Patrick Moreau December 30, 2020

Sonora, California best septic maintenance firm? 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.

Think of it like this: You would not take a car; you are potentially going to purchase, to a mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection / evaluation and ask the mechanic to check it out but to not open the hood. This would defeat the purpose of the pre-purchase inspection with a restricting limitation of not being allowed to open the hood. Additionally most counties require a person or business conducting septic system inspections and evaluations to be certified through COWA and NAWT, (California Onsite Wastewater Association & National Association of Wastewater Transporters). Although COWA and NAWT teach Pumping is Mandatory and “Must be Done” prior to a system inspection/evaluation, this is generally not enforced. Discover additional details on portable toilets near arnold county.

Septic tanks are a mystery to most people since few of us think about where our wastewater goes once it leaves the house. If you have a septic system or are planning to have one installed, it’s important to have a basic understanding of how they work and how to maintain them. Routine septic system maintenance will not only keep you from spending money on expensive repairs, but it will also help you maintain a safe and healthy environment by avoiding sewer backups and contaminated groundwater.

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.

A good site to visit for several educational videos regarding septic systems can be found on Washington State’s Department of Health On Site Sewage Systems Home Owner Education Page. The Full video course is 5 chapters and runs 19:02 minutes. You can watch the individual chapters by themselves which range from 2:29 to 6:57 minutes in length. Chapter 3 – Types of Septic Systems is 6:57 minutes and goes over most of the systems described on this page. Septic Systems are Engineered by a Licensed Engineering Company. We at Foothill Sanitary Septic highly recommend Cal State Engineering in Jackson, CA as they are the best. Find extra information at Foothill Sanitary.