The simplest way to add to your septic tank while remaining connected to existing sewer lines is to simply add an additional septic tank. This gives your home a larger wastewater capacity, and gives your septic system more time to treat the wastewater before draining.

If you're adding a septic tank, first the correct placement needs to be determined, it should be between your current tank and your drain field (sometimes called a septic field line).

The ground for your new septic tank must be excavated using the dimensions of your septic tank as a guide. An excavator will be used to make an adequately sized hole, taking special care around the outlet of the older septic tank.

A 4-inch pipe will be used to connect the two septic tanks. The pipe will be placed into the inlet hole of your new septic tank before it is lowered into the ground. After your new septic tank has been lowered, the other end of the pipe will be inserted into your old septic tank's outlet hole. The pipe should hang over the two tank interiors by around 2 inches.

The hole around your new septic tank is then refilled with soil. The compactness of your soil will be checked using a vibrancy soil compactor.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: Backups

If you are experiencing a high level of plumbing backups, it's a sign that something is wrong with your septic system. It could be something as easy as a tiny repair, or as extensive as a tank replacement. Either way, you need an inspector to figure that out.

Healthy Grass

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: listwithclever.com

If you are building a new septic system (including a conventional septic system or an innovative/alternative (I/A) system) or upgrading an existing one, there are Title 5 requirements that must be followed in order to prevent damage to human health and the environment.

System owner's responsibilities

Whether or not you are the person actually doing the construction, it is always the system owner's responsibility to ensure things are done in accordance with Title 5 regulations (310 CMR 15.000). If you have questions related to building or expanding a new Title 5 system, you should contact your local Board of Health directly as they are the primary regulatory authority for new construction.

For new construction of a system, the first step is to go to your local Board of Health as well as your local Building Department. You will need to obtain permits from both separately. You should initially provide each department with a verbal explanation of what you're proposing.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Mass.gov

• Water and sewage from toilets, drains, and sinks are backing up into the home.
• Bathtubs, showers, and sinks drain very slowly.
• Gurgling sounds in the plumbing system.
• Standing water or damp spots near the septic tank or drainfield.
• Bad odors around the septic tank or drainfield.
• Bright green, spongy lush grass over the septic tank or drainfield, even during dry weather.
• Algal blooms in nearby ponds or lakes.
• High levels of nitrates or coliform bacteria in water wells.

Like most components of your home, septic systems require routine maintenance. If maintained, the septic system should provide reliable service for many years. If the septic system isn't maintained, owners run the risk of dangerous and costly failures. And, septic systems do have an operational lifetime and will eventually need to be replaced.

A failed or malfunctioning septic system is a risk to human and animal health and can pollute the environment. A responsible septic owner is alert to the signs of failure, regardless of the age of the system, and responds quickly when any are discovered. A quick response may save the owner money in repairs and may prevent illness and negative impact on the environment.

What happens when a septic system fails?

A septic system failure causes untreated sewage to be released and transported to where it shouldn't be. This may cause sewage to come to the surface of the ground around the tank or the drainfield or to back up in pipes in the building. The sewage could also find its way into groundwater, surface water, or marine water without us ever seeing it. The sewage carries pathogens and other dangerous contaminants. Exposure to these pathogens and contaminants can make people and animals sick. They can also contaminate water sources and make them unsafe for drinking, swimming, shellfish harvesting, and agricultural uses.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: doh.wa.gov

Even when your septic system is safely in the ground, that doesn't mean your responsibility for its upkeep is done. A septic tank will need to be maintained—which mainly boils down to having it pumped every few years. This keeps the sludge at the bottom from rising so high that it spills into your yard.

This is why the Environmental Protection Agency recommends having your septic system pumped once every one to three years.

The price range for pumping the tank is not too high compared to the cost of ignoring this small maintenance task. At the very least, have your tank checked to see if it needs to be pumped. This is not the kind of thing you want to let slide, unless you want a sewage plant in your backyard.

And there are ways to save on maintenance: Just use less water by installing low-flow toilets and not running the water more than necessary. And in addition to researching the costs of installing and maintaining a home septic system, be sure to review and understand all your local laws and regulations involving wastewater treatment and related issues.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: Realtor.com

If a house is listed at a lower price because of a failed septic system, it could be a tremendous steal depending on the type of system that will need to be installed. The cost of installing a new septic in the same place as the old one usually ranges from $10,000 to $15,000, depending on the soil and the type of system that will be installed.

Who pays for septic system repairs: The buyer or the seller?

In most states, including Massachusetts, home sellers must pay for the cost of repairing the septic—or if it’s irreparable, you might be able to persuade the sellers to replace it entirely.

Septic systems and home improvements

If you’re planning a large remodel in a home with a septic system, one thing to know is that any major improvements would require the owner to hook up to the public sewer system first (assuming it’s available, of course). In this case, the condition of the septic tank isn’t a factor as it will no longer be in use.

The cost of connecting to the municipal sewer system falls to the buyer, and is far from cheap.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: Realtor.com

Should you buy a house with a bad septic system? You might wrestle with this question if you fall in love with a home only to find out during the home inspection that the septic system is in serious disrepair.

Properties usually have septic systems for one of two reasons: The home is in a rural area with no public sewer available or the home is older, and while it previously didn’t have access to a public sewer, it now does—but may have not been hooked up yet.

The good news is that a bad septic system doesn’t automatically mean you should flush your hopes of purchasing the home. Here’s when a bad septic system is a deal breaker and when it’s not.

Bad septic system: Repair or replace?

Septics are a simple system—water goes into the septic tank and displaces the same amount of water that travels to the drain field.

Common problems with septics include tree roots impacting the soil around the drain field. A simple fix could be as easy as clearing the roots. Or a septic may be failing because a tank baffle—what separates a tank from the drain field—needs repairing. In both cases, a septic professional can inspect the system and determine if a repair is possible. Such minor repairs may range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

But here’s the thing: If there isn’t an easy fix available, a bad septic will need to be completely replaced, or it will fail. Failure means the septic can no longer treat and distribute wastewater. Signs that a house needs a new septic system include toilets that drain slowly and standing wastewater on the ground above the drain field.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: Realtor.com

Experts say you should get a septic system inspection every three years. But here’s a dose of reality: Most homeowners never get their septic systems inspected unless there is a notable issue.

But that means homeowners get an inspection only when issues that may signal big trouble arise, such as when the toilet backs up, water takes too long to drain, or there’s an actual septic system leakage. The benefit of doing an inspection every three years is to avoid major problems like these.

The three-year mark is also the maximum amount of time you should let your septic system go without being pumped out.

A problem caught at inspection can save you from having to replace the entire septic system (read: shell out a ton of money). It’s especially important to keep your septic system in good shape if you plan on selling. During closing, a certified inspection will be performed and you don’t want any last-minute surprises.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: Realtor.com

Spring is here and the melt has begun! When the snow starts to melt, many individual home sewage treatment systems (septic systems) may become waterlogged or temporarily flooded.

Symptoms:

• drains running slow
• toilets not flushing properly
• water backup into floor drains in the basement

A septic system has two main components: a septic tank that traps and biologically degrades solid waste, and a drainfield that provides additional biological treatment as well as infiltrating the water into the ground. Household water flows from the house sewer system into the septic tank then out to the drainfield. Any situation that prevents or slows down the flow of water through the septic system can cause problems.

Throughout the winter, normal use of water in a house keeps the soil in and around the drainfield and septic tank from freezing. So when the snow starts melting, the water may infiltrate into the drainfield area instead of running off. This can cause a temporary "high water table" which can leak into the septic tank or saturate the drainfield. When this happens, the waste water coming from the house cannot move through the septic system easily.

So you don't have to deal with a mess here are some tips to help your septic system before and during the spring thaw:

• The first thing to do is make sure there are no leaking fixtures in the house. A drop of water every 15 seconds can add up to a lot of additional water added to the septic system.
• Reduce water use.
• Check faucets, shower heads, toilets, sinks & any other water using devices for leaks & repair them as soon as possible.
• Don't put the water from a basement sump pump into the septic system.
• Don't let water from roof gutters or from the sump pump discharge into the drainfield area.
• Reduce the number of times you flush the toilet, wash clothes at a laundromat, reduce the number of showers &/or baths each day & only run the dishwasher when it is full.

Common sense is the key to reducing water use in the house and helping your septic system through the spring thaw. Remember the drainfield was designed to infiltrate the amount of water normally discharged from the house. When additional water, either from rain, snow melt, or flooding is added to the drainfield, the ability to handle household water becomes limited.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: earth-smart-solutions.com

Source: EPA.gov