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Who Inspects Septic Tanks, and How Do I Prepare?

- Friday, January 31, 2025
Morse Engineering and Construction

Typically, you'll want to contact a licensed septic inspector or a professional septic service company to schedule an inspection. Consider getting recommendations from local friends, family or neighbors for contractors who work with septic systems. Make sure to check an inspector's credentials to see if they are certified and compliant with regulations. Membership in professional organizations such as NACHI, ASHI, or NAHI, is a good sign too.

Before the inspector arrives, you can do several things to support a smooth and efficient septic inspection process. Start by locating your septic system's design records; these documents provide valuable information about the layout and size of your system.

If you're planning to purchase a home, you may assume a septic inspection is part of your standard home inspection, but this isn't always the case. Most home inspectors aren't going to check if the septic system of your prospective home is running properly. You may need to pay extra for a simple visual inspection.

Aspiring homeowners are better off bringing in a septic inspector who’s properly qualified to check if the septic system is operating as it should.

Follow This Pre-inspection Checklist

Here's a quick checklist to guide you:

  • Locate and provide septic system design records.
  • List any signs of system issues (for example, slow draining, odors).
  • Clear the area around the septic tank and drain field.
  • Refrain from pumping out the tank right before the inspection, as this can mask issues.
  • These steps will help you get an accurate assessment of your septic system's health.

For more information contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: houselogic.com


What to Expect from a Septic Tank Inspection

- Friday, January 24, 2025
Morse Engineering and Construction - Septic Tank Inspection

Knowing how to prepare for and what to expect during a septic system inspection can help you check that the process matches your expectations.

Septic Tank Inspections: A Step-by-Step Guide

Initially, the inspector will review the history of your septic system, including any maintenance records you have. This provides a baseline for evaluating the current state of your system.

The inspector will follow these steps:

  1. Initial assessment: The septic inspector will review the septic system's history and maintenance records.
  2. System location and access: Next, the inspector will locate and uncover access points to the septic tank.
  3. Tank examination: Along with checking the tank for leaks, corrosion, and levels of scum and sludge, the inspector will check if the tank needs to be pumped.
  4. Pipe and mechanism inspection: Next, the inspector will check the pipes and mechanisms for damage or blockages. They'll also assess the condition of the septic tank effluent filter if your system has one.
  5. Drain field evaluation: Lastly, your inspector will evaluate the drain field's absorption capability and look for signs of failure (such as standing water or improper drainage)
  6. Optional dye test: The inspector may conduct a dye test to detect leaks or system failures.

After the physical inspection, the inspector will discuss the findings with you. They'll point out any immediate concerns or potential future issues.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: houselogic.com


Repair or Replace Your Septic System?

- Friday, January 17, 2025
Morse Engineering and Construction - Repair or Replace Septic System

Handle problems when they arise by checking:

1. The Water Level

If you find sewage in your house, lift the lid of the septic tank and check the water level or call a septic tank pumping company to do this for you. If the water is lower than the outlet, the pipe between the house and tank might be clogged. In that case, call a plumber.

2. The Septic Tank Level

If the level is higher than the outlet, the problem might be the tank. Have your tank pumped. That way, you’ll have time to figure out what to do next and allow the pumping company to check for an obvious problem, such as a clogged screen at the outlet.

3. The Saturation Level in the Drainfield

If flooding has saturated the drainfield, however, wait to pump. Emptying the tank may cause the tank to float, breaking the pipes. Take precautions as you clean up the mess in your house, so you don’t get sick. As outlined by the EPA, if your septic system floods, minimize contact with sewage; wear gloves, shields, and long sleeves; and get extra support from your local health department.

4. The Drainfield

If the drainfield stinks or is soggy, keep people away from any standing water or soggy soil. There may be a biohazard. If you have young children or pets, you might need a temporary fence. Have your septic tank pumped and cut back on water use. These steps should reduce the odor, but aren’t long-term solutions.

Types of Drainfield Failure

When a drainfield fails, it’s often because the septic tank wasn’t pumped often enough. So, follow best practices in caring for your septic system. Sludge and scum layers can grow so thick that little space is left for wastewater to pool while ingredients separate.

This overgrowth lets grease and solids enter and clog the drainfield, causing stinky water to bubble up to the surface. By the time you notice, the damage is done, and the drainfield needs to be replaced.

A drainfield can also fail even if you haven’t done anything wrong. Over time — often 30 years or so — beneficial microbes in the soil around the drainfield can become so abundant that they clog the soil, preventing it from properly absorbing the water, according to Craig Mains of the National Small Flows Clearinghouse, a nonprofit that advises the septic system industry.

If your drainfield is plugged, the only solution is to abandon it and build a new one. The good news is that once you have a replacement drainfield, you’ll never have to build a new drainfield again. Eventually, the bacteria at the old site will die from lack of food and decompose. When the second field plugs someday, you can go back to using the first one.

When to Repair a Septic System

Some problems can be solved relatively easily. For example, standing water or a sewage odor between the septic tank and the drainfield may be nothing more than a broken pipe, a roughly $1,500 repair. If you have an advanced treatment system, the maintenance company might need to adjust or replace a part.

If you have an aerobic treatment unit — which aerates the tank to help speed the breakdown of waste — and were away for a long period, the beneficial bacteria might have died off. You may just need to use your system frugally for a few weeks while the population rebounds.

When to Replace a Septic System

There’s usually no repair for a failed drainfield. You probably need to replace your septic system.

There are many ways to combine treatment and drainfield options, and your decisions can hugely affect costs, as well as landscaping rework and the use of your property in the future. If you want to reserve land for a future garage, for example, you might be willing to spend more on a compact system.

Even if the drainfield needs replacement, the septic tank may be OK. Reusing the tank can save you $1,000 or more — and keep that part of your yard intact. But if moving the tank would solve a landscaping issue or make future pumping easier, now’s the time to do it.

For more information contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: houselogic.com


Steps for Installing a Septic System this Spring

- Monday, January 13, 2025
Morse Engineering and Construction - Septic System

Since each septic system is installed a little differently, it's difficult to give an exact how-to on installing each one. But, the overall process for septic system installation has some similarities.

1. Site Prep

First, you evaluate the site’s size, soil type, water table, etc. so you can decide which type septic system will work best for you. This may require a PERC test to evaluate soil absorption rates. Contact your county health department to find out more information regarding testing requirements in your area.

2. Health Approval

Most states have specific guidelines in place for septic system installation, as sewage naturally could have a large impact on public health and safety. You will need to receive the necessary permits and licenses to continue with the procedure.

3. Excavation

Once you have received the go-ahead from the correct authorities, you may begin excavating the site for system installation. Excavation involves a lot of measuring and drilling so that you can get the pipe to distance ratio correct. You will need to dig a hole large enough to fit the tank into comfortably.

4. Installation

It is important that you refrain from going into the installation blindly. That is, don’t just begin haphazardly digging holes and placing pipes. Call a professional septic system company for advice, or do your research online.

5. Final Inspection

It’s a good idea to have a professional inspect your work once completed. This ensures that everything is up to safety standards and that you won’t run into any unexpected issues.

6. Coverup

Cover everything back up, clean it up, and enjoy your money-saving handiwork!

For more information contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: Nextmodular.com