A Fairfax VA septic system alarm usually provides routine alerts to owners when it is time to call for a waste removal tank truck. This same alarm, however, also sounds when a problem outside the tank finds its way inside. In many cases, the intrusion comes from a severe storm which fills the tank at a faster rate, forcing the need to schedule an unplanned removal or maintenance service.
The alarm sounds when the float control switch in the tank rises to a predetermined level. The first alarm warns owners that they need to bring in a tank truck to remove wastewater and solid matter from the septic tank. Owners should not depend on the alarm, which is why SES Mid-Atlantic recommends both a removal and maintenance schedule.
If the septic tank fills to a second, higher level before waste removal can begin, the float control switch sounds the alarm again. This is the overfill warning, and it activates the sewage ejector inside the tank. The ejector begins releasing the top layer of wastewater. Once it pushes enough of this effluent out of the septic tank, the float lowers back to its safe level and turns off the pump automatically.
There is a common, false belief that owners should occasionally add water to their septic tanks. The mistaken theory is that fluid in the tank evaporates and needs replacing. Adding water neither increases bacterial growth nor does it break down solid waste any faster. Adding water is no different from opening the access hatch in a thunderstorm. It only raises the float control switch faster, forcing an unneeded waste removal service.
Every activation of a Fairfax VA septic system alarm can be one of these warnings, but it can also reveal that the tank or another part of the septic system may need repair. That is why our technicians are ready to explain every potential threat when we respond to a waste removal request, install a new system, or make a routine service visit.
That is also the reason why we have our design team. It allows us to tailor a septic system to each project requirements which reduces failures. In addition to creating hundreds of individual, residential septic tank systems, we also create and install septic networks for commercial uses such as industrial parks, medical facilities, and even government buildings.
A Fairfax VA septic system alarm cannot warn of every problem, however. Strong odors may indicate a problem with your system that bypasses the alarm completely. Even odors released by a waste removal service usually dissipate in less than a day unless the access hatch was closed correctly. If it was, then there is most likely damage to either the intake or outlet pipes, allowing waste and wastewater to leak into the soil.
If you are building a new home or business, suspect a problem with your septic system, or are not fully supported by the local sewer system, call SES Mid-Atlantic today at 866-249-5630. We can design and install a system to meet your needs, or repair and service your current system.