In order to keep your wastewater system in tip-top shape, it is important to hire a professional to perform a septic tank cleaning for your property in Loudoun VA. Although the average cost of this service is a couple of hundred dollars right now, paying this fee will save you from dishing out thousands for costly repairs later on down the road.
Septic Tanks: A Comprehensive (but Concise!) Breakdown
Before we get deeper in the subject of your septic tank cleanings in Loudoun VA and why they are important, it’s important to gain an understanding about septic tanks and how they work:
Unlike a sewer system in an urban environment that runs wastewater to a central drainage system, septic tanks are a house-by-house system. Basically, septic tanks are large cement containers that are located underneath the soil on our properties.
The main purpose of these containers is to collect the unwanted liquid and solid waste that comes from our kitchens, laundry rooms, and bathrooms. All the waste from these places is combined and consolidated in the container.
Their dimensions (and capacity) are dependent on the size of your home, the number of people that live there, and how often you use water. Thus, for a family that uses water frequently, a larger sized tank would be ideal.
Wastewater flows into the tank and is separated into three parts:
- Oils and grease: These substances rise to the top and create an unsightly layer of scum.
- Liquids: This is the middle layers and it’s composed mostly of waters
- Solids: As is expected, their heavier weight causes them to sink to the bottom. It also creates a layer of sludge.
Believe it or not, the liquid layers make up the vast majority (approximately 90%) of your tank’s holding capacity. In an ideal situation, it takes a couple of days for the entire wastewater process to take place, which gives the bacteria some time to break down the sludge at the bottom of the tank.
4 Signs That Your Septic Tank Needs to Be Cleaned
Typically, your tank is due for a septic tank cleaning from our professionals in Loudoun VA approximately every 3-5years, dependent on the number of people living in your home. For instance, a couple living by themselves can easily go three years without need of this service. But, if you notice any of the following symptoms, it’s time to call in the septic tank cleaning professionals in Loudoun VA:
- Your tank hasn’t been pumped within the past 5 years
- There is standing water or wet areas by your drain field
- Your house smells funny
- Toilets are running slowly
If these issues aren’t handled immediately, a backup in your system may result in the overflow of hazardous waste, which can cause property and environmental damage. Thus, to prevent further contamination and damage, it’s important to hire fully trained professionals, like the technicians at SES, to take care of all of your septic tank cleanings needs in Loudoun VA.
Let Our Experts Ease Your Mind
It’s possible that excessive water use can, over time, negatively influence the performance of your unit. But, far more likely to happen is that even with the help of the bacteria, the organic material at the bottom of the tank will begin to accumulate and take away space that should be reserved for liquids. If there isn’t enough room for the water, the sludge will begin to back up and may cause a tank failure.
When this happens, you may be tempted to undertake this project on your own, and you can, but it’s also important to note that you will also need to store, transport, and safely dispose of the sludge, which isn’t as easy as it sounds. Having our team of professionals perform your septic tank cleaning in Loudoun VA will help you avoid any disasters.
At SES Mid-Atlantic, we believe that out friendly and knowledgeable staff are what sets us apart from the rest. We understand the issues that you are going through and we will be by your side to guide your way through every step of the way.
When you hire us to do your septic tank cleaning in Loudoun VA, our technicians will:
- Evaluate your tank to determine the precise method needed to clean it thoroughly.
- We will also measure the levels of scum and sludge
- Inspect the system’s pipes and the overall mechanics, including the drain field
- Perform the maintenance service
But, that’s not all, we ensure that all of our practices are in complete compliance with both the US EPA and local standards of care. In other words, once the extraction is complete, we will take the waste to an approved facility for it to be safely and conveniently disposed if.
Septic Tank Cleaning Services for Residents of Loudoun VA
When you call us to do your septic tank cleaning service in Loudoun VA, you can rest easy knowing our certified and licensed technicians are on the job. This ensures that your septic tank will be hygienically and quickly, pumped out and drained. In fact, it’s typical for our septic system professionals to perform the septic tank cleaning for your property in Loudoun VA in just a few hours. .
This will help keep the solid waste levels low and dramatically reduce the chances of any backups or overflows. Our goal is to prolong the functionality and the use of your septic system for as long as possible and prevent you from spending thousands of dollars for costly repairs.
Other services that we provide include:
- Septic system repairs
- Sewage tank installs and removals
- Septic system repairs
- Blockage or obstacle removal
Important Considerations
Consider the following points to lower the chances of your tank remaining in optimal condition for years to come:
- Make a diagram that shows your homes in relation to the tank, this diagram should also include things like depth and distances. This will help you in the long run because you will be able to tell our technicians exactly where to dig, and in the case of emergency, find the tank quickly.
- Refraining from building structures or parking cars on top of the tank, doing so will increase the pressure that is placed on the unit and may lead to a rupture.
- Natural grass is the best choice for your drainage fields, there’s no need to plant anything else.
- Be careful of what you put down your drain. Diapers, paper towels, and baby wipes may clog your pipes and harsh chemicals can kill the helpful anaerobic bacteria in your system, which can cause a backup.
- Minimize the water in your tanks by checking the toilets and faucets for leaks. You may also want to consider using a reducing nozzle on your shower and an aerator on your faucet
- The frequency in which your septic tank must be pumped and cleaned varies on the household, specifically the number of people that are using the system. If in doubt, ask one of our friendly customer service procedures will happily answer your phone call.
- Be sure to educate everyone in your household about what should and shouldn’t go into your septic system
- Pump the tank before any big event to prevent the extra water and waste from overloading the system
- Make sure that your drain field is always clear and will be protected in the event that a flood happens. Consider also removing any tree roots that are located on or near the drain field
In Conclusion
In truth, septic tanks are one of the best investment that a home and/or property owner can make because, when well-maintained, they will provide many decades of both hygienic and reliable service, in terms of the treatment and disposals of personal wasters. Still, no matter how well you maintain your system, it will need an occasional maintenance check-up by a professional to set things right and extend the life of your system. We will quickly and safely take care of all of your septic system needs and will be there by your side every step of the way.