A septic tank is the main component of a septic system. It is placed underground, and its purpose is to treat and dispose of sewage. The septic system is designed to provide an individualized wastewater treatment option for residential areas.
Having and maintaining a septic tank that treats your home’s wastewater is a big responsibility. A septic tank maintenance is essential. It protects your home, so investing in one can be crucial.
Septic tank system design and its installation revolve around three key factors:
- Limiting conditions such as high water table or impermeable layers of soil
- Soil type identification, which is done by excavating test pits and then conducting hydraulic testing to find out the amount of water that soil can hold and how quickly that water travels through the soil
- Space requirements because it is essential to see if the topography is suitable to accommodate the septic system and how much space there is because the system contains a couple of big dimensioned elements
Types of septic tank systems
Conventional system
The conventional septic system is usually the most affordable one. This type of system uses gravity to move household sewage into the tank. From there, sewage is separated into layers – solid waste settles at the bottom while liquid settles on the top. When the liquid sewage rises to the level of the outflow pipe, it flows into the drain field, where it’s further decomposed.
Alternative system
The same principle of sewage collecting is used both in a conventional and alternative system. The difference is that the sewage breaking down is done by oxygen instead of naturally occurring bacteria. Drain fields for these systems need less land and release cleaner wastewater in general, but this benefit comes at an increase in cost.
Engineered system
These systems are the most complex, but the price range is in the middle between conventional and alternative systems. Their complexity lies in poor soil or the home being situated on an uphill slope. It’s also based on collecting and separating waste in the tank. However, instead of relying on gravity to drain, the liquid is pumped into the leach field to distribute throughout the land evenly.
Types of septic tanks
Septic tanks can be made out from different materials:
Concrete – these septic tanks are durable and rust-proof but hard to repair if damaged,
Plastic – these tanks are prone to damage, but they are cheaper than the other options, and
Fiberglass – these septic tanks are stronger than plastic ones but can be shifted or displaced if the water table rises too high. As for the price, they are in the same price range as the concrete tanks.
Preparing for the septic tank installation
A septic tank installation is a complex process, so it’s best to be left to the professionals. However, you can do a few things to prepare your house and make their job easier:
Receive multiple estimates
Prior to any signed paperwork or excavation, you should read reviews about septic tank system installation companies. Make sure the contractor you’re thinking about hiring holds the proper insurance and license. They should also have necessary preparations like excavation and drain field testing included in their estimate.
Get a soil test
This implies verifying whether the surrounding area supports the septic tank system and drain field. The septic system uses the surrounding soil to purify and filter wastewater, but also the surrounding soil impacts the system’s performance. Getting the soil tested helps identify potential problems. That way, they can be solved in time, saving money and time spent on the installation day.
Let the neighbors know
Septic tank installation can be a loud process and can take up some space on the road. It’s also necessary to turn the water down, so you want everyone in your neighborhood to be informed and avoid unpleasant situations.
Plan the use of the toilet and shower
It would be best if you were prepared because the water will be turned off due to the septic tank installation. It would help if you also prepared some external water tanks to use the toilet or use it for cooking something. And most certainly, you’ll have to plan when to shower. If you have the opportunity, you should stay at friends’ or relatives’ house until the installation is finished.
Clear the area
Before the technicians come, make sure you clear out everything that can get in the way. This makes technicians easy and quick access to the location and can make the process a bit faster.
Get in touch with a reliable service
A septic tank has a vital task for your house, so it’s essential to have the exemplary service install it. A septic tank installation Miami is a full-service company with a good reputation and a lot of experience.
The cost of installing a septic tank
Many factors affect the pricing of septic systems, such as:
- Heavy machinery that’s needed for the excavation of test pits
- Time spent on-site documenting the necessary data
- Time spent on designing the wastewater system
You can get a range of pricing through a phone call by answering a few questions. So feel free to schedule a call, and we can give you some further information.
Septic tank installation: all you need to know
So, activities involved in septic tank installation, replacement, alteration, or drain field installation require approval from or notification to health authorities. This document contains steps a certified septic installer needs to take during any of the mentioned processes.
To become a certified installer, you must complete a course and submit some additional paperwork
However, some activities don’t require approval or notification, but a certified installer must complete them. Those activities include:
- Replacing a septic tank, pump, or chamber in an already existing location
- Diversion of sewage away from a water resource as a temporary measure
- Repairment of non-perforated pipe
- Replacement of sand fill that is not a part of final cover material or distribution trench
Because the process of installing a septic tank system is way more than digging a hole and placing a tank in the ground, it should be done by professionals. Firstly, the installation pros will make sure that your yard is large enough for all the aspects of the septic tank system (access hatch, distribution box, drain field, septic tank, sewer pipe). Then, all of the mentioned components need to be connected appropriately for the wastewater to travel smoothly through every part of the system. Another important step of the installation is to provide proper ventilation for the septic system. Without the correct ventilation, poisonous gasses will build up as waste moves through the system, so if you ever smell foul odors, call a septic tank service in Miami immediately!
Additional challenges that a septic tank installation pro must consider are bedrock layers, high water tables, culverts, river areas, and many more.
Using a septic tank
When using a septic tank, make sure to take care of the land around the leach and do a regular inspection of your tank using its lids. Avoid driving over the ground under which the tank is placed or placing heavy machinery on the septic tank or drain field. To prevent the system from clogging up, never use a garbage disposal with it.
You’ll need and want to schedule cleaning and pumping of the septic system. That prevents solid waste from building up and leaking into the surrounding soil or groundwater.
Final thoughts
It is best to find a firm that will work with you from start to finish. You want the firm to have a technical designer who will do a site visit first. Then you want all the options open to you. The site visit is also essential to gather all the needed information so the system can be designed appropriately. That information includes home size, occupants quantity, whether it’s a house you live in or a vacation house, is there a swimming pool or a jacuzzi, etc.
If a septic tank system is adequately designed, installed, and maintained, it can provide long-term, effective treatment of household wastewater.