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Septic Tank Evaluations

Septic tank evaluations and inspections are crucial when putting a house up for sale. They enhance the home’s value and avoid any liability issues that may result from a malfunctioning septic system. A prospective buyer is likely to insist on an inspection of the septic system before purchasing the home. We recommend septic system evaluations for homeowners that are unfamiliar with their septic systems, it's location, performance and/or service history. Contact us today to schedule an evaluation.

Schedule Evaluation

When you reach out, we can provide you with more details about septic tank evaluations. Three common aspects of septic tank evaluations are the inspections of the drain pipes, measurement of the septic tank sludge and checking the leach field. Read on to learn more about them below.

1) Inspection Of The Drain Pipes

This part of the evaluation focuses on checking the drain pipes to see if they are in good condition without any leaks. The pipes you can expect in a septic tank are typically made from PVC plastic, which means they can easily crack and begin to leak if something heavy or hard is forced onto them where they run in the yard. By inspecting the ground around the piping, we can tell if there are cracks in the pipes because the spots with cracks will have wastewater saturation.

During the evaluation, the inspector will also check the water flow from the house into the tank and whether there is an overflow when more water is introduced. If we come across some saturation of wastewater, our team will dig down until we reach the leaky pipe to see the extent of the damage.

2) Measurement Of Septic Tank Sludge

Another aspect of septic tank evaluations is the measurement of septic tank sludge. Typically, a septic tank should be pumped when the scum and sludge layer displace 30% of the tank’s overall volume. Scum develops when grease or oil enters the tank.

During the evaluation, a common tool to use is a sludge judge for the measurement. A sludge judge is a hollow, long plastic tube with a valve at the bottom for measuring the sludge/scum layer. To measure the scum with a sludge judge, we will stick it into the tank until it breaks past the scum layer. Then, when we pull out the tube, the level of the scum layer is visible on the tube. For accurate sludge measurement, we will push the tube until it reaches the bottom of the tank. As the tube gets removed, the measuring valve at the bottom captures the liquid versus solid profile of the tank. That is how we can tell the amount of sludge in the tank. Using this tool, we can also calculate how much sludge you should expect over two years.

This is how to determine the amount of sludge over a two-year span:

  1. Sludge layer thickness
  2. Scum layer thickness
  3. The capacity of the septic tank
  4. The amount of solid waste in the wastewater
  5. The amount of wastewater
  6. The septic tank retention time

Using this information helps us tell when you may need to schedule another septic pumping.

3) Checking The Leach Field

When a septic tank is installed, there is a creation of a leach field. The leach field is the soft absorption field with unsaturated soil. This field is created by making a shallow excavation and is laid with gravel. Next, perforated pipes are laid down in the area before they are covered with the soil. The perforated pipes slowly leak the liquid from the septic tank into the soil. This liquid, called effluent, trickles through the gravel and drains into the earth below. Lastly, the wastewater is treated with microbes and bacteria before it reaches the water table.

During the septic tank evaluation, we will walk over the leach field to look for any squishy ground or odors that may indicate a leak in the leach lines. If the wastewater is rising to the top of the soil, it may be because of a layer of biomaterial sludge known as biomat, a gelatinous, water-tight, black layer that covers the leach lines. Ultimately, this blocks the leach pipes from percolating the effluent into the soil.

In general, biomat is not bad because it stems from water flow by allowing only a small portion out of the pipes at a time. But it becomes a problem when there is overgrowth. If there is much of it, then you have a backed-up septic system.

During the septic tank evaluation, we will also check the field’s risers for any leaks. Risers are the pipes sticking out of the ground in the leach field that allow you to check the drain’s system. In order to perform this inspection, we will remove the caps off the risers and check inside the pipe with a flashlight. If water is in the pipe, then the system is not draining correctly and needs repair.