QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT SEPTIC SYSTEM SOLUTIONS, PLUMBING, DRAIN CLEANING, SEPTIC SYSTEM INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR IN EAST TEXAS

Old style septic systems last up to 30 years. Keep in mind septic lids get wear and tear from being drove over throughout their lifespan, making them weaker quicker.

No. That is a PVC pipe. It is a vent pipe for the leaching field of the septic system.

Yes. A failing system definitely can. If left untreated, exposed effluent is a health hazard and is known to cause disease. If the exposed effluent gets into groundwater, you and your neighbors' wells can also be contaminated. If the effluent gets into any nearby streams or water bodies they will be contaminated, jeopardizing wildlife and recreation.

It is a container used for effluent from the septic tank and to distribute the effluent into the drain field.

Most septic tanks have three covers. There is one over the inlet side of the septic tank for where the water from your home or building enters the tank, one in the center of the tank, and one on the outlet side of the tank where the exit is.

Just avoid cleaning your toilets and drains with bleach or products that contain bleach.

Yes.

It varies on where you are located. Most states require a septic inspection or documentation of a inspection in the last few years.

It really depends on your home. After being in this business for three generations, we have the knowledge to find it and find it quickly. Most of the time we have probes stuck into the ground in order to find it.

If your grass is very green and healthy if you have no issues inside your home or building, and if it is maintained regularly.

Usually when a septic system fails, it overflows. When a septic tank overflows, the effluent can pass to the drainfield.

There are various signs of a failing septic system:

• slow draining toilets and drains
• an odor of sewage
• wet area on or near the drain field
• contaminated well water.If your grass is very green and healthy if you have no issues inside your home or building, and if it is maintained regularly.

Here are a couple of things you can do to prevent a septic system failure:

• Stop using antibacterial soaps and cleaners
• Don't use septic tank chemicals or additives
• Take two to four-minute showers instead of baths.
• Have your septic tank pumped regularly every two to three years.
• Stop using a garbage disposal.

The more water you use, the harder your septic system has to work.

Garbage disposal are okay to use, but they are intended to be used sparingly. The trash goes to the trash tank.

Septic systems are designed to handle human waste and toilet paper, nothing else. Putting too many unsuitable items down the drain can cause sewer blockages, which can in turn lead to sewer flooding. Cooking fat and oil poured down the drain can easily create a clog.

A few things that should not be flushed are:

• Baby wipes
• Sanitary towels
• Fats, oils, and grease
• Cotton buds and cotton wool
• Hand towels
• Paper Towels
• Food waste
• Plasters, bandages
• Dental floss

Yes. It could be a slow clog forming which is build up from not using enzymes or not pumping the solid tank correctly.

No. You should avoid driving over the drainfield. Vehicles and heavy equipment increase pressure and compact the soil and can damage pipes. Concrete and asphalt reduce evaporation and the supply of oxygen to soil. Oxygen is critical to the proper breakdown of sewage.

At least 10 feet.

Over time sludge and scum build up in the septic tank and unless it is removed it will flow into the drain field, clogging the soil pipes. Once a drain field is clogged, it must be replaced. You may eventually have a plumbing backup in your home.

Unless you have risers installed, it would have to be dug up.

Yes. You can inspect your septic tank using the “stick test.”