Tag: Septic Repair

Problems with a Septic System Drain Field

Posted on by Larry & Sons

If you have a septic system in Middletown, maintenance is key to avoiding repairs. Unlike people with access to municipal sewage systems, your septic system is your responsibility, which is why it’s important to watch what you put down the toilets and drains and schedule professional maintenance every year. However, problems may still eventually occur that require urgent septic system repair, particularly with your drain field.

The Job of the Drain Field

While many people know their septic system is buried in their yard, they may not know about the purpose of the large drain field. As sewage moves into your tank, the sludge sinks to the bottom while scum rises to the top. Pipes in the center of the tank allow the water to evacuate and filter through along field, providing nutrients to the earth in the process. But, when problems cause this water to drain improperly, you may need urgent repairs.

A Couple of Common Problems

  • Broken drain field piping: Sometimes, a shift in the ground may cause the perforated pipes that lead out to the drain field to break. When this happens, water cannot properly distribute into the field. Normally, remaining wastewater filters into the gravel beneath the pipes, while nutrients provide a natural fertilizer for your yard. Broken pipes cannot distribute water evenly, and solids may make their way into your yard. Shifting may occur when tree roots approach the field or because of construction.
  • Tank needs pumping: How often your tank should be pumped depends on a number of factors including how many people occupy your home and what kinds of substances you pour down the drains. However, you should call for maintenance once a year, as a technician can best determine whether your tank is overdue. Without regular tank pumping, the sludge at the bottom of the tank may build up, causing sewage to leak into your home or into the drain field. Neither of these are ideal situations for the people in your home or for the environment.

One of the best ways to prevent problems from occurring with the septic system drain field is with yearly maintenance. Whether you need maintenance, tank pumping, or other septic tank services in Middletown, call the plumbers at Larry & Sons, Inc.

Common Repairs You May Need for Your Septic System

Posted on by Larry & Sons

For homes that do not have access to a municipal sewer system and waste treatment plant, a septic system is indispensable for removal of wastewater from a home. As with any waste disposal system, a septic system must remain in good repair so that it works efficiently, keeps your home and property clean, and does not cause health risk from exposure to bacteria and waste solids.

Septic systems will need occasional repairs, although with regular septic tank pumping and maintenance you can avoid the majority of malfunctions. You certainly do not want to tamper with your septic tank, septic lines, or the drainfield on your own, so call up the local septic repair service in Williamsport, MD: Larry & Sons, Inc. We’ve helped plumbing in our community since 1960.

Some Common Septic System Repairs

  • Emergency tank pumping: A septic tank requires pumping at least annually to remove the solid sludge that develops along the bottom of the tank as it filters out waste from the water before moving it into the drainfield. Sometimes a tank will need to have immediate pumping because the level of sludge has risen high enough to block the intake and outtake lines, leading to sewage backing up into the house or entering the drainfield and then rising up through the ground.
  • Fixing drainfield piping: The pipes of the drainfield that distribute the water after it passes through the septic tank can sometimes break because of shifting in the ground, the growth of tree roots, or construction on the ground above. Pipe problems in the drainfield will cause severe drainage issues. The drainfield will need excavation to repair the broken pipes.
  • Replacing broken septic baffles: The baffles inside a septic tank are designed to prevent solid material from exiting the tank and entering the drainfield. The baffles can become damaged from sulfuric acid or rust, and when this happens you will need professionals to replace them. Septic baffle problems are often early warning signs of a full septic tank failure; your technician will be able to tell you good long term solutions.

At Larry & Sons, Inc., we handle a full range of services for septic systems, from maintenance to complete replacements. We can determine if you will benefit from repairs, or if the time has come to install a new septic tank. Give us a call whenever you need septic tank services in Williamsport, MD, or to arrange for regular maintenance and tank pumping that will give your system a long and useful life.

Ways to Help Avoid Septic System Repairs

Posted on by Larry & Sons

A septic system is a way to drain wastewater from your house if you don’t have access to a municipal sewage treatment plant through a main sewer line. Septic systems, consisting of a tank that separates solid waste (containing bacteria and other disease-causing organisms) from wastewater and a drainfield that filters the wastewater through the soil, are durable systems that will last for many years without homeowners needing to think about them much.

However, you need to take some care of the system to avoid repairs. A malfunctioning septic system can turn into a nuisance and sometimes even a danger because of waste entering the soil or seeping back into your home. But there are two key ways you can keep away repairs from your Frederick, MD septic system. We’ll look at them here.

Larry & Sons, Inc. provides full repair services for septic systems, drains, and sewers. Whether you require septic tank installation, replacement, repairs, or maintenance, contact us today and we’ll take care of it that same way we��ve taken care of homes since 1960.

The two ways to prevent septic repair problems

  1. Regular septic pumping: The solid waste that builds up as sludge at the bottom of the septic tanks needs to have regular pumping to remove it so it doesn’t back up the sewer lines. How often a tank needs pumping depends on its size, age, and volume of waste it receives. In general, the tank should be pumped when the sludge takes up about 25–33% of the tank. This will occur every 2–3 years for most septic systems. If you notice slow drains or a sewage odor in your house, you may need to have the pumping done sooner! Call in septic system professionals to pump out the tank; always err on the side of caution when making the choice.
  2. Do not put certain items into the tank: There are a number of household waste items that you should never put down sinks or toilets because of the damage they can do to the septic system. Liquid grease, oil, and fat will create waxy build-up inside the system. Other items to avoid are many household cleaners and detergents: anything with anti-bacterial properties will eliminate bacteria in the tank that eats away at the solids and slows down sludge build-up. Paints, cotton swabs, and plastic are also items that should go in the trash, not the septic tank.

Schedule your regular septic tank service

Call Larry & Sons, Inc. today and sign up for regular septic services that will pump out the tank and make sure the system is operating without major problems. On our first visit, we will help you determine how often you will need to have the tank pumped in order to maintain it in good condition. We’ll help make sure your Frederick, MD septic system last for many years, doing its job without attracting attention.

Some Common Septic Problems

Posted on by Larry & Sons

The septic system connected to your house does the job of removing waste, separating the disease-causing pathogens in the waste inside a tank, and then releasing the cleansed and purified water into the soil as usable groundwater through a drain field. (Sometimes the term “septic tank” is used to refer to the entire septic system, although it’s actually only one component.) For a septic system to work properly, it must have routine maintenance to pump out the sludge that develops along the bottom of the tank after the pathogens-filled waste is separated from the water.

Septic problems are rare as long as the system received regular maintenance. But septic repair needs can turn serious when they happen, threatening your plumbing as well as your family’s health. If you spot patches of bright green grass on your lawn over where the tank is buried, or if clogs begin to occur throughout your drains, call for septic repair in Greencastle, MD immediately. Larry & Sons, Inc. has specialists with septic tank repairs ready to assist you.

Problems you may encounter with your septic system

  • Leaking tank or broken lines: The tank of your septic system must remain perfectly sealed so none of the waste inside the tank escapes. Because the must have time time for the waste to settle, leaks from it can release disease-causing organisms into the ground. One of the common ways for these leaks to occur is because of root infiltration into the tank: roots are naturally drawn toward water and nutrients and can work their way into the tank and cause it to leak. Professionals will use camera inspection equipment to find where the problems lie and identify what needs to be fixed.
  • Grease blockage: This occurs if too much grease enters the septic system, which usually originates from kitchen drains. (Important kitchen tip: do not pour liquid grease, fat, or oil down the sinks. Remove these liquids to a trash receptacle.) The thick waxy material from grease, oil, and fat will clog the septic drainfield, stopping the soil from absorbing liquids. If left unclogged, this may require installing a new drainfield.
  • Sludge build-up: This is the most common cause for septic tank backups, and the main reason you need to have regular septic system maintenance to pump the tank. If the sludge level along the bottom of the tank continues to rise, it will eventually block the incoming lines, and the backup of sewage will start to enter your house. Have the tank pumped as soon as possible.

Move fast on any issue with your septic tank before it becomes a health concern or begins to damage your property. Call Larry & Sons, Inc. for quality septic tank services in Greencastle, MD. We have more than 50 years of history helping people maintain and repair their septic systems.