The Septic Services Gazette

A basic septic aeration systems have two basic working parts:
1) An aeration or septic tank.
2) Absorption field. (Also called a Drain field.)

Waste flows from your home through your home’s plumbing system to the septic tank.

The aeration/septic tank is nothing more than a holding space for waste (liquid & solids). The solid waste is digested in the tank by aerobic and/or anaerobic bacteria. Digested solids settle to the bottom of the septic tank creating a sludge layer.

As the sludge builds up in the tank it limits the tanks capacity and space for the bacteria to do its job.

When the sludge level gets too high it will begin to transfer into the drain field. The sludge fills the drain field and pores in the soil and destroys your drain field causing surfacing and can cause a backup in your home or sewage in your yard, costing thousands of dollars to replace.

Maintaining your septic system properly is a must to prevent sewer backups and can save thousands of dollars in the prevention of premature drain field failure.

You may not think about your septic system too much each day. But it’s important to think about the amount of water you use each day in your home because the soil under the septic system must absorb all of the water used in your house. Too much water entering your septic system on a daily basis may not allow enough time for the solids to separate. This excessive use of water in your house can eventually cause your septic system to fail.

To reduce the possibility of a failed septic system due to excessive water usage, you should remember to follow a few simple septic water saving guidelines in your kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry. These helpful hints and tips will help you reduce the amount of water entering your septic system.

Septic Water Saving Tips and Hints

• Flush the toilet only when necessary – Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket
• Check for leaky toilets and sink faucets – a small drip can waste gallons of water each day
• Don’t leave the faucet on while brushing your teeth or shaving
• Install water efficient shower heads and take shorter showers
• Keep a cold water of pitcher in the refrigerator instead getting a glass of water from the sink.
• Do not wash dishes under a running faucet
• If you have a dishwasher, only use turn it on when it is full
• Clean fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of under a running faucet
• Use proper load size settings when doing laundry

These are just a few helpful tips that will reduce the total gallons of water that you use in your house each day. Remember to teach all the other members of your house about the importance of reducing their own consumption of water throughout the day. Your septic system will operate more efficiently and will save you from costly repairs in the future. The EPA publishes a Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems that provides more water saving hints.

Aerobic septic systems use a pump or aerator to introduce dissolved oxygen into the septic tank. This process is called aeration and it helps aerobic bacteria grow and thrive. Aerobic bacteria consume organic material and can consume up to 98% of solids in your septic system. This is why it’s important to keep that pump or aerator in proper working order so your aerobic septic system is operating at peak efficiency.

For those that are using a shaft aerator, you can extend the life of your shaft aerator with some simple regular maintenance. This video explains the different parts of a shaft aerator as well as how to maintain and rebuild a shaft aerator.