Septic inspections company in Sonora, CA? Foothill Sanitary Septic provides a 5 page detailed evaluation report the next morning after the day of the inspection. Foothill Sanitary Septic will also accept / make phone calls to / from buyers and sellers to discuss the inspection findings and will gladly educate new owners of how to properly care for their septic system. It is our job that your system is not a headache or nuisance to you or the neighborhood. If you have any questions, please feel free call us at at (209) 257-4396. If you would like to request an inspection, please give us a call or fill out our online Inspection.
Pump your septic tank. Most septic tanks need to be pumped every 3-5 years. The frequency depends on how many people are in your home. The more people living in your house, the more often you should pump your septic tank. Take care of your drain field. Make sure all water is diverted away from your soakage area. Additionally, only landscape your soakage area with grass. If you want to add plants, be sure to only pick ones with shallow root systems. Finally, never park a vehicle on top of your soakage area. Vehicles can put a strain on your soakage area and may lead to ruptured pipes.
Your septic system is considered a part of your home, so may be covered by your homeowners insurance policy, however any damage caused as a result of lack of maintenance or neglect may not be covered. LCRA has new rules in place for septic systems. This means that an old septic tank may not be able to be repaired – it may need to be replaced with often an even larger area for a drainfield. The average cost of a new septic system in the Lakeway area is $30k to $40k. A new system may also be required for home remodels that include the addition of a bathroom or bedroom.
An Evaporative System is used when the soil cannot treat the waste water before it percolates to the water table. This occurs usually in rocky or sandy soils which drain to fast or where the soil absorption is very poor as you would find in heavy clay soils. An evaportanspiration (ET) bed treats the water by using evaportranspiration, which is the loss of water in the soil by both evaporation and transpiration from the plants growing there. The evaportranspiration bed is shallow and can be lined with a liner or unlined. A liner is required if the soil drains so fast the water can’t be treated before it hits the water table. In clay soils the ET can be unlined which also allows disposal through some absorption in the soil. These are often called evaportransition/absorption beds (ETA). See even more information at click here.
Your drain field is likely several hundred feet away from your home but it’s directly impacted by everything you put into your septic system and maintaining it is important. A few things to avoid: Don’t plant trees or other vegetation on top of or near the drain field. Trees and shrubs should not be within 100 feet of the field since roots are attracted to the moisture and can easily start growing inside the drains. Planting grass is desirable because it will help reinforce the soil and prevent erosion. Don’t drive cars or other vehicles on top of the drain field. Heavy machinery will compress the soil and lead to broken drain pipes.
We at Foothill Sanitary and Foothill Portable’s “Stand” for our Flag and kneel for our fallen. My family has a very strong military background with family members serving in every branch of the military. This is why we at Foothill Sanitary and Foothill Portable’s offer a 5% Military discount to all of our vet’s as a small way to say Thank you for “your” service. My motto is from the branch that I served in “Semper Fidelis” meaning always faithful, a motto that we will bring to you.
Best practice is to install a 1500 gallon effective net-volume two-compartment septic tank. Even when you are allowed to install a smaller tank, it will save money in the long run by having the septic tank pumped less often and a much smaller chance of eventual bio-mat formation in the leach field. Larger tanks retain effluent for a longer time, allowing solids to settle on the bottom and grease to float to the top. Plus, a larger tank will allow for adding of bedrooms later without the county requiring a larger septic tank. Every county has its own unique regulations with equations and definitions that can change yearly and always are open for interpretation. Find even more info on this website.