Should I Clean or Replace My Septic Tank?

A septic tank is a vital part of a well-functioning home that doesn’t have city sewer line hook-ups. Maintaining a septic tank is important to prevent back-ups and total tank failures. Septic tank maintenance is the responsibility of the homeowner, but you’ll need to hire a professional to have the maintenance done in a safe and effective way.

Septic Tank Cleaning

Septic tanks need to be cleaned every 3 to 5 years to keep them in good working order. A septic tank is cleaned by pumping out all of the sludge and solids from inside the tank. Then, the pumped our contents will be properly disposed of and you’re left with a clean tank. If a septic tank is not properly cleaned on a regular basis, it will get backed up and start leaking into the soil absorption field. Eventually, the tank will become so full that it will back up into your drain field and soil. When your septic tank is cleaned, the technician should also perform an inspection of the tank to look for signs that it may need to be replaced.

When to Replace

If your septic tank gets backed up to the point of clogging your drain field and soil, it will ultimately need to be replaced. Pumping and cleaning the tank will offer a temporary solution, but the tank will get backed up again fairly quickly. With regular cleaning, a septic tank has a very long life span. Having your old tank removed and a new one installed is a costly and time-consuming process that will inconvenience your entire household. Focus on regular septic tank maintenance and only consider replacing the tank if it becomes backed up or if the technician alerts you to a problem that can’t just be repaired.

Hiring a Reputable Company 

As a homeowner, you’re the one choosing which company to hire for your septic tank needs. While you want to find a company with reasonable prices, you shouldn’t go with a company that seems too good to be true because it probably is! Before hiring someone, ask them about their level of experience and how they properly (and legally) remove your waste. If waste isn’t properly disposed of, both the company and the homeowner could be held accountable. Once you find a reputable company that you trust, try to hire them again for your future septic cleaning and inspection needs.

Need services for your next septic tank-related project? Give us a call at (800) 287-5541 or email us at info@raggsinc.com.

Septic Tanks in the Winter

During the wintertime, there can be a lot of issues with drains, pipes and above all septic. A pipe freezing does have its consequences, but having your septic tank freeze can often be a lot worse, as the entire system is inherently down. Septic tanks freezing is one of the biggest issues that can occur during the winter, due to the low temperatures and snowfall. Let’s look at some of the biggest mistake people make during the winter, which affects them indefinitely.

Protective Cover

Many people do not use a protective cover over their septic tanks, which is a huge problem. Without the protective cover, there is no way that the heat can be trapped, and act as a form of insulation. This heat is crucial to maintaining a septic tank because not only can the entire system freeze thoroughly, but there are bacteria that need to be alive to properly treat the wastewater. If there is no heat to maintain the metabolism of the anaerobic bacteria, then the water will not be treated and therefore, you have a large problem on your hands. Having untreated wastewater in your drain field, ultimately soaking into the soil there can be a real health hazard and will need to be fixed immediately.

Driving Over Drain Field

Driving on a drain field can cause a lot of damage, even when the winter is not involved. It can move parts and cause leaks, as well as potentially crush the system. In the winter, however, there are other elements to consider. The soil can be easily compacted, causing poor insulation, and similarly, the snow can also get compacted forming an awful insulation and ultimately letting the cold affect the water in the drain field.

Usage

Many people who have cabins, or something of that sort, are most likely not using their septic tank much. This lack of usage really affects the system and ultimately can cause it to freeze.

If you are in need of any services to or relating to septic tanks, feel free to contact us today. Check out our website, fill out our contact form or give us a call directly at  (800) 287-5541 for more information today.

Winter Septic System Maintenance

A home septic system can be tricky enough to maintain during the best of times. During winter, however, things can get a little bit difficult. Freezing temperatures could result in drastic damage to the system, which could prove costly and difficult to repair. If you have a home septic system, make sure to follow these tips for winter maintenance.

Look for Leaks

When the freezing temperatures come, you’ll want to make sure that ice doesn’t form inside your home or near your septic tank. Before those cold months hit, look around at your sinks, toilets, and showers for any signs of leaking. Spotting leaks early means you can fix them before they become disastrous later.

Watch the Pipes

If you notice pipes in your septic system beginning to sag, this could mean that they are leaking water or allowing it to pool around the area. If this water freezes during the winter, you could be looking at pipe damage or damage to the entire system.

Run Hot Water

If you ever feel bad for using up too much hot water in your shower or while doing the dishes, now is not the time to be concerned. Running hot water through the system will ensure that ice is less likely to form. Keeping warm water flowing through your tank is a crucial step in septic system maintenance.

Outdoor Insulation

Because the septic system is outside, it is more affected by the elements than your indoor pipes or fixtures are. And while your house has lots of insulation to keep the warm air in and the cold out, your septic system lacks that. However, there are a few options to create acceptable outdoor insulation for your tank and pipes.

The first is to make sure your lawn is healthy and thick. Though it will die out some in the winter, having a thick layer of grass will prevent the cold from reaching your tank. The other option is to put down insulation in the form of mulch. An 8-12-inch layer of straw or other mulch over the tank and pipes of your septic system will prevent the surrounding soil from freezing and allowing the cold to reach the system.

Drain the Pipes

As part of regular, and winter, maintenance, your septic system’s pipes should be regularly drained and cleaned. Making sure your pipes are clean before the cold weather strikes means that any issues with the pipes will be caught early on. Furthermore, the cleaner the pipes, the easier the water will flow through them, making it less likely to freeze.

Raggs Septic Service

Preparing your septic system is a vital part of making sure it runs correctly all year long. Make sure to follow the above tips to protect your system and help it work smoothly throughout the winter and call Raggs Septic for all your Septic System needs!

3 Best Fall Drain Maintenance Tips

Fall is a beautiful time, filled with changing leaves, as well as that lovely autumn breeze. Along with this amazing atmosphere, we also want to take into consideration the falling leaves, as well as drain maintenance! Let’s dive a little bit deeper into some of the things you can do this fall in order to maintain your drains this season!

Avoid Using Chemicals

In the fall, and any season, you need to make sure that you avoid using chemical drain cleaning products. There are many reasons for this, including the following:

1. Toxicity: these cleaners are almost always containing highly toxic elements.
2. Pipe Damage: the toxic elements of the cleaner can eat through the pipes in your home.
3. Environmental Factors: These chemicals are not good for the environment.
4. They don’t work: Even with all of these negative factors, the one that really tops them all off is the fact that they might not even work at all.

Septic Tank Maintenance

Maintaining a septic tank is a necessity and needs to occur so that the system does not fail. It is possible to maintain the tank to the point where it lasts longer than any other system. Making sure to get drains snaked out once a year by a plumber is a great idea, to ensure you are being preventative about drain maintenance. Alongside this, pumping the tank is important every few years as well.

Prevent Future Clogging

This is one of the most important things that you must do to maintain your system is to ensure that nothing goes down the drains that aren’t supposed to. This includes food scraps in the kitchen sink drain as well as hair from the bathroom drains. Similarly, the most important thing to not put down the sink is any form of grease. Grease is only a liquid when it is hot, and turns to a solid when it gets cold. This means that if you put it down hot as a liquid, and it cools, it can completely clog the system.

If you are in need of any services to or relating to septic tanks, feel free to contact us today. Check out our website, fill out our contact form or give us a call directly at  (800) 287-5541 for more information today.

Benefits of Conventional Septic Systems

Conventional Septic Systems are a specific type of septic systems that have certain mechanics. The system would run with the following items, working in the following ways:

• Pipe: This pipe is what brings the waste from the home to the septic tank. The waste spends very minimal time in this area of the septic system.
• Tank: The tank is where the waste begins to separate. In this area, the heavier waste settles and the lighter weight waste rises, where it goes to the drain field.
• Drainfield: While in the septic tank, the waste is treated a bit, but once it gets to the drain field, this is where it is truly fully treated.

What are the Benefits of a Conventional Septic System?

There are three main benefits of conventional septic systems. These include the following:

• Lower Cost
• Simple Design
• Easier to Fix

As you can see from the above items, these are all related to each other. In terms of being cheap, this is because of the simple design and how easy it is to fix typically. When it comes to these systems, septic contractors have an easier time fixing these items because they are more familiar with the design. Having alternative systems can truly backfire if you can not find someone who can fix it.

Schedule an Appointment with Raggs Septic

Conventional systems can be amazing in regard to septic, as there are huge benefits to using them, as well as a familiarity that may be hard to find elsewhere. Unfortunately, spring can be a time filled with rain and storms, meaning that drain fields will be having some issues for the next few months. Saturated drain fields can be a huge problem, so if you need any services to or relating to septic tanks, feel free to contact us today. Check out our website, fill out our contact form or give us a call directly at (800) 287-5541 for more information today.

Everything You Need to Know About Title V Inspections

 

If you are in the process of selling, refinancing, or either adding or expanding to your home, a Title V inspection may be something holding you back. It important to understand what a Title V inspection is and how you can prepare for it so that it doesn’t hold you back from adding that cozy living room you’ve always imagined or delaying you from moving into your new dream home.

What is a Title V Inspection?

A Title V inspection (T5) is when a state certified company comes to your home and inspects your septic system to make sure it is up to code. If the inspection is not done by a state certified company then it will not count and you will have to go through the entire process again. The main components are making sure your septic tank, distribution box and cesspool are all working properly and not backed up. They will also check your drain field to look for any indications of hydraulic failure. Lastly, they will look at the construction and inspect the flow of your system and the high groundwater elevation. For a more in-depth analysis, check out our page on Title V inspections.

Things to Do Before

Its important that you think ahead when planning your Title V Inspection. It is ideal to try and get your septic tank pumped the day of your inspection. Doing so will allow you to know how well your septic tank is working and ensure a more detailed inspection is done. It would be wise to also have any necessary paperwork on hand. Inspectors may ask for specific documents regarding pumping or maintenance records and if you don’t have them handy it could slow down the entire process.

What to Do If You Fail

If you end up on the wrong side of your Title V inspection, it’s not the end of the world but a bit more work needs to be done. First off you are going to need to fix the problem(s). You will be giving at least two years to fix them and make the necessary repairs. Next you will have to contact your local Board of Health to approve of any and all repairs that are going to be made. Once that is done you can schedule an appointment to get your system fixed. Try to get everything in writing from your inspector so that the repair company knows exactly what does and does not need to be worked on.

Raggs Septic Service

If you are in need a Title V inspection, Raggs Septic Service is the place to go. With a trained and certified staff ready to help you with your needs, you can be assured that the job is one right the first time!  Contact us today at info@raggsinc.com!

The “Don’ts” of Septic Tank Maintenance

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the average American citizen uses nearly 90 gallons of water each day. This means there is a great deal of wastewater being produced per household, so septic tanks need to be in excellent running condition to keep up with this workload. If you are not taking proper care of your septic system, you could end up facing a very unpleasant situation – not to mention high repair bills – down the line.

As we have previously discussed on this blog, there are various signs that will allow you to detect if something is wrong with your septic system. However, there are steps every homeowner can take to ensure problems do not reach a critical point in the first place. When people are aware of how they are using their septic system, they are able to care for it properly.

Here are some “don’ts” when it comes to your septic tank:

• Covering the system with anything other than grass. The septic system’s drain field should never be covered with any impermeable materials, such as concrete or asphalt. These surfaces prevent oxygen from getting into the soil, which is needed by the bacteria in the septic system to break down the sewage.
• Poisoning the septic tank with harsh chemicals. Household drain cleaners, paint, wax and other everyday chemicals we use should never be poured into a septic system. These substances will kill off the important bacteria in the septic tank and contaminate both the ground and surface water on your property.
• Letting it go more than a year without an inspection. It is crucial that your septic system is inspected by a professional once each year. This will catch any potential problems early on before they become costly in the future. Without regular inspections and maintenance, you could risk a complete system failure.

Contact Raggs Septic at (800) 287-5541 or info@raggsinc.com to learn more about the septic tank services we offer to our customers!

How to Unclog Your Drains

A clogged drain can cause a mountain of problems if not spotted early and remedied in a timely manner. No one wants to deal with a clogged septic system, but it has to be dealt with to prevent water pooling, foul odor, burst pipe, leaks and even health issues such as allergy flare-ups. There are different ways to unclog a drain and restore efficient flow through your pipes and in the process avert disaster. Let’s take a look at some of the best ways that you can unclog your drains and keep up with your septic system maintenance.

Wire Hanger Probe

The bent wire hanger method is rather rudimentary, but it can be rather effective at unclogging your drain. This simple technique involves the use of a typical wire coat hanger that is straightened but creating a small hook at one end. The hooked portion of the hanger is gently pushed down the drain and you essentially fish for the source of the clog, which could be hair or any other material that can be hooked and pulled out. It’s best to proceed with caution, being careful not to push the gunk further down the pipe. After removing as much of the gunk as possible, pour about a gallon of hot water down the drain to remove any remaining gunk.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Unclogging your septic system may seem like a tedious ordeal, but a simple solution of baking soda and vinegar could do the trick. To try this method, first, pour a gallon of boiling water down the drain. Follow that up with a mixture of ½ a cup of baking soda, 1 cup of vinegar and a cup of hot water, which you immediately pour down the drain while it is fizzing. The unclogging power is in the fizzing action that facilitates the breakdown and removal of the blockage that has developed in the pipe. Leave the solution to sit in the drain, covered, for roughly 20 minutes, then flush again with another gallon of hot water.

The Plumbing Snake

Your septic system maintenance could benefit from a snake job. Another great option for unclogging your drain is the use of a drain snake. This simple piece of equipment is a long and flexible metal rope that is equipped with a spiral of metal at the end. While there are different types of snakes, the general method involves gaining access to the clog by feeding the snake into the drain by cranking the handle. When the snake comes up against resistance, it typically reaches the gunk. To dislodge the gunk, rotate the snake against the blockage; the auger head could break up the clog, but if there is entanglement, slowly pull the snake out, removing the clog in the process. 

Raggs Septic Service

If your septic system is showing signs of a problem, you may be tempted to do a DIY job. However, it’s best to have a plumbing company handle all your drainage needs since they can get the job done right the first time. They can do a careful assessment, remedy your problem and even give you useful tips related to septic system maintenance.

Debunking Myths About Septic Tanks

Your septic tank is a vital part of your home and serves an important role in getting rid of your waste. Over the years, many myths have come up about what can and cannot be flushed, drained, and disposed into your septic system. Here we take three of the most common myths and give you the hard facts about whether or not they are true or false.

1) Never Dispose of Food in Your Garbage Disposal

This is a common one that mainly people believe to be true. Your garbage disposal is meant for the exact purpose of grinding up food so that it can be decomposed properly in your septic system. Your tanks ecosystem and bacteria are used to break down small bits of food so don’t be afraid to use your garbage disposal if you have one.

The line becomes a little less clear when grease is involved. We’ve all heard someone talk about not emptying grease down your drain. Not only can grease cause problems for your septic tank but also your plumbing so avoid putting grease down your drain or garbage disposal at all costs.

2) Never Flush Cleaning Products Down The Drain

Another common myth that we hear of involved flushing cleaning products down the drain due to the harmful chemical nature. Most cleaning products these days have labels on them that tell you whether or not they are flushable to keep an eye on the labels. Even those that say they are flushable should still only be flushed in moderation. For example, a small amount of bleach from a load of laundry is not going to affect your septic system but if bleach continually found its way in it, there could be problems in the long run.

A common rule of thumb is to stick to the recommended amounts used for cleaning. If you are cleaning your sink and you use the recommended amount then you should be fine but once you start going overboard it could begin to damage your septic system.

3) Always Use Additives to Make Your Septic Tank Work Better

Most people think additives are what make their septic systems run well but in reality, they don’t have that big of an impact. Your septic tank already has bacteria in it to help break down human waste. There was even a study done by the Washington State Health Department that came to the conclusion that “most additives do not have a positive effect on the operation of on-site systems”. Save your money and let your septic tank break down waste the old fashion way.

Raggs Septic Systems Inc.

Raggs Septic is happy to provide residents of New Hampshire and Massachusetts with quality and trusted septic system services. For more information on our services, give us a call at (800) 287-5541.

How Long Will Your Septic Tank Last?

Many older homes, instead of being hooked up to a city sewage system, instead have a septic tank on the property as a means of disposing of sewage. If you live in an older home with a septic tank, or if you’re planning on moving to an older home with one, it’s important to know that these septic tanks don’t last forever. Depending on the materials it’s constructed of, as well as the quality, these tanks have rather varying life spans.

Of course, it also varies tank to tank, but knowing about how long your tank should last will help you know when it’s time to have it seriously inspected, and eventually replaced. So, how long will your septic tank last?

How long will your tank last?

If you have a steel septic tank, you can expect about 15 to 20 years out of it. Depending on the quality of the steel, and the level of acidity of the soil it’s in, the tank will start to rust at some point, eventually to the point of it crumbling apart. Getting it replaced before this happens is the best option, so make sure that you hire a professional to conduct routine septic tank inspections who can notify when it’s beginning to rust.

A concrete septic tank will likely last the longest, especially if it is assembled with high quality materials. While the best designed and highest quality concrete septic tank could potentially last forever, it’s also possible that poor quality concrete will cause it to fail after around 40 years or so. Again, hiring a professional for a routine inspection can ensure that you know the status of your tank before it gets to the point of failure. Being aware and prepared for when you may need to buy a new one will allow you time to search for the best options and the best design for your property.

Finally, it can be very difficult to tell with a drain field how long it may last. Depending on usage, the soil percolation rate, the size of the drain field, and the quality and installation of piping, it could fail after one use or last for more than 50 years. If this is the type of septic tank you have on your property, or if it is the type you wish to install, ensure that it is of high quality. And, of course, never forget about routine inspections.

Knowing which type of septic tank is on your property, and about how long it will last, is important in ensuring that it continues to function properly. Regardless of what type of tank you have, make sure to have it inspected regularly, as this will help you be better prepared to replace it in the future.

Raggs Septic Service

For all your septic tank needs, call Raggs Septic service at (800) 287-5541 or send us an email at info@raggsinc.com!