How a Septic System Functions!
Septic Preservation Services preparing a new System for Installation!
What exactly is a septic system and how does it work? Here is an abbreviated version or overview of modern Septic System components and how they work provided by All-Clear Septic and Wastewater Services.
A septic system is used to process and clean waste water from houses and larger facilities. A septic system needs enough open land for the treated water to pass through the ground and be reabsorbed into nature.
The primary component in a septic system is a holding tank. This tank is generally buried underground and connected to waste water inputs by pipes flowing from the building’s waste system. The tank acts as a settling area for solids to be collected, and a pass-through for water to move to the distribution box and soil absorption.
In the tank, live beneficial bacteria help to break down organic waste in the system. This enables the septic system to go years, in some cases, without the need to service the system. To help the bacteria work, newer systems are equipped with aerators which add oxygen to the tank, which is a critical component needed by the bacteria to help break apart waste.
For systems with a soil absorption system, processed water in the tank passes through a pipe to the distribution box, which sends water to the various sections of the leaching system. The leaching system is the mechanism by which treated water is returned to the soil in a safe and ecologically friendly manner. A leaching system may be one of several different styles with pits, trenches or a field being the most popular systems. A leaching field is an area of soil and gravel or sand with excellent drainage through which treated waste water is able to be absorbed into the ground and continue the cleansing process through a natural ecological system.
Septic systems should be professionally pumped out on a regular basis to remove solids which build up on the bottom. Pumping also removes improperly flushed materials that cannot be broken down naturally.
Septic systems are designed to handle a specific volume or waste per day from the building it is connected to. Residential systems are built with the number of bedrooms and occupants as the primary factors in calculating the required size of the system.
This is a simplifed version of a septic system. Visit www.allclearseptic.com and click on the education tab for a more thorough explanation.
The septic professionals at All-Clear have years of experience in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, and Hawaii in all aspects of septic engineering, inspection, installation, repair and maintenance! Don’t wait for your septic to fail, call 508-763-4431 today!
