Southern Water and Soil - Septic Experts

SWS Three-Step Maintenance

By Amanda Furmage-Deck

Everyone knows that in order to increase the life of a vehicle, it must undergo routine, preventive maintenance which can include changing the engine oil, replacing the brake pads, and adjusting the alignment. In addition, the exterior of a vehicle should be washed and waxed on a regular basis to ensure the removal of dust, dirt, grime and any other foreign materials that could adhere to and damage the paint.

Caring for a septic system is just like caring for a vehicle in that a decentralized wastewater system’s life can be extended through routine, preventive maintenance. The experts at Southern Water and Soil, Inc. perform a three-step maintenance program in order to increase the longevity of your septic system.

1.      Regular Septic Tank Pumping Service

Many contractors recommend that a septic tank be pumped every three to five years. However, not all septic systems are the same. Southern Water and Soil will examine the size of your tank, the age of the system, the number of occupants in the home, if you use a garbage disposal, the amount of laundry done per week within the home, and the drain field soil before deciding how often your septic tank should be pumped.

Routine, preventive septic system maintenance is extremely important. Just like a vehicle, repairing or replacing a failing wastewater treatment system can be extremely expensive. When compared to replacing an entire septic system for thousands of dollars, routine pumping prices are significantly less, averaging just $100 to $300 per year.

Secondly, clogged or damaged septic systems can result in an expensive and unwanted mess. Not only can toilets back up after flushing and foul odors saturate the air, but toxic sewage can appear on the surface of your lawn which can generate severe threats to public health, pollute nearby bodies of water used for commercial and recreational activities, and decrease property values.

2.      Bacteria and Enzyme Additive

Southern Water and Soil, Inc. will go the extra mile to ensure the safety of your family, your community, and the environment by adding one cup of a bacteria and enzyme additive to your system at the time of service. This additive keeps your waste water pipes clean, destroys plumbing odors, and decomposes organic waste. Rather than pouring a commercial chemical additive down your drain that can potentially destroy the beneficial drain field bacteria, put your trust in SWS’s proven bacteria and enzyme septic tank shock treatment.

3.      Effluent Filter

A septic tank effluent filter is an important aspect of a wastewater treatment system as it acts as a strainer, preventing hair, grime, and other solid particles from entering and clogging the drain field pipes. Therefore, solids are retained in the tank, enhancing their decomposition. Southern Water and Soil recommends this filtration unit be cleaned during each septic tank pumping.

If it’s time for your septic system to undergo routine, preventive maintenance, and you live in Hillsborough, Pasco, or Pinellas Counties, contact Southern Water and Soil today. You can trust them for their experience, quality products, and quality customer service. Don’t wait until it’s too late!

5 Quick Tips for Keeping Your Septic System Working Properly in the Tampa Bay Area

If you live in the greater Tampa Bay area and own a home or business that operate off of a septic system, there are some important tips that you need to keep in mind. These helpful septic tips are designed to help keep your system problem free for the long term.

Inspect your septic system regularly – a scheduled maintenance plan put together by your local septic repair and installation expert will save you money in the long run.

Pump out your tank every 3 to 5 years – a system that is not pumped will eventually clog and begin to fail. Maintenance is much cheaper than repairs!

Do not build or pave on top of your septic tank or field lines – this actually happens more than you can imagine! Weighted pressure on top of tanks and lines will eventually cause failure, making repair extra difficult and costly because of the existing structures.

Limit what you put down the sink or toilet – grease, chemicals and paint should not enter your system.

Call a reputable septic tank company when you have problems – many companies offer septic repair services. Make sure you do your homework and look for licensed and experienced engineers who have a clean work records and criminal records.

Septic systems are designed and engineered to last a long time. If you take precautions and utilize your septic system properly, you should avoid most septic issues.

Regular maintenance is also very important. Just like servicing your car or your heating and air conditioning system, septic system maintenance should be done at regular intervals by septic professionals.

Why Cost Is Not The Only Thing To Consider When Installing a Septic System

Installing a new septic system in the greater Tampa Bay area requires a lot of thought and planning.

Where will the tank location be? Where should the drain field be installed? What are the best septic products to use? Will the septic tank capacity handle the amount of planned usage of my household, business or commercial application?

While most people have a general budget regarding the amount of money they want to spend on a new septic installation, cost shouldn’t be the only deciding factor.

Other than cost, what other factors should you consider when installing a septic system for your home or business?

Hire trusted septic professionals – first and foremost, if you make the right decision when hiring a septic installation company you will end up saving yourself money in the long run. If they’re experienced professionals, they will be able to guide you through the steps for a successful installation.

A septic expert or septic engineer will help you with the planning and design of your system, plus any permitting required by the county of Hillsborough or other counties in Florida. They will be able to answer all of the questions you have about septic tanks, pumps, drain fields and anything else you might need to know about your system.

Use quality products – your septic engineer should provide you with options to choose from when purchasing septic equipment. You want to use the best and most reliable products your budget can afford.

Money invested in good quality septic equipment now is money you won’t have to spend in the future for repairs or septic breakdowns.

Look for quality service – your septic engineer should be your partner. You want someone you can rely on to provide you with good advice and who will trouble-shoot potential problems before they happen.

Also look for a septic company that will provide you with options for regularly scheduled septic maintenance. Heading off septic issues before they happen and maintaining a your system will save you money over the years.

Cost shouldn’t be the only consideration when installing a new septic system. The old adage “you get what you pay for” is certainly true when you’re talking about septic solutions!

If you have septic questions and want answers Southern Water and Soil can answer them!

Q. How much does a new septic system cost?
A. Septic system costs depend on what you are building, square footage, number of bedrooms, number of people using the system, soil characteristics, and seasonal high water table.

Q. What is the best type of septic system to put at my house?
A. There are many options for your septic system. An Orenco or Tuf-tite filter is an excellent choice due to the surface area that is on the filter. A staged effluent pump such as Sta-rite or Orenco are great choices for pumps. The use of PTI and Infiltrator chambers are excellent choices for septic drainfield. The best system is an aerobic treatment unit with drip irrigation to reuse the wastewater.

Southern Water and Soil, Inc., provides superior septic service to the Tampa Bay Area, including, Lutz, Plant City, Brandon, Odessa, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Riverview, Gibsonton, Ruskin, and Tampa!

SWS provides septic tank pumping, drainfield repair, drainfield replacement, septic design and permitting, septic inspections, septic engineering, and soil evaluations.

Choose a septic tank company that cares that you are a customer. We provide feedback to our customers. We investigate potential septic problems. We provide first class septic service. Let us help you with any of your septic problems.

When it comes to septic tank inspections let SWS take care of your inspections. Greg  Mayfield is the owner and is a former Department of Health Inspector. SWS will let you know if there are any septic concerns or septic problems that could arise. When it comes to septic maintenance let the septic experts take care of your septic servicing needs. SWS has cost effective septic solutions and can answer your septic questions!

Septic System Design and Engineering

Residential • Commercial

SWS is your single source solution for services, which means you get accountability from the beginning to the completion of your project.  We are able to combine the cost of the engineering, permitting, installation, and maintenance with our full circle of services.

Design and Engineering 

When an actual site engineering project is defined either by a concept plan, an architectural study or other means, SWS designs final site plan packages from the simplest single family home addition site plan to more complex, multi-tenanted major shopping center projects. The design of a new septic system or the repair of an existing system begins with the needs and wants of the client.

Services

We provide wastewater solutions and installation services for homeowners, engineers, developers, builders, and general contractors in the following areas:

• Wastewater System Installation
• Septic Tank Installation
• Septic Tank Pump Outs
• Septic Tank Design
• Wastewater Design
• Real Estate Inspection
• Mortgage Inspection
• Septic System Design
• Lift Station Packages
• Lift Station Repair
• Water and Wastewater Engineering
• Low pressure dosing design
• Performance Based Treatment Systems
• Engineered system assistance
• Commercial design
• Community collection design
• Effluent sewer design
• Wastewater and land use planning
• Installation of Systems
• Wastewater technical support
• Water Use Permitting
• Mobile Home Park Septic Installation
• Mobile Home Setup
• Culvert Installation

By following a few simple rules, you won’t have to think about your system on a day-to-day basis.  Indeed, with proper use, conventional onsite systems can operate for years without much management.

Maintenance begins with sound water use and waste disposal habits. Since your family will determine which materials enter the system, we encourage you to set rules and stick to them.

Important for the life of your Septic System

Do’s:

1. Do have an operation and monitoring contract with Southern Water and Soil, Inc.
2. Do divert surface runoff water from roofs, patios, driveways, and other areas away from the absorption field and tanks.
3. Conserve water to reduce the amount of wastewater that must be treated and disposed.
4. Repair any leaking faucets and toilets.
5. Only discharge biodegradable wastes into system.
6. Restrict garbage disposal use.
7. Keep your septic tank cover accessible for tank inspections and pumping. Southern Water and Soil reccommends installing risers for easy access.
8. Have your septic tank pumped regularly and checked for leaks and cracks.
9. Call Southern Water and Soil, Inc. when you have problems.
10. Compost your garbage or put it in the trash.

Don’ts:

1. Do not drive over the absorption field with cars, trucks, or heavy equipment.
2. Do not plant trees or shrubbery in the absorption field area, because the roots can clog the lines.
3. Do not cover the absorption field with hard surfaces, such as concrete or asphalt. Grass is the best cover, because it will help prevent erosion and help remove excess water.
4. Do not connect the water softener back-flush discharge to the septic system.
5. Do not install irrigation over or around the absorption field.
6. Allow any repairs without obtaining a permit; use only licensed septic contractors.

Homeowners wanting to take good care of their septic systems should make note of the following items that should never be flushed down the drain or toilet. These items can overtax or destroy the biological digestion taking place within the system or clog pumps and pipes. Remember, if it has not been through your body’s digestive system, it shouldn’t go in the septic tank!

The following examples are only a few items NOT to flush:

hair combings, coffee grounds, dental floss, disposable diapers, kitty litter, sanitary napkins, tampons, cigarette butts, condoms, gauze bandages/Band-Aids, fat, grease, oil paper towels, baby wipes and NEVER flush chemicals that could destroy the life of your system, such as:
paints, varnishes, thinners, prescription medicine, waste oils, photographic solutions, pesticides

Guidelines for a Healthy Septic System

By following a few simple rules, you won’t have to think about your system on a day-to-day basis.  Indeed, with proper use, conventional onsite systems can operate for years without much management.

Maintenance begins with sound water use and waste disposal habits. Since your family will determine which materials enter the system, we encourage you to set rules and stick to them.

Many homes have garbage disposals to help manage vegetable and other food waste. Excessive use of your garbage disposal will introduce a high level of unwanted solids into your system. Use disposals sparingly and consider composting as an option to handle vegetable waste.

If you own a septic system, it is important that it be properly maintained. How often you need to pump the solids out of your septic tank depends on three major factors:

1. The number of people in your household;

2. The amount of wastewater generated (based on the number of people in the
household and the amount of water used); and

3. The volume of solids in the wastewater (e.g., using a garbage disposal will
increase the amount of solids, garbage disposals are NOT recommended).

As part of an O&M contract, Southern Water and Soil, Inc. will measure sludge and scum layers to determine if pump out is needed.

Do not put too much water into the septic system. Excess water puts too much strain on the decomposition process and can cause problems. Maximum water use is 75 gallons per day for each person in the family. Estimate by using the following numbers per person so you can keep track:

• Shower: 2.5 gallons per minute – 10 minute shower = 25 gallons
• Toilet: 2 gallons per flush (for toilets bought in the last 20 years)
• Washing machine: 40 gallons per load
• Dishwasher cycle: 10 gallons

With large families, keeping track of water use can be hard. But laying down guidelines can help everyone do their part. Also consider getting energy and water-wise appliances when you need to replace your current models.

Be aware that your system is sized to handle the number of people anticipated to be using it when it is installed. If that number increases, you may need a larger or more sophisticated pretreatment system.

Do not use harsh drain openers for a clogged drain. The best alternative to conventional, caustic drain openers is to use boiling water or a drain snake to clear clogs. Though this approach may be a little messier, the chemicals in drain cleaners can cause havoc with your septic system.

Use mild or natural cleaners for your bathroom and kitchen. They should either be approved for use in septic systems or marked biodegradable.

Be aware that bleaches and antibacterial soaps can inhibit the enzymatic action necessary to help bacteria break down the solids in the tank.

Again, harsh chemicals can cause expensive and unpleasant problems in your system.

If you use or intend to use a water softener in the home, let your installer or maintenance contractor know. Under certain soil conditions, the salt recharge solution must be handled carefully and the size of your absorption field may need to be increased. We highly recommend NOT connecting your water softener backwash to the septic tank.

Have the sludge and scum layer measured to determine if a pump-out is required.

Remember, more sophisticated systems may require additional maintenance. So always ask your maintenance provider for details.

You can always contact The Septic Experts, Southern Water and Soil, Inc. when in doubt!