Recently, the state of Florida passed legislation SB550 requiring owners of septic systems to pay for an inspection of their septic systems. If the 2.7 million Florida homeowners with septic systems are not prepared when SB550 becomes effective, they may be liable for quite a bit of money if their septic system does not pass the inspection.
Have you ever heard of a septic system consisting of a septic tank and two drainfields? This is known as the alternating drainfield method.
Almost everyone has had to deal with hair clogging sinks, drains and septic system or sewer pipes at sometime in their life. It can be messy affair, take time and, in general, be a disgusting event to resolve. Why does hair cause so many septic tank problems when it goes down a drain?
If you have ever wondered why septic tank and drainfield replacement costs so much, look at the regulations most states and counties have enacted with regards to these activities. These regulations ensure that the costs will remain high for the foreseeable future.
The fact of the matter is that the septic tank and other components of the septic system are very durable. There is a high probability that they can be considered as close to permanent as reasonably possible.
One of the more critical septic system best practices is avoiding hydraulically overloading a septic system. Not understanding this condition and what can cause it can be very harmful to a septic system.
One of the most important functions of a septic tank is to hold wastewater for a period of time so that solids within the incoming wastewater can settle at the bottom of the tank in the sludge layer. This settling process, along with the consumption of organic waste by the bacterial environment within the septic tank, are crucial processes to maintaining drainfield permeability.
Over time, the organic solids settling on the bottom of the septic tank build up. By design, when this layer, called the sludge layer, reaches thirty percent of the maximum height of the tank’s wastewater capacity, the tank should be pumped.
How frequently should your septic tank be pumped? If you pump your tank too often you are wasting your money AND stressing your system. Pumping not frequently enough will lead to premature failure of your drainfield.
According to the American Housing Survey for the United States (2007) and the US Census Bureau, there are over 26 million residential septic systems in use in the United States. For many years, the only option a homeowner had to fix a failed system was to replace the entire system, a costly option!
