Sonora, CA septic systems provider? Foothill Sanitary Septic is a California State Licensed Sanitation Contractor. We provide septic tank inspection services for real estate transactions, mortgage refinancing and for homeowners. For whatever the reason the septic tank inspection is being requested, Foothill Sanitary Septic performs a very complete and thorough inspection. Our inspection consists of a complete pump out of the septic tank or tanks and a timed Load Test to the leach field, sand filter or other type of pre-treatment systems. All components of the system are inspected, no matter what type of septic system.
Pump your septic tank. Most septic tanks need to be pumped every 3-5 years. The frequency depends on how many people are in your home. The more people living in your house, the more often you should pump your septic tank. Take care of your drain field. Make sure all water is diverted away from your soakage area. Additionally, only landscape your soakage area with grass. If you want to add plants, be sure to only pick ones with shallow root systems. Finally, never park a vehicle on top of your soakage area. Vehicles can put a strain on your soakage area and may lead to ruptured pipes.
Septic cleaning products are available to break up blockages in the pipes. Tree roots are a common blockage in older septic systems. Root killers, available at local hardware stores, can be used routinely to help prevent their spread. A pump tank is controlled by either control floats or timer controls. It also requires electricity to operate so limit water use if there is a power outage. If the capacity in the tank is too high or too low or a malfunction occurs, most systems are equipped with a red alert alarm (located on the top of the control panel) to warn the homeowner. Limit water use through a couple of pump cycles (10-15 hours) to see if the alarm goes out on its own. If the red light goes out, the system is working properly. If not, continue to limit water use and consult a professional septic service provider for advice.
Aerobic Treatment Systems (ATS) or Areobic Treatment Units (ATU) are often incorrectly called an “Aerobic Septic System”. An Aerobic Treatment System is actually a small sewage treatment plant which uses an aerobic process for digestion. Septic tank systems utilize an anaerobic process. To put it in simple terms: Aerobic bacteria requires oxygen to thrive and remain alive while anaerobic bacteria does not rely on oxygen for metabolic processes and survival. The Aerobic Treatment Systems/Units are typically comprised of 3 chambers. The first chamber, (commonly called the pre-treatment or storage tank) collects the solids and paper products. The second chamber is called the aeration chamber. Air is forced into the chamber and mixed with the waste water. The oxygen breaks down the organic matter rather quickly. The third chamber is the pumping or dosing chamber that removes the treated liquid for dispersal to the soil. ATUs require electricity 24/7 to power the aeration system (typically air pump). Find even more info at septic systems types.
To keep your septic tank and drain field in working order, having the tank pumped on a regular basis is essential. How often you will need to have your system pumped depends on the size of your household, total wastewater generated, the number of solids, and the size of your tank. The official EPA recommendation is that you have the system pumped every 3-5 years, but it’s a good idea to have it inspected and serviced more often than that. In addition to regular tank pumping, the most important thing you can do for your septic system is to be careful about what goes into it.
Kevin Gause is the owner of Foothill Sanitary Septic and Operation Manager for Foothill Portable Toilets which is owned by Leslie Gause. Kevin has over 20 years experience in solid and liquid waste transporting and 17 years experience in handling all aspects of septic, grease and portable toilet services. Kevin’s commitment is to provide all services with the utmost integrity and honesty. By providing quality workmanship and performing the job the way it should be done, customer satisfaction is achieved. Our first-time customers continually become our long term customers time and time again, choosing us for all their septic and portable toilet needs. This commitment is prevalent throughout the company.
Greywater from washing machine, sinks and showers contains soaps designed to kill bacteria (clean and disinfect things) and thus discourage optimal septic tank function. You want to encourage helpful good bacteria (digesting anaerobic cultures) to grow in your septic tank and organically treat the waste, not kill helpful bacteria with detergent laden graywater. If allowed by local building department, it is best practice to divert household greywater to a separate leaching area. Discover additional information on foothillsanitary.com.
