Every Gainesville VA septic system needs an alarm for warnings and early warnings. The problem for many septic tank owners is that they cannot usually see what the problem is when their alarm sounds. There are only a few causes for it to happen however and each one should be dealt with quickly to prevent a larger, costlier problem.
Leaks are usually the culprit. They can be leaks out of or into the tank. Heavy rains can force their way into a septic tank, especially if the cleaning hatch was left unsecured after the last servicing. The alarm can also sound off if there is a broken pipe close to the septic tank and the outflowing water begins to seep in and fill it.
At SES Mid-Atlantic, we take any Gainesville VA septic system alarm activation as a warning that helps prevent both a sewage spill and a major repair of the tank or other parts of the septic system. When we install both the tank and the alarm, our technicians carefully advise the homeowner on potential problems and encourage them to call us immediately if the alarm ever goes off.
It is also why we encourage an annual maintenance schedule and check the alarm for functionality whenever we service the tank to remove sewage. We know that the worst possible thing to happen to a homeowner is not that the alarm sounds off, but that it does not sound off when it should. That is why a maintenance servicing schedule is needed.
An alarm means that the septic tank is in danger of exceeding its maximum fill level. That not only puts the tank at risk of permanent damage, but it can also push untreated sewage back into the home and across a large area outside the home as well. A functioning septic sewer alarm can prevent thousands of dollars in damage to your Gainesville VA home and surrounding property.
A system alarm uses two devices: A float control switch and a sewer ejector pump. Working together, they allow the alarm to provide the overfill warning and to release partially treated sewage, or wastewater, into the immediate area. When functioning properly, the alarm sounds soon enough to schedule a service removal before a release happens.
If the tank continues to fill, then the float rises higher, triggering the alarm for the second time. That is what starts the sewer ejector pump to release the top level of wastewater or effluent. Once enough has been released and the float returns to a safe level, the pump stops, and the alarm switches off automatically. Each Gainesville VA septic system alarm can also help indicate when there are other problems. Most are fairly minor, but a problem like too much water in the tank can force the ejector pump to work too often and longer, reducing its effectiveness.
Just as you do not need rain or floodwater entering your septic tank, neither should you, under any circumstance, ever add water to it. SES Mid-Atlantic does place a minimal amount of water in the tank when we install the system, but that is for the use of the county and state environmental agency offices. It helps them perform their inspection to check for leaks and test the integrity of the system so they can certify it for use.
Once your septic tank is certified, adding water does nothing to improve its function. It does not increase the growth of bacteria or break down solid matter. All it does is raise the level of wastewater higher, triggering the alarm and forcing you to call for an unscheduled tank service removal.
One of the things a Gainesville VA septic system alarm cannot do however is detect odors. A septic system is sealed, so there should be no sewage odor, even if you are standing on top of it. Even odors released during a sewage removal dissipate after a few hours and fade completely in a day. If there still an odor, the first item to check is the access hatch. It is possible that it was not secured correctly.
If the hatch is secured, then there is the possibility that your injector pump engaged without the alarm sounding. There is also a risk that the intake or outlet pipe is cracked and slowly leaking into the soil around the tank, causing the smell without raising the wastewater level and triggering the alarm.
With over 30 years in business, SES Mid-Atlantic has installed septic systems for every type of requirement from a small, single-family home to an industrial park. Our company is also only one of three agencies in our field licensed as a Responsible Management Entity (RME) under Federal, EPA guidelines.
We also maintain our in-house design team to develop the exact system you need for a new home, housing subdivision, or factory operation. We have even designed and installed systems for municipal and private hospitals. Even if your home or business is part of the city sewer system, we can create and install a septic system that can take you off the local sewer grid and develop a maintenance schedule that gives total control over your home or business’ waste needs.
So regardless of the size of your operation or the remote location of your home or business, contact SES Mid-Atlantic to begin the process of installing a waste system tailored to your needs. Call us today at 866-249-5630.