A-1 Septic Tank Service

Signs and Symptoms of a Septic Tank Problem

Many people living in downtown San Francisco and other distinctly urban areas may think septic systems are antiquated, but nearly one-third of all Americans still rely on septic tanks and on-site drainfields for the treatment of their wastewater. If you count yourself among this group, it is important to keep an eye out for the most common signs of septic tank problems.

Slow Flow

When the flow of water coming from your home’s plumbing fixtures slows down, it may be because your septic tank is nearly full and needs to be cleaned and pumped. This is often the first sign that your septic tank is not working properly, but it should still serve as an indicator to contact a septic system professional to maintain the septic system before expensive repairs become necessary.

Odd Smells

Foul smells coming from the area of your yard under which the septic system lies are another tell-tale sign of septic system trouble. The most common prognosis is a septic tank leak.

Verdant, Fast-Growing Grass

If the grass on your lawn is exceptionally lush or growing faster than ever before, be sure to inspect your septic system before celebrating. The cause of this new, unnaturally healthy looking foliage is probably a leak or overflow.

Yard Overflow

If the area of your yard that covers the septic tank and drainfield is constantly wet and you are certain that neither rain or your sprinkler system is to rain, it is probably because your septic tank is overflowing. Contact a septic tank cleaning professional immediaely.

When properly cared for and maintained, septic systems hardly ever have difficulty treating and processing a household’s wastewater. If you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms, contact a septic tank cleaning and maintenance professional in your area sooner rather than later. To resolve your San Francisco septic system’s ails, call A-1 Septic Tank Service today at (510) 629-4584. We have been serving the San Francisco Bay Area with pride for more than half a century

An Overview of the Main Components of a Septic System

Considering that they were developed such a long time ago, septic systems are fairly ingenious. In order to understand how these highly effective wastewater treatment systems operate, you must be familiar with the parts that make up the whole. The primary components of the septic system that is buried under your yard include:

The Tank

The “stomach” of the septic system, the septic tank is where the wastewater that leaves your home’s sinks, showers, toilets, and appliances is directed. While in the tank, solids separate from liquids. Solids float to the top of the tank, while liquids are passed through to the absorption field. It is important that the tank not be overloaded with more water than it can treat at a given time.

Absorption Field

Also called the drainfield, the absorption field is an intricately designed system of pipes, trenches, and soil beds. After water that is free of large particles percolates through perforated pipes in the drainfield, it is exposed to soil microbes that treat the water. The purpose of the absorption field is to convert effluent into recyclable wastewater.

Soil

The third and final component of the septic system through which wastewater passes before being integrated into the groundwater around it is the soil. Different types of soil are more effective at facilitating this final treatment phase than others, but most soils contain organisms that further purify wastewater as it cycles back into the water supply.

If there is a problem with one of the main components of your septic system, you should arrange a professional inspection to ensure that any problems are repaired before they become expensive to repair or threaten to render your current septic system useless. To speak with an experienced septic tank cleaning and maintenance professional in the San Francisco Bay Area, call A-1 Septic Tank Service at (510) 629-4584. 

Examining Your Landscape Drainage Options

Diverting rainwater away from your house and draining it from your yard helps to prevent water damage to your home and keep your landscape healthy. If you are looking to have an A-1 Septic Tank Service grease trap and tank maintenance professional install landscape drainage solutions on your property, you have several different options to consider.

A popular, affordable option is the Rain Drain, which catches water streaming from gutters and diverts it away from your home and landscape. Another option is the Polylok Drain Box, a versatile plastic drain box that comes equipped with a seal that accepts 2”, 3”, 4”, and corrugated pipe. We also carry and install Polylok catch basins, and risers that are compatible with all pipe types and look good with just about any type of landscaping.

Are you looking to improve the efficacy of your San Francisco Bay Area home’s drainage system? If you are, or you are looking for an experienced septic tank maintenance professional to clean and inspect your septic system, call A-1 Septic Tank Service at (510) 629-4584.

Restoring a Septic Through Aeration

Over several years, a septic tank system can slowly lose its capacity to handle the volume of wastewater it receives. Traditionally, this has been a sign that the tank needs to be replaced or the drainfield relocated. To see how a relatively recent development in septic system care has changed this, check out this video. 

In it, a septic tank cleaning and repair professional demonstrates how a septic tank can be aerated using a specially designed probe and a great deal of air. Carried out properly, this restoration technique can return a septic system almost to its like-new state. To speak with a septic system repair professional in the San Francisco Bay area who is capable of employing this technique on your property, call A-1 Septic Tank Service at (510) 629-4584. 

Are Septic Tank Additives Harmful to Your System?

For more than a century, septic systems have provided people living in rural and suburban areas with wastewater treatment services they would otherwise be without. For almost as long, manufacturers of septic tank cleaning products have sold additives that they claim can prolong the life of a septic system and help keep it functional. In this article, we examine these additives in the context of what is now known about them.

How Septic Tank Additives Work
Also marketed as septic system stimulators and enhancers, septic tank additives capitalize on chemical interactions to accelerate the digestion of biosolids and breakup of scum in a septic tank. In the short-term, results are noticeable and these products can seem genuinely helpful as far as septic system maintenance is concerned.

Long-Term Problems
The only short-term risk associated with septic tank additive use is that the degradation of biological material could take place too rapidly, resulting in reduced soil absorption and drainfield pollution. In the long-term, however, additives can threaten the efficacy of the breakdown-inducing bacteria and enzymes that a septic system is initially treated with. This can throw off the workings of a septic system and result in premature failure.

Not Recommended by EPA
A survey conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1980 found that a number of chemicals can interfere with a septic system’s functions. Included in the agency’s list of priority pollutants that should not pass through the septic system were septic tank additives, which the EPA acknowledges not only pollute groundwater but may also “have an adverse affect on the biological treatment system.”

If you are a San Francisco Bay Area homeowner who is looking to promote health and longevity in relation to your septic system? Rather than use additives to speed up the breakdown of waste in your septic tank, contact a professional on those rare occasions when septic system trouble does arise. For exceptional service from a dedicated and efficient septic tank cleaning and maintenance professional, call A-1 Septic Tank Service at (510) 629-4584.