Because your septic tank is considered a part of your home, it is covered by your homeowners insurance in the event of damage. Any damage caused by neglect or a lack of maintenance, on the other hand, will not be covered. We’ll go over the criteria that go into determining whether or not your septic tank is covered by your homes insurance.
Do Home warranties cover septic systems?
Septic coverage is usually available as an add-on option with most home warranty programs. Septic tank pumping is not included in most companies’ septic coverage, however some will offer it as an add-on. You can add septic system coverage to your home warranty for a few extra dollars per month after you’ve purchased your home warranty. A home warranty can cover more than just your septic system; it can also cover your home’s most vital appliances and systems.
How long does a septic tank last?
A septic tank’s lifespan is determined by a variety of factors, including ground conditions and how well it is maintained. GRP, PE, and concrete tanks have a typical lifespan of more than 30 years.
- Steel septic tanks have a 15 to 20-year life expectancy. These should not be utilized for new installations, but they are nevertheless occasionally seen in older rural homes.
- Tanks made of plastic (PE) or fiberglass (GRP) have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years.
- Concrete tanks have a 30- to 40-year life expectancy (sometimes longer, depending on conditions).
How can you tell if your septic tank is leaking?
Septic tanks are prone to leaks and other sorts of damage, and these problems are sometimes preceded by warning indications such as strange odors, unusually lush flora, and overflowing toilets. Both new and old systems can have issues, and a system breakdown can come unexpectedly if a new family moves in, as their cooking, laundry, and showering habits are frequently different from the previous inhabitants’.
Foul Odor
If you smell sewer gases, it’s possible that one of the system’s covers is broken or misaligned. This might be the filter access port lid or the septic tank riser. These sewage gases could also be leaking from the tank body, indicating that there are cracks or holes in the tank body.
You may notice this for a few minutes or for several hours. Try to pinpoint where the odors are the most powerful. Is it coming from the tank itself, the drain field, or the tank next door? Remember that this odor could be coming from the drain field and does not necessarily indicate that your tank is damaged.
Lush Vegetation
Another clue that a septic tank is leaking is lush vegetation. It could also indicate that the system is overflowing or that a nearby pipe is damaged or loose. If your drain field or filters become blocked, a wet area may emerge surrounding the drain field or tank, which will encourage the growth of more vegetation.
Soggy Yard
If the area around your tank appears to be wet, it’s possible that septic tank water is seeping into the ground. However, make sure to rule out your sprinkler system first, as this can also cause damp spots in your yard.
Standing Water Around Septic Tank
When soil is exposed to wet circumstances for an extended period of time, it compacts. If your tank has a leak, the water from the leak could cause the neighboring soil to settle and sink as a result. This is especially true if the area around your septic tank is made up of loose backfill poured there after the septic tank was installed. When soil settles and sinks, it allows rainwater and sprinkler water to gather there.
It’s important to remember that bad odors or moist areas don’t always indicate a leaking or broken septic tank. The septic tank’s sewer line could also be the source of the problem. These sewer lines are usually constructed in trenches, and if the line breaks, the wastewater may be able to travel to the tank through the trenches.
Toilets or Sinks Are Backing up or Slow to Drain
These events can be an indication that the tank has been damaged. Tree roots can sometimes obstruct and damage the location where wastewater exits the tank. In some cases, a collapsed baffle is to blame, which might produce obstructions and cause the drain field to fail. As a result, tank or sewer lines may back up.
Backing up can also occur when a tank is overflowing with scum and sludge. A “sludge judge” is commonly used by plumbing businesses and technicians that assess septic tanks to determine how much scum, sludge, and effluents are there. If the scum and sludge make up more than a third of the tank’s volume, the tank may fail, and it will almost certainly need to be pumped.
Alarm Sounds
If you have a newer septic system, it most likely has a built-in alarm that will notify you if there is a problem. These alarms make a beeping sound or flash a red light, and they can be installed inside or outside your home.
How does sewage ejector pump work?
We get a lot of calls about submersible sewage pumps in our sales department at Septic Solutions. The great majority of customers in need of a sewage handling pump assume that they require a sewage grinder pump as well. This is a common misunderstanding that leads many people to believe that all sewage treatment pumps are grinder pumps. This is far from the case. In the domestic and light commercial / industrial parts of the business, sewage handling pumps are divided into two types: sewage ejector pumps and sewage grinder pumps.
In order to throw additional light on the topic of sewage ejector pumps vs. sewage grinder pumps, we’ll go over the proper applications for each device in this post.
SEWAGE EJECTOR PUMPS (4/10 HP – 2 HP)
Sewage ejector pumps are submerged solids handling pumps with a large volume and low pressure. Grinding blades are not used in sewage ejector pumps. They employ a spinning pump that draws raw sewage in through the bottom of the pump and forces it out the outlet and into the discharge pipe under pressure. Pumps for sewage ejectors are typically built to handle solids up to 2″ in diameter.
A Sewage Ejector pump is most commonly used to transport raw sewage from a home to a septic tank or gravity flow sewer main. These devices typically have a 2″ discharge and range in power from 4/10 HP to 2 HP. Pumps for sewage ejectors can handle large amounts of sewage (up to 220 Gallons Per Minute). These pumps are designed for short pumping lengths (under 750 feet) and can withstand nearly 75 feet of head pressure.
The pump in a basement floor pit meant to evacuate sewage from a basement bathroom up to the main level is an example of a sewage ejector pump. Another example is using an ejector pump to drive waste back to the main house’s septic tank when adding living space or a bathroom to an outbuilding, garage, or shed.
A sewage ejector pump must always be used instead of a sewage grinder pump when pumping to a septic tank or septic system.
SEWAGE GRINDER PUMPS (2 HP and larger)
Sewage Grinder Pumps are submerged solids handling pumps with a high pressure and low volume. Cutting blades in sewage grinder pumps crush raw sewage into a slurry before passing it through the discharge pipe. Sewage Grinder Pumps are designed to handle the same materials as Sewage Ejector Pumps, but they can handle tougher solids.
When pumping from a home to a pressurized city sewer main, sewage grinder pumps are most typically employed. Because a pressurized sewer main is under pressure from another sewage pump, liquids must be pumped into it with a pump that can overcome that pressure. Sewage Grinder Pumps can achieve this because they can pump fluids at over 60 PSI. Pumps for sewage grinders typically have a 1-1/4″ discharge and range in horsepower from 2 to 10. They can only pump little amounts of sewage (30 gallons per minute or less), but they can push it over great distances (thousands of feet) and handle head pressures of up to 130 psi.
When pumping sewage from a home to a septic tank, a Sewage Grinder Pump is not suggested. The sewage is ground into such a fine slurry that the solids never separate from the liquid in the septic tank and are transferred on to the secondary system. Your subsurface leaching field will fast be ruined as a result of this.
In order to function properly, 2.0 HP Sewage Grinder pumps require a minimum of 20 to 30 feet of head pressure. A Sewage Grinder pump will quickly burn out if used in a low head environment (very little vertical lift, short horizontal run). The majority of manufacturers rely on that small amount of head pressure to keep the electric motor’s RPMs low. When there isn’t enough head pressure, the motors spin faster, drawing more current and becoming hotter, causing them to fail far sooner than they should.
WHICH PUMP SHOULD I USE?
Only utilize a sewage grinder pump if one of the following scenarios applies to your situation:
To summarize, not all sewage treatment pumps are grinder pumps, and a sewage grinder pump is not always required to pump raw sewage. In most circumstances, a sewage ejector pump is the far superior choice. There are some situations in which you could utilize either type.
THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE
The 1.0 HP Liberty ProVore Domestic Grinder and the 1.0 HP Myers VRS Residential Grinder pumps are specialist devices designed to replace residential sewage ejector pumps ranging from 4/10 to 1.0 HP. These machines have no minimum head requirement and have the same cutting action as bigger commercial grinder pumps, but with a smaller 1.0 HP motor. While this will pump sewage from a residence to a public sewer, we do not recommend using it to pump to a septic tank because it still grinds the sewage into a slurry.
How many loads of laundry can I do with a septic tank?
It’s hard to think that something as innocuous as laundry can wreak havoc on your septic system. Washing multiple loads in one day pushes a huge amount of water through your system in a short period of time, increasing the risk of wastewater spills. The topic of today’s blog is how to prevent impending harm to your septic system from the laundry room.
You might already do this with your dryer, but your washing machine also includes a lint trap. Laundry waste and lint can get into your pipes and clog them up. Take this advise carefully because large backups can cause your septic system to fail.
People frequently make the mistake of flushing dangerous chemicals down the toilet. Many home cleaners contain antibacterial compounds, which can harm your septic system by killing the healthy bacteria needed to break down waste in the tank. This is also true of your laundry detergent. Choose all-natural products that are free of bleach and phosphates, and liquid brands over powders. Clay and fillers in powders are known to cause clogs.
We recommend purchasing a high-efficiency washer if you have the option. These consume less water, which means your septic system will be less stressed. You should spread out your loads regardless of the sort washing appliance you have. If you really must do more than one load in a single day, consider completing one load every day or spacing out two loads. Also, to get the most out of your water, make sure you’re completing full loads. When a septic tank receives too much water, it does not have enough time to go through the separation process and filter out solids effectively. This causes blockages, which can flow into your leach field and cause costly damage.
Simple modifications to your laundry routine might have a significant impact on your septic system. If you follow these guidelines, you won’t have to worry about your washing machine causing septic problems. Contact Wind River or Request Service now for more information on appliance wastewater management.
How often should a septic tank be emptied?
When should I have my septic tank emptied? We recommend that your septic tank be serviced every 3 to 4 years for a household of four, and at least every three years for a larger family.
What will ruin a septic system?
Cat litter is extremely destructive to plumbing, and flushing it can cause a terrible clog. Because clay, unlike garbage, does not break down, placing cat litter through your pipes or, more crucially, in your septic tank, might cause difficulties. It simply builds up in your tank, causing problems.
The best option is to keep the litter away from your pipes and throw it away.
Neglecting to Pump Your Tank Regularly
You’ll also ruin your septic tank if you don’t have it pumped on a regular basis. One downside of a septic system over a city water connection is this. Tanks can only retain so much waste and must be emptied every 3 to 5 years, or more frequently if your system is used frequently.
If you don’t drain your tank, it will eventually back up and overflow into your home through your plumbing fixtures. Nobody wants to be a part of that shambles!
The remedy is to have your tank emptied on a regular basis and to search for signs of slow or clogged drains, a soggy drain field in your yard, or a foul stench indoors.
Planting Trees and Shrubs on Your Drain Field
Trees in the yard are popular among homeowners. It provides some privacy, and a beautiful lawn with well-kept trees and bushes adds curb appeal to any property, especially an older or historic one. However, planting them right on top of your septic system (also known as the drain field) might lead to serious and costly issues down the road.
Once those tall trees and bushes begin to dip their roots deeper and deeper into the soil, their restricting roots can infiltrate a drain field. Tree roots are surprisingly resilient, and they can even break straight through piping. When this happens, they can grow right into your drain pipes, obstructing the flow of wastewater.
The moral of the story is to know exactly where your drain field and septic tank are and to avoid planting huge trees in that location.
Washer Lint Overload
Washing your clothes may not appear to put a strain on your septic system, but when you wash a lot of synthetic clothing, the lint and fibers in the unclean wash water end up in your septic system.
The helpful bacteria and enzymes that work so hard to break down solids are unable to digest synthetic fibers, and the system becomes overburdened, requiring costly repairs.
Installing a lint filter on your washer drain is one option. A nice tutorial on how to install one can be found on Family Handyman.
Installing a Garbage Disposal
Installing a garbage disposal in your home is not suggested if you have a septic system with a tank. Despite the fact that the food is ground into little particles, all of the food in your tank settles to the bottom, causing solids to accumulate quicker than the bacteria can break them down.
Can I shower if my septic tank is full?
Drains in modern homes have a tendency of remaining unnoticed. Plumbers and exorcists aren’t generally on our minds till the toilet is overflowing or the bath spigot is filling the tub with blood. Waste is kept out of sight and out of mind with the easy push of a lever. This is not the case in this article. We’re heading to your backyard, to the greenest spot of grass, to attack your septic system head on.
A septic system treats the waste in around one-third of all American residences. These systems are designed to be simple. All of the house’s drains connect to a single line that leads to the septic tank, which is buried outside. The waste water from your toilet, shower, sinks, and washing machine is combined when it leaves your home. However, when it reaches the septic tank, it begins to separate. Sludge, or the heaviest particle stuff in the waste, settles to the bottom. The floating scum layer at the top of the tank is made up of fats, oils, and proteins. The relatively clear liquid layer known as effluent or gray water is in the middle. Septage refers to the combination of these elements.
How do u know when your septic tank is full?
Your septic tank is an important part of your property, and it should be inspected on a regular basis for symptoms that it needs to be emptied.
If you see these warning signals, it’s likely that your septic system is in need of repair. It’s not always as obvious as a septic tank that’s overflowing! Here are some of the most common symptoms that your septic tank is full:
Your Drains Are Taking Forever
Is it taking longer than normal for your drains to move when you flush the toilet (slow drainage)? Or do you find it tough to flush? If this occurs in all of your toilets and sinks in your home, rather than just one, it is most certainly more than a clog.
Standing Water Over Your Septic Tank
Is there standing water on top of your septic tank? The presence of pooling water indicates that your septic tank needs to be pumped. Because there is nowhere else for the excess water to go, it collects in your yard.
The health of your lawn is a similar issue to keep an eye on. If water is accumulating around your septic tank, you may notice that the grass around it appears to be particularly healthy. Maybe you’ve observed a lot of weeds or flowers growing in the area. This is because to the extra water and nutrients that your lawn receives in this location. This can happen before the water starts to pool.
You Hear Gurgling Water
The sound of gurgling water could indicate a backup on the way. If you hear gurgling water coming from your pipes, it’s possible that your tank is filling up and needs to be emptied.
You Have A Sewage Backup
Backing up sewage is every homeowner’s worst nightmare. It’s because your tank hasn’t been emptied that you have a sewage backup.
When your waste water is unable to flow away from your home, this occurs. If wastewater enters your home, it can enter through toilets, sinks, and even your shower.
Blockages are the source of sewage backups. Septic tanks can become clogged as a result of too much food waste. Blockages can be caused by cooking grease, meat fats, oils, or other things accumulating at the bottom of the tank. Septic blockages can also be caused by flushing the improper materials down the toilet, such as feminine hygiene products or cat litter.
During routine septic maintenance, we can detect blockages. During septic tank cleaning, we may eliminate any build-up.
How do you know if your septic tank is working properly?
If you know where to search for telltale symptoms that your septic tank system isn’t working properly, you’ll be able to spot them.
1. Sound of a Pipe Gurgling
If you flush the toilet or turn on the water and hear gurgling from the pipes, it could mean the tank is full, needs to be pumped, or has other issues.
2. Problems with Toilet Flushing
When the toilet takes a long time to flush or won’t flush at all, and a plunger doesn’t work, there could be a problem with the septic system. It’s possible that the tank is full, which may be readily remedied by having the tank pumped. It could also be the result of a clog in the pipes.
3. Drains That Are Slow
3. Slow draining kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks, showers, or bathtubs could indicate a problem with your home’s pipes (time to call a plumber) or the septic system (time to call Magneson Tractor Service).