Septic Tank Pumping

Did you know that septic tanks should be cleaned every 3-5 years? If it’s been longer than five years since your septic tank was pumped, you could be on your way towards costly repairs.

Don’t wait until something breaks to have your septic tank cleaned. Call in the septic service professionals at 64 Septic to empty your septic tank.

At 64 Septic, we focus on additional preventative maintenance to keep your septic tank in good working order. That’s why every tank is mixed before pumping and bacteria tablets are added to the septic tank after pumping to keep your septic system working properly.

Septic Tank Systems and Services for North Carolina

Septic tank systems are a priority for all who use them.

Though you may not be linked to a sewer system and all the convenience and efficiencies that come with that, you need the same services that allow for the comfort and sanitation of people who live and visit your home and business.

It is important to keep in mind that the care and maintenance of the septic system is critical to avoid problems later.

Overview of Septic Systems

A septic system operates like both a mini sewer system and a micro waste treatment facility, with all waste originating from the household being released into the septic system. To the homeowner, it is not anything different than the typical sewer system in most cities. However, septic systems require maintenance and care, unlike sewage systems.

What you add to your septic system and how you keep up with its maintenance are essential.

A septic system operates beneath the ground and generally is made up of piping, a large watertight tank, and a “leaching field” where safe waste is disseminated into the soil.

What is called the “leaching field” is just a stretch of the ground under which is a network of perforated pipes with many perforations that open into a gravel bed. In a properly functioning system, treated water enters the pipe system as it leaves the septic tank. As it drains into this bed of gravel, it is naturally pulled into the soil around it and then it evaporates. Should anything other than clear water come from the septic tank and flow into the leaching field, the leaching field and the surrounding environment will be contaminated.

How a Septic Tank Functions

A septic tank is watertight. When waste from your home enters the tank, organic matter tends to rise to the surface where the native bacteria begins converting it into liquid. This is normally referred to as the “floating layer.” Material that is not organic and the by-products created by the bacterial digestion sink to the tank’s bottom where they accumulate, creating a layer of sludge. Clear water entering the tank takes up the space between the floating and sludge layers. This layer of cleaner water is essential for a properly functioning septic tank.

Problems arise when material from either of these layers exit the septic tank and move into the leaching field. This action clogs the field’s pipes and brings possibly harmful untreated waste into contact with the earth and the groundwater. It also tends to carry a rather unpleasant smell, which is an easy indication that something is wrong.

Care and Maintenance of Septic Tanks

The care and maintenance of your septic system is a two-part process. The layer of sludge that accumulates at the bottom of your tank will need to be pumped out on a regular basis. This allows for a consistent level and volume of the water layer and decreases the possibility of sludge going into and plugging the leaching field, which leads to contamination of the local environment. There are no additives, chemicals, or home remedies that reduce the sludge layer – it must be regularly removed through pumping.

The efficiency of your septic system is all about the bacteria that digest the organic matter in the floating layer. It is essential these bacteria be present and active. Keeping a properly maintained system will likely avoid the need for an expensive replacement of the leaching field.

Because bacteria are quite sensitive to many home products and oft-used chemicals, it’s easy to kill off or reduce this necessary part of the system. You can often help your septic system by using ecologically-safe products (carried by most supermarkets or available online).

Pumping Out Your Septic Tank

Pumping sludge out of your septic tank must be done on a regular basis to keep your system working at full capacity. How often pumping is needed depends on various factors, including:

• capacity of your tank
• number of people in your household or business
• how often the shower, laundry, toilets are used
• how much inappropriate material is introduced to the system
• quality of design and condition of the leaching field
• the kind of soil that comprises your leaching field