. Also, too much water flow can push some of the solids that have settled into the bottom of the tank into the leaching field, causing clogs and environmental damage. Times of low water usage can lead to the death of the bacteria in the system.
Keeping water flow even is not always possible. There will be times when you need to use more water, and other times, such as when you are out of town, that you will not be using as much water. The unique design of FLASH systems makes them capable of handling a changing water volume.
Avoiding Nitrogen Contamination
The process that occurs inside the septic tank produces nitrogen as a byproduct. Too much nitrogen in groundwater leads to contamination that is when it reaches human drinking water. This means that your septic tank could be a very real environmental hazard.
The bacteria in the septic tank work to neutralize much of this nitrogen. For this reason, you need to make sure that the bacteria are functioning properly. Avoid sending high amounts of household cleaners and other strong chemicals down the drain, as these can kill some of the bacteria in the system, causing more nitrogen to build up and leach into the environment. It is not possible to avoid sending these products down the drain completely, but avoid excessive use. Also, avoid using powdered detergents in a septic system.
If you have a FAST system, you will not need to be as concerned with nitrogen buildup. The FAST system involves multiple processes when treating wastewater, including bio-chemical, physical, and biological processes. As a result, the system greatly reduces nitrogen levels in the water that is sent to the leach field.
Amy Nutt
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/have-a-septic-tank-this-is-what-you-need-to-know-698373.html
Posted in Tank Pump
Rural water and septic tank sewer vs city. What do we need to know before we buy a house in the country?
Is there any downside or benefits to rural water and septic tank sewer? We’re looking at a house in the country that has these features.
I grew up in the country and always had a septic tank and a well for water.
Well water may taste better or worse. Try the water in the house you’re looking at. One place I lived had an extremely deep (400 ft) well; it never dried up, but the water smelled awful. Another house had great water, but the well was too shallow and occasionally we had to ration water.
The upside is that you don’t pay for the water, only the electricity to pump it into your house.
The same goes for a septic tank: you don’t have to pay the city’s sewer fees. If the septic tank is reasonably new, you probably won’t have to worry about it. However, if it’s old or if something goes wrong, it can be very costly to remedy.
If you can trust the seller/realtor, ask them how deep the well is and if they’ve ever had problems with it going dry. Also ask them about the age and condition of the septic tank.
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Well, most house you find in rural areas have a septic tank, I live in the country and I do, when buying a house find out when the septic was put in, because if you have to replace it, it’s not cheap. Then you should have them pumped out every few years, by the guy on Red-Green ha ha.
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You need to have the septic tank inspected to make sure it’s in running order. It may be a big price difference if it needs to be replaced.
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Moved to a lot with an old septic tank system. Had to replace after health department deemed it unacceptable.
the ”down” side to ”wellwater” is heavy iron in the water making ”red stains” in your sinks,tub/shower,washer, have the water ”tested” before you buy any home that has wellwater and have the septic system checked out to see if it needs to be re-built(tank and drain field) If everything checks out good, than one good thing is no ”bill” for water/sewer service.
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Certified Master Carpenter/home builder(36yrs.)
I lived in the country once and the major problem we had was that whenever there was a power outage, we had no water (because of the pump that was powered by electricity.). Also, check the depth of your well, this is especially important if there is a dry spell, and have your septic tank checked and/or cleaned. Have an environmental agency do a water test (mine was contaminated when we went to sell, nothing big) and if needed, purify with bleach. They can give you the directions if you need it. Also, expect a bigger electric bill, but no water bill.
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Check the taste of the water and see if you like it . Most counties check it for bacteria or you can require the seller to. Septic tanks need to be pumped out every few years, sewerage treatment plants not quite as often. Wells do not work without electricty, having a generator handy is a good thing if you think inclimate weather could affect your power. You can’t flush without water. I personally love well water and not getting a bill for water and sewerage.
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experience
You really want an inspection of the water and the septic system. As stated, no electricity equals no water. If you have always been a city dweller, you will need to change some bad habits to live with a septic. You cannot just dump anything you want down the drains. A septic works from bacteria eating the solids. If you dump lots of chemicals or grease/oil down the drain, you will kill the bacteria and have problems. Old saying is "if it didn’t go thorough you, it shouldn’t go through the septic". This is overstatement but is true for basics. I have had septics for 15 years and have had no problems.
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