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What are septic systems?
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Why do Septic Tanks/Cesspools appear to be full after recent servicing?
- What are the components of a Private Septic System?
- Why Septic Systems
fail?
- How long should a Septic System
last?
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What are the signs of a Failing Septic System?
- What is the difference between a cesspool and a septic system?
- Does Title 5 require every cesspool to be replaced?
- Must my tank be pumped at time of inspection?
- Who are Title 5 approved inspectors?
- How long before a Title 5
expires?
- What happens if I fail
Title 5 inspections?
- How can I keep my septic system running properly?
Q. What are septic systems?
A. Septic Systems are considered to be on-site systems designed to safely
dispose of biological sanitary waste. “Gray Water”, such as laundry waste,
is a part of the waste system, but may not result in what is referred to
as “biological” waste.
> Call For More Info: 800-286-0404
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Q.
Why do Septic
Tanks/Cesspools appear to be full after recent servicing?
A: It is necessary for the tank to operate full for water/solid
separation. Solids remain in the tank or cesspool and water is leached out
to the leaching field and/or absorption field.
> Call For More Info: 800-286-0404
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Q.
What are the components of a Private Septic
System?
A. The things that are most obvious are the things seen every day- the
sinks, toilets, and pipes in a normal house. What are not visible are the
things that are underground. Note that both the things that are underground and the
ground itself greatly impact how a septic system works.
The individual parts of the system are the septic tank,
a distribution box, and a leach field. Bacterial action takes place in the
septic tank where the end products are mainly water, gases, and undigested
material, called sludge that sinks to the bottom of the tank and scum that
floats to the bottom of the tank. The septic tank contains baffles that
prevent any scum that floats to the surface and sludge that settles to the
bottom from passing out of the tank.
The gases that are generated vent to the atmosphere via
the plumbing vent system. From the septic tank, the segregated and
relatively clear liquid flows into a small distribution box where is then
metered out to several perforated pipes. These perforated pipes then
deliver the liquid to a large soil surface area, called a leach field, or
absorption field, for absorption.
The soil also acts as a filter to remove any small
amounts of solids that may be carried along with the liquid. The sludge in
the bottom of the tank must be periodically pumped out and properly
disposed of.
> Call For More Info: 800-286-0404
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Q. Why Septic Systems Fail?
A. If the liquid effluent cannot soak into the soil surrounding the leach
field, sewage may back up into the system and overflow into the house or
puddle on the surface of the ground. There are several possible causes for
this problem.
1. Poor soil conditions and Septic System Failures
Faulty design or installation of septic systems:
A leaching system placed in unsuitable soil, a system that is too small
for the house it serves, or an improperly constructed system that may lead
to early failure.
2. Soil Clogging and Septic System Failures
If sludge or scum is allowed to escape into the distribution box and from
there into the leach field, the soil will quickly become clogged. If this
happens, the liquid will no longer soak, or percolate, into the soil. This
condition can be caused by broken baffles in the septic tank that allow
sludge or scum to escape. Failure to have the tank pumped can also lead to
a situation where the sludge and scum overwhelm the baffles.
3. High Water Table and Septic System Failures
During wet, or abnormally wet, seasons groundwater may rise into the leach
field and force sewage upward to the ground surface. This condition may
mean the system has to be reinstalled at a higher level. It may also be
possible to intercept the high groundwater with a series of drains around
the system called “curtain drains”.
4. Roots and Clogging of Septic System Failures
The roots of trees and bushes planted too close to the system can
sometimes enter and block the pipes of the system. Removal of the plants
and clearing the pipes of the roots is usually required.
5. Physical Damage to Septic System Components Causing Septic Failures
Trucks or heavy equipment passing over the system can damage pipes and
joints to the point of rendering the system inoperable. You should be
aware of the location of the system and direct traffic to avoid such
damage.
> Call For More Info: 800-286-0404
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Q. How long should a Septic System Last?
A. You can expect a conventional septic system, such as that being
described here, to last about 30 years. Some systems last much longer and
some systems can fail earlier for reasons like those noted above. Other
things can also affect the life of a septic system. For example, a system
may have been providing satisfactory service for a previous owner for many
years, only to fail shortly after you have bought the house.
If the
previous owners were a working couple with children, the system was
probably not heavily used; if yours is a family of six, the added load
could push a marginal system over the edge and into failure.
> Call For More Info: 800-286-0404
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Q.
What are the Signs of a Failing Septic System?
A. Sewage backup into the home is one possible sign of a failing system.
However, backup can also be simply the result of a blockage somewhere
between the house and the septic tank.
Another possible sign of failure is a smell of sewage outside the house.
If this smell is more noticeable after a lot of water has been put into
the system- multiple showers or several loads of laundry ( if the laundry
waste discharges into the septic system), for example- this may be an
indication that the leach field is failing. The smell may also be
accompanied by a “spongy” feeling in some areas of the leach field, near
the distribution box, or near the septic tank.
The “spongy” feeling may be caused by water and waste being pushed to or near
ground level. If ponding water is also seen, this is called “breakthrough”
and is an almost positive indication of failure of one or more parts of
the system. This smell, however, can also originate at the plumbing vent.
In either case, further investigation is warranted.
> Call For More Info: 800-286-0404
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Q.
What is the difference between a cesspool and
a septic system?
A. A cesspool is a pit which acts as both a settling chamber for solids and
a leaching system for liquids. The use of cesspools may overload the
capacity of the soil to remove bacteria, viruses, and phosphorous, and to
nitrify ammonia and organic nitrogen compounds. A conventional on-site
system has a on-site tank where solids can settle and begin to degrade, a
distribution box, and a soil absorption system (SAS) that further treats
the effluent by removing some of the bacteria, viruses, phosphorous, and
nitrogen.
> Call For More Info: 800-286-0404
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Q.
Does Title 5 require every cesspool to be
replaced?
A. No. Only those cesspools that exhibit signs of hydraulic failure, are
located extremely close to private or public supplies, or otherwise fail
to protect or pose a threat to public health, safety or the environment
will need to be upgraded. Also, cesspools must be upgraded prior to an
increase in design flow.
> Call For More Info: 800-286-0404
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Q.
Must my tank be pumped at time of inspection?
A. The regulations allow for the inspection to be done in the least
intrusive manner possible. As part of the inspection process, a cesspool
and septic tank must be pumped out and examined.
> Call For More Info: 800-286-0404
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Q. Who are
Title 5 approved inspectors?
A. Only inspectors and soil evaluators approved under the regulations can
perform required system inspections and soil tests. A list of DEP-approved soil evaluators and system inspectors is available from your
local board of health. Certified health officers, registered sanitarians,
and professional engineers qualify automatically as system inspectors
under the regulations, and their names may or may not appear on the DEP-approved
list.
> Call For More Info: 800-286-0404
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Q. How
long before a Title 5 approval expires?
A. The approval is
good for 2 years after the inspection for sale of a home or transfer of
title (different rules apply for “shared systems” and condominiums). If
the system was inspected within three years of the sale and you have
records proving that your system was pumped annually since that
inspection, the approval should be acceptable.
Q.
What happens if I fail
a Title 5 inspection?
A. If a system fails a required inspection, the inspector is required to
submit the form to the local board of health within 30 days, and the
homeowner must provide a copy to the buyer. The system must be repaired or
upgrade within two years following inspection, regardless of whether the
property is sold.
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Q.
How can I keep my septic system running
properly?
A. Septic systems thrive on wastewater, but certain chemicals can cause
problems and impair the functioning of the system.
Don’t: Flush or pour even small amounts of paints, solvents, thinners,
nail polish remover and other common household compounds down the drain.
Don’t: Pour large amounts of laundry bleaches, toilet bowl cleaners and
caustic drain openers into the system. These can slow the treatment
process and allow sewage to pass through without proper treatment.
Don’t: Allow oils, grease, or fat to enter the system as they cannot be
digested properly. Poured down the sink or toilet, they may congeal in the
pipes and potentially plug the septic system. Grease can also combine with
detergents and flow into the drainage field where it may clog the soils.
Fats can form a mass at the top of the tank and interfere with the
biological activities taking place. All oily waste should go out with the
garbage or taken to an appropriate municipal facility for treatment.
Don’t: Use your septic system to dispose of garbage. In- sink garbage
disposals put a strain on the system. Save the kitchen waste for you composter outside. Disposable diapers, wrappers and many other kinds of
refuse can plug and impair septic systems. If something doesn’t break down
naturally, don’t flush it into your septic tank.
Don’t: Overload your system with excessive amounts of water. Septic tanks
require a sufficient retention time to allow the solids to separate from
liquid. Large amounts of water may cause untreated solid material to flow
into the drainage field possibly clogging it. Even if the drainage field
does not become blocked, there has not been sufficient time for the
physical, chemical and biological breakdown of the effluent. Discharge
into the ground and groundwater table may contain dangerous bacteria,
viruses and pollutants at unacceptable concentrations.
If you still have questions, please call us today...We
are always ready to help you out!
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