Septic & Drain Field Services

The major symptom of a failing septic system is slow drains in all the bathrooms. Wastewater will sometimes come up in the lowest fixtures such as the shower or tub. Another common symptom is a foul odor in the yard near the septic system or standing sewage on top of the ground. This is not normal, drains should flow freely, no odors or sewage should be noticed.

The most common cure for a septic system is to pump the septic tank and inspect the system components for proper operation.

The Health Department recommends that each septic system should be pumped out every 3 years. This process keeps solids which should remain inside the septic tank from entering into the drain field which will clog the percolation and cause failure.

Yes, in most cases a permit from your local Health Department is needed for a repair of a septic system. Only minor repairs can be made to a septic system without a permit such as septic tank lid repair, minor piping and pump replacement.

There is quite a bit of information required for a septic system permit. Some information includes a plot plan of the property, a floor plan of the house, a drawing showing all water wells and bodies of water nearby.

The longevity of a septic system depends on how well it is maintained. The more frequent the septic tank is cleared usually determines how long the drain field will last. Often septic systems have a life span of 20 to 30 years if maintained properly and installed correctly.

It depends on the complexity of the job, but the average septic system will take 5 to 10 days from start to final inspection completion.

The answer will depend on the soil analysis performed by your local Health Department. As a general rule, just look at your neighbors yard, if you see mounds on their property you will have a mound because the seasonal high water table is relatively the same.

No, the Health Department will not issue a septic repair permit if city sewer is available to you. You will have to abandon the septic system and hook up to city sewer.

In some cases the city will help homeowners who are in a financial hardship with the cost of hooking up to city sewer.

Total replacement of your septic system can create quite a mess as it is a very large job including large equipment. If managed properly everything should clean up very nicely and all disturbed areas should be seeded with good quality grass seed.

The sewer service will be interrupted during the process of replacing the septic system, but only for a short while. As soon as the new tanks are installed the bathrooms can be used again. The tanks are usually the first item to be replaced so the facilities can be used during the process.

The cost varies depending on the design criteria and the soil analysis. The least expensive systems are what we call the in-ground or gravity fed system. These have no mechanical pumps and do not require an above ground drain field or mound. These types of systems can cost from $5,000.00 to $8,000.00. The more expensive systems are alternative mound systems. These systems have a mechanical pump with alarm system and require a mound above ground because of the seasonal high water level. These types of alternative systems can cost $8,000.00 to $12,000.00 and more.