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Septic System Maintenance, Septic System Life, Septic Tank Pumping Conclusions InspectAPedia®  -     Conclusions to the Septic Tank Pumping Schedule Guide: what else affects septic system life? Septic tank cleanout schedule - when do I pump out the septic tank? Complete septic system care & maintenance guide, how often & how to pump out septic tanks Septic System Life Expectancy for septic tanks, septic fields, septic pumps, etc.

This article contains our conclusions to the septic tank pumping schedule guideline. We explain why a septic tank needs to be pumped regularly, how septic tanks are cleaned, how much it costs to pump a septic tank, how to inspect and clean septic tanks safely, what is septic tank effluent retention time, how to measure septic tank scum and sludge levels, and other septic tank maintenance advice for homeowners. How often should septic tanks be pumped?

also see Septic Tank Pumping Procedure Detailed step by step photo-illustrated guide to find, pump and clean a septic tank. © 2008-1978 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved.

Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical reviewers are invited and are listed at "References."

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SEPTIC PUMPING CONCLUSIONS - Septic Pumping Conclusions, Garbage Disposers, Septic Tank Additives, Buying a Home with a Septic System

Garbage Disposers and Grinders Effects on Septic Systems

Septic tank additives

Biological and chemical additives are not needed to aid or accelerate decomposition in conventional residential septic systems. Products such as yeast, "septic helper" or "septic un-clog chemicals" and the use of additives in septic tanks to reduce the sludge volume or substitute for pumping is not recommended. In fact, relying on additives rather than conventional tank pumping may result in failure of the septic system.

While there may be special procedures to address soil absorption problems, in general chemicals and additives are not needed. Such septic treatments are illegal in some jurisdictions (and throughout Canada) because they may are not only of marginal effectiveness but also they may contaminate the local groundwater. Finally, "yeast" which some of my clients like to toss into their septic tank is not helpful and may actually speed drain field failure by keeping the septic treatment tank contents in an agitated state.

Be sure to review Septic System Additives and "Helpers".

Septic System Life Expectancy

How Quickly Does A Septic System Fail?

The life of a septic system depends on the following factors:

• Septic Tank Pumping Frequency: providing you are starting with a functional and reasonably-designed septic system, the most significant step you can take to extend the septic system life is to have the septic tank cleaned or "pumped" on schedule. See TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE for a table that determines how often a particular septic tank needs this service.
• How the Septic System is Used: including the wastewater usage level and what materials are flushed down the septic system drains. Conserving water reduces the load on the absorption field. Avoiding flushing chemicals or items that don't biodegrade reduces the solid build-up rate in the septic tank. See "Don't Flush these things into a septic system" for a list of what's ok and what's not ok to put into septic tanks and building drains.
• Soil Conditions such as the soil percolation rate and the amount and level of ground water or surface water that affect the soil absorption area or drain field.
• Septic Tank Materials: a steel septic tank rusts away, first losing its baffles (which lead to drain field clogging) and eventually rusting at its bottom or sides. The rate of rust depends on the soil conditions and soil acidity and other factors. A concrete septic tank can have a very long life, in excess of 40 years, except for cases of poorly-mixed concrete or possibly acidic soils which may reduce that span. Plastic or fiberglass septic tanks can expect to have a similar life unless they are mechanically damaged.
• Life of Special Components such as effluent pumps or septic grinder pumps, septic filters, septic media, and sand bed filter systems often determines the need for repair of alternate-design septic systems that use these components.

So provided you've addressed these factors in septic system life, how long can you expect a septic system to last before costly repairs to the septic tank or septic drain field are required?

Septic systems (tank and absorption system, or onsite wastewater disposal systems) will not fail immediately if they are not pumped. However, an un-maintained septic tank is no longer protecting the soil absorption field from solids. Continued neglect shortens the drain field life and may result in system failure and even require complete replacement of the soil absorption field. In some cases, site limitations may make replacement of the absorption field impossible - at least impossible using a conventional drainfield design. Alternative designs are available to solve these problems.

The septic tank is only one part of an on-site wastewater system. It is designed to remove solids prior to the effluent entering the soil absorption field, provide for the filtration, digestion of a portion of those solids, and storage of the remaining solids. Taking care of the septic tank will, however, extend the life of the costly second half of the onsite wastewater treatment system - the absorption system, leach field, or drainfield.

If you have just moved into a home with a septic system

If you've just moved into a home with a septic tank you may not know the size of the septic tank, its maintenance history, or even where the septic tank is. In this case, you should have the tank pumped and inspected. The company pumping the tank will tell you its size, age, and condition.

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SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
SEPTIC TANK SIZE
SEPTIC TANK TEES
SEPTIC & GREYWATER FILTERS
SEPTIC CLEARANCES
TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE
SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE
MEASURE SCUM & SLUDGE
CLEANING SEPTIC TANKS
WHEN NOT TO PUMP A SEPTIC TANK
SEPTIC PUMPING CONCLUSIONS
SEPTIC LIFE EXPECTANCY
SEPTIC FIELD INSPECTION
SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC TANK SAFETY
SEPTIC VIDEOS

• Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. (727) 595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com 11/06
• Arlene Puentes, a licensed home inspector, educator, and building failures researcher in Kingston, NY. 11/29/06

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More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information


• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Septic Tank Pumping Procedure step by step photo guideline of how to pump and clean a septic tank - septic tank care
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Home & Outdoor Living Water Requirements
• Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow, calculating required septic tank size, calculating septic tank volume from size measurements
• Septic System Design Basics: Choosing Septic Tank Size, Absorption System Size
• Table of Required Septic & Well Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.
• Ten Steps to Keeping a Septic System Working, suggestions from the U.S. EPA, edits and additions by DJF


Pennsylvania State Fact Sheets relating to domestic wastewater treatment systems include

• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-161, Septic System Failure: Diagnosis and Treatment
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-162, The Soil Media and the Percolation Test
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-l64, Mound Systems for Wastewater Treatment
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-165, Septic Tank-Soil Absorption Systems
• Document Sources used for this web page include but are not limited to: Agricultural Fact Sheet #SW-161 "Septic Tank Pumping," by Paul D. Robillard and Kelli S. Martin. Penn State College of Agriculture - Cooperative Extension, edited and annotated by Dan Friedman (Thanks: to Bob Mackey for proofreading the original source material.)

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