The Importance of Septic Inspections

Septic inspections are an essential part of owning a home with a septic system, though not needed as often as septic tank pumping or drain cleaning. It is important to state that there are different levels of inspections that you should consider.  Each pumping service should come with a level of inspection that notices the components and the visible areas of the system.  There are also regulatory inspections that have associated paperwork and fees, as well as dedicated inspections that should include imagery of all components as well as sludge levels and other important measurements which indicate the health of your septic system.

 

Whether you’re in the buying process, need to pass a state-required inspection, or are getting ready to sell your home, septic inspections are an important component of homeownership. Septic inspection companies like Wind River Environmental offer all these services to provide septic system owners peace of mind that their system is working as it should. 

 

The Importance of Scheduling a Septic Inspection

If you’re a new septic owner, it’s possible that a septic inspection never crossed your mind. You were probably told about the occasional septic pumping, but septic inspections are often overlooked until it’s required. However, there are more reasons to call a septic inspection company other than being required to schedule one.

 

If you’re worried about potential septic issues like a broken pipe or a component of the system failing, it’s smart to have a septic inspection. On occasion, septic systems need repairs, but waiting until the repair is necessary is costly compared to an inspection. During an inspection, technicians examine and report the results of their findings to you which makes this perfect for finding out about potential issues in the future. If a problem is solvable, technicians recommend the solutions that work best for your situation.

 

Septic inspections protect you the same way regular maintenance protects your septic system. Being proactive saves time and money when it comes time for repairs.

 

Required Septic Inspections

Of course, there are numerous scenarios that require septic inspections. Certain states require septic system inspections if you’re buying or selling a home. Even if they’re not required by law, it’s advisable to schedule one to ensure everything is working properly. 

 

Depending on your state, inspections are also required for making additions to your home, if it’s a shared system, or a variety of other reasons. Using an experienced septic inspection company meets the guidelines for passing a state-required inspection. Passing the septic inspection requires the components of your septic system to be in working order and for any broken parts to be replaced. 

 

Schedule a Septic Inspection Today!

If you need an inspection for a real estate transaction, tank certification, building permit, or maintenance, Wind River Environmental provides services across 16 states. Contact Wind River Environmental today to help set up an inspection, or for more information about other services Wind River Environmental provides.

 

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Hurricane Season Tips For Homeowners with Septic Systems

Preparing your home for hurricane season is a yearly ritual that homeowners with septic systems have become accustomed to. The process of protecting your home from storms isn’t just about what’s above-ground. Preparation saves you money, time, and the stress of repairs. Keeping your septic system safe during a hurricane sounds challenging, but taking certain precautions helps ease those worries. For both new and experienced septic system owners, these tips help avoid disaster during hurricane season.

 

How to Prepare For a Storm With a Septic System

 

Learn About Your Septic System

The first step towards protecting your septic system is becoming knowledgeable about its components and location. The first way of familiarizing yourself is through documentation or a map from the previous homeowner or from an inspection. Your local septic service provider also offers septic inspections to assist with this. Knowing where the pipes, tank, and drainfield are is crucial for the next few tips, as well as for general septic system maintenance. 

 

Prep Your Yard

Although your septic system is located underground, multiple things in your yard are dangerous during a storm. Trees are normally not an issue most of the year—aside from their roots growing through pipes—but when they’re at risk of falling from strong winds, they pose a major risk to your septic system. During hurricane preparation, consider cutting any large trees that are within range of your septic tank. Tree branches commonly puncture or crush septic tanks, making them dangerous to leave up.

 

Protect Against Flooding

When a storm floods your yard, it’s possible that your septic system is negatively affected. Any entry points including manholes, inspection ports, or tank covers need to be sealed. Leaving it ajar or open risks your system being overloaded with water. When speaking with a septic service provider, ask about how to ensure that any power source going to lift stations is waterproofed and has a backup. 

 

Schedule Septic Services Early

Before the storm hits, it’s important to continue septic maintenance. The health of your system depends heavily on regular maintenance, regardless of storm preparation. A week or longer before a hurricane, schedule a tank pumping to empty your tank and lower effluent levels to a safe level. Keeping some effluent in your tank protects it from collapsing or floating from excess water caused by the storm.

 

Hurricane season leads to many homeowners scheduling septic services, so be prepared to contact your local septic provider early.

 

When in doubt about best practices for how to prepare for a storm, contact Wind River Environmental. Wind River Environmental serves over 16 states on the east coast, with knowledgeable and helpful technicians to guide you through prepping your septic system for hurricane season. If you’re looking to schedule a service, call us at 1-800-499-1682 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you. If you have any questions about keeping your septic system safe this year, don’t hesitate to contact us today!

 

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Do’s and Don’ts: Septic Tanks and Pools

Like septic tanks, pools require maintenance to operate at maximum efficiency. Their seemingly complicated natures lead many homeowners to ask the same question; can you put in a pool with a septic tank? With some research, it’s easy to manage both at the same property. Whether you’re looking to buy a home on septic or you’re thinking of adding a pool to your home, knowing how to keep both safe saves you time and money over time. Septic tanks and pools commonly coexist, however, there are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when you have both.

 

Septic Tanks and Pools

 

Do: Start with an Inspection

A home septic inspection should be the first step when adding a pool to your property. From both a safety and feasibility standpoint, it’s important to know the status of your septic system and how a pool factors into your yard. This is especially crucial for identifying where you’re unable to place the pool or backwash pipes, which risk saturation or erosion when placed near a drain field or leach field.

 

This inspection identifies vital components including the distribution box, the pump housing, lift stations, and any septic feature that a pool would interfere with. Not only does an inspection protect your septic system underground, but it also helps with proper planning for necessary pool components.

 

Don’t: Build Without Locating Your Septic System 

If you’re in the process of adding a pool to your yard, it’s dangerous to begin building without knowing where your system is located. Building a deck or the pool itself above the septic tank or septic cover creates issues when septic service providers need access to pump your tank. Your pool should be far enough away that it doesn’t interfere with septic cover access or block the truck from reaching your cover. In-ground pools can’t be built over the pipes leading to your septic tank, which makes this process crucial for avoiding disasters.

 

In addition to avoiding blocking or covering vital parts of your septic system, check your local regulations regarding pools and septic systems. Some towns or cities require pools—both above and in-ground—to be set a certain number of feet away from your leach field. If you can’t find your local regulations, your local septic service provider is knowledgeable on these requirements.

 

Do: Utilize Septic System Additives 

Similar to how your pool needs chemicals to operate at full efficiency, your septic tank needs the same attention. The bacteria that break down solids occasionally need to be replenished when soaps, disinfectants, and detergents make their way into the septic tank. Septic system additives are a simple way to ensure everything is running smoothly. Just ask your local septic service provider about them during your next pumping.

 

Chlorine is crucial for eliminating bacteria in your swimming pool, but its anti-bacterial properties are harmful to your septic system. Draining your pool too closely to the tank risks killing some of the helpful bacteria that break down solids and helps the system run smoothly. Using these septic system additives helps counter the potential negative impact of chlorine accidentally getting into your system. 

 

Don’t: Hesitate to Call Wind River Environmental

Both above and in-ground pools require some research before installing, especially when working around a septic system. Luckily, you aren’t on your own when making these decisions. Wind River Environmental serves over 16 states on the east coast, with knowledgeable and helpful technicians to guide you through the process. If you have a septic tank and are looking to install a pool for next summer, call us at 1-800-499-1682 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you. If you have any questions about keeping your seasonal property’s septic system healthy, don’t hesitate to contact us today!

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What to Keep an Eye on When Closing on a Home with Septic

Closing on a new home is an exciting part of the homebuying process. As you begin wrapping up and inching one step closer to moving in, it’s time to start thinking more about your new home’s septic system. Your first time owning a septic system is frequently a learning experience, so before you finish buying a house with a septic tank, there are certain things to keep an eye on.

 

Buying a House with a Septic Tank

Maintaining a healthy septic system isn’t as difficult as it seems. Knowing some septic basics saves you some of the stress that comes when maintenance is needed. Eventually, every septic owner needs to contact septic service experts to diagnose, repair, or maintain your system. Utilize these tips to better understand your new septic system and know what to keep an eye out for.

 

Location of Your Septic System

Closing on a home involves quite a bit of paperwork, but for homes with a septic system, the home inspection paperwork has very helpful information that’s useful for septic service providers and yourself. Also found in your home’s property records, the location of your tank and other necessary components come in handy when it’s time for maintenance or to better understand where to avoid when landscaping.

 

If you don’t receive these documents during closing or they’re lost along the way, septic experts who have serviced your property in the past may be able to help you and often offer services that locate your septic system.  Another way to research the septic location on your property is to call your local health department.  They are usually the government department responsible for any inspections or permitting and licenses associated with residential septic systems.

 

Septic Tank Pumping Schedule

Finding the perfect septic tank pumping schedule depends on a number of factors. These include the number of people in your home, the frequency in which you use sinks, toilets, showers, washing machines, etc., whether the home has a garbage disposal, and the size of the septic tank itself. As your septic tank fills with solids, it needs pumping to avoid backup and other unpleasant effects of septic system failure. 

 

If you don’t know the optimal pumping schedule for your new home, septic service providers have experience in providing consultation and creating the perfect schedule for your specific situation.  It is customary (and in some places required by regulations) to pump the septic system as a property transfers ownership, so if you did not see this itemized in your documentation – call to verify with your closing agents or call us to get this done.

 

Septic Do’s and Don’ts

There are certain products and actions to avoid when using a septic system that aren’t common knowledge. For instance, garbage disposals add unnecessary solids to your tank, which in turn fills it quickly and requires more frequent pumping. Also, antibacterial cleaning products kill the helpful bacteria in your tank that break down solids. Avoid using any products that are not explicitly identified as septic safe to keep your system running at optimal efficiency. 

 

Read up on the recommended septic tips, which saves homeowners the stress of needing repairs or more frequent maintenance. 

 

Best Septic Service Provider in Your Area

It is best to check out the service providers in your area because you should know what you are getting when you pay your bill.  It is imperative that you know the pumping service will leave your property with the lid safely secured and in as pristine condition as possible when your service is completed.  It is important to be sure your provider has a good reputation with local regulatory bodies to be sure they are properly handling, transporting and treating the septic when they leave your property.  With septic services in over 16 states, Wind River Environmental offers everything you need for your new home’s septic system and maintains the highest standards that exceed requirements for all of our own treatment facilities.

 

Our expert local technicians are here to keep your septic system safe and running as efficiently as possible. They have lived and served each local community throughout their career, and sometimes have multiple generations of family working with them to maintain their good reputation.  Sign up on our website to schedule any services – or call us at 1-800-499-1682 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have any questions about keeping your seasonal property’s septic system healthy, don’t hesitate to contact us today!

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How to Prepare Your Septic System for a Hurricane

Preparing for a hurricane is the difference between thousands of dollars in repair costs and a fully functioning septic system, uninterrupted by storm damage. By following septic best practices, you ensure your septic system’s safety through even the worst storms. Many septic owners know how to prepare their homes for a hurricane, but they often forget that septic inspections are necessary for ensuring little to no downtime after a storm.

By following these tips and consulting your local septic service provider, you’ll save time, money, and stress when preparing for a hurricane.

Preparing Your Septic System for a Hurricane

A septic inspection is going to be your go-to for protecting your septic system. While most areas have a difference between a paid inspection to meet regulations and requirements that is usually part of selling a home, and a normal inspection that includes cameras to review and inspect all segments of your septic system.  If you don’t need all that documentation, these may be more than you need.  

Septic experts are able to diagnose and recommend a plan for treating, protecting, and servicing your specific septic system that should be included in most pumping services. Septic systems differ in location, size, and even material, but your service technician should be able to walk you through the components of the system and talk to their condition. If you’re unsure about the specifics of your system or the service history of your tank, it’s the safest option to contact your septic service provider and schedule a formal inspection. 

 

What Does a Septic Inspection Entail? 

Depending on your specific needs, your inspection might look different than a homeowner in a different state, but most inspections have many similarities. The septic service providers in your state are experts in the protections needed for local weather, especially storms as intense as a hurricane. 

Preparing your system for hurricane season is something these experts are ready for. They’re knowledgeable in local septic regulations and experienced in your state’s weather, with countless septic systems protected every year. 

One of the first steps is to schedule a septic tank pumping and work with your provider to ensure that solids are no more than ⅓ of the volume on the tank and there are no more than 3-6 inches of floating solids at the top. It’s also important to understand the condition of the components including the solids deflection device, alarm float, distribution box, filters, pumps, baffles, or lids. Ask about any backflow or the pitch of the pipe for the drainfield that may have settled and created issues since your last service.

Filling your tank with water before the hurricane hits helps avoid damage or floating risks, so coordinate this with your provider. As part of your inspection, ask about the environment the tank is in, including information about the landscaping, soils, and trees. Ask them about any signs of issues with drainage or stormwater flow issues around the tank and drain field.

Your service provider should also ensure there’s reliable, waterproof power to all pumps, no issues with the wires carrying that power, and/or ensure a back-up source for all pumps (especially the lift stations) in case the power goes out.  Those pumps are vital to keeping your family safe inside while the storm rages outside.

Want to know what your septic system inspection specifically covers? Contact Wind River Environmental for more information.

 

Yard Preparations

After an inspection, the septic experts equip you with the knowledge of where the most important parts of your septic system are located. This information makes it easier to prepare your yard and, in turn, protect what is found under the ground. Preparation including contacting local tree removal or cutting services allows you the peace of mind to know that if a tree goes down, it won’t interfere with your septic service.

Along the same lines, you may want to ask the service provider to show you where those components are to protect them during any clean-up efforts after the storm.  Major damage occurs when utility workers and public service employees access areas to repair downed trees or other utilities, and the heavy machinery either damages or destroys components of your system.  If you know where these components are, you can require the workers to avoid those areas in order to perform their clean up efforts.

A lack of preparation often leads to a financial burden. A crushed or punctured septic line is costly and requires repairs to bring your system back to working normally. The cost of a full replacement due to a storm is exponentially higher than the costs related to properly preparing for a hurricane.  If you also have damage that is caused by clean-up efforts, you may risk bearing the entire burden on your own as lawsuits and other financial recovery efforts are usually measured in years rather than days.

 

Prepare with Wind River Environmental

With septic services in over 16 states, Wind River Environmental is here to protect your home and septic system during hurricane season.

Our expert technicians are here to keep your septic system safe and running as efficiently as possible. Sign up on our website to schedule any services – or call us at 1-800-499-1682 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have any questions about keeping your seasonal property’s septic system healthy, don’t hesitate to contact us today!

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