Due to the terrain of Northern Virginia and throughout Fairfax County thousands of families rely on septic tank systems to hold and disperse household wastewater. While these homeowners carry out their regular daily tasks, serious issues may be developing beneath the earth’s surface unbeknownst. Since most of the major components and intricacies of a septic system occur under the earth’s surface, some septic tank issues cannot be diagnosed or even detected with the naked eye.
Unlike drainfied flooding, cracks and leaks in the system can only be determined with what is commonly referred to as a Septic Dye Test (SDT). A Septic Dye Test involved flushing a special florescent dye down a toilet or drain and monitoring where the dye appears. The dye is ineffective when it comes to creating a reaction or fixing an issue. Instead, the dye is used as a color indicator so that water outside the system can be identified. If wastewater is emerging from leaks and cracks in your system before reaching the distribution tank, the florescent dye will show in the form of surface water.
When suspect surface areas have been identified, immediately check the maintenance history of your system. Like most things in life, frequent routine septic system inspections can get away from the homeowner. A trained inspector may also want to test the quality of your soil. This too can be done using the dye test. Dye test should be performed before making any decisions on how to treat your septic system issues.
SES is staffed with trained and licensed professionals. Our staff is constantly evolving and educating themselves to evolve with the technology and meet the needs of our Northern Virginia customers. Whether you live in Vienna, VA, Fairfax City, VA, Centreville, VA, Reston, VA, or any other town located throughout Fairfax County, VA, SES is prepared to handle your septic needs.