Understanding Your Septic System:
A septic tank operates full of water. When you flush your toilet, about a gallon of water goes into your tank and it forces a gallon out through an upside down pipe called a baffle that is submerged prevent grease from being pushed out into your drain field.
The Solids Sink
The solids sink to the bottom of the tank and accumulate and increase in density the longer you wait to pump your tank. You have about 4 feet of clearance from the bottom of the tank up to the submerged baffle. The solids produce a tea like black substance that is nutrient rich so your grass and tree roots seek it out. They create a biomass that can plug up the weap holes in your drain pipes. So, it is better to pump your tank every 3-4 years to prevent drain field saturation.
How to Find Your Septic Tank
First, its good to find out if you have a 1000 gallon Tank or a newer 1500 gallon tank. If you have a 500 to 1000 gallon tank you will typically have on main access lid that is about 22 inches square in diameter. If you have a 1500 gallon tank you will be looking for two round lids that are about 1 foot from both ends of the tank. Typically the lids are about 8 feet apart. It helps to have a free septic system map which your local health department will usually have on file. The permit will show the size of the tank and the square footage of the drain field. The typical placement is about 12 to 18 feet out from home straight out from the main septic drain pipe. You can buy a 4 foot piece of 1/2 inch rebar from Menards, Lowes, or Home Depot and tap that down where you think the tank may be located. If you hear a hollow thud you probablly hit the tank. If you have an old can of spray paint you can mark the demensions of the tank and then dig do a test dig 1 foot in from the end closest to the home first.
No Map on File
If your local health department does not have anything on file, you can still probe the lawn at 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20, and 25 feet from the main out point. If you do not have any luck, we can help you locate your tank, however we charge a locate and digging fee for such a service. You can also call a company like Liberty Plumbing which has a sewer camera and they will mark the location of your septic system for you.
What does it Cost to pump a Septic tank?
The cost to pump a septic tank is mostly based on the high cost of septic treatment fees charged by municipal treatment plants. Jackson County is among the highest in the state and is currently charging 21 cents a gallon to treat waste. That fee translates to $210 dollars for 1000 gallons and $315 for 1500 gallons. So when you call for a current quote, our final price will include those treatment fees.
Signs of Septic System Failure
The average septic system expected life is around 25 to 30 years if properly serviced every 3 to 4 years to avoid saturation and biomass build up. Some people wait 10 or more years to pump their tanks and they are usually the ones who have their systems fail sooner rather than later. Signs of failure can be septic effluents coming to the surface of the lawn. This is caused by grease getting into the drain field which minimizes the ability of the soil to drain properly. Other signs include backups in the home and clogged lines within 30 to 40 days of pumping your tank. This can also be caused by a baffle that has come loose inside your septic tank causing the tank to not drain properly. We install new baffle pipes when needed.
Why do I need a Perc Test?
What is involved with getting a perk test and a septic permit? A perk test is required to determine if a site is suitable for installing a new or replacement on-site sewage waste treatment system. To do a perk test, the health officer for your county will require you to have a backhoe available to dig a hole in your proposed drain field area up to six feet deep. We have a backhoe for such a use if you do not have one available. The purpose of this dig is to determine the type of soil and its drainage characteristics, water table depth, and suitable placement of the drain field such that it meets all setback requirements from any wells and from your property lines. Your new drain field must have three feet of ground clearance between the bottom of the drain field and the water table or high season water level. If you do not have the proper clearance, your health officer may require you to build a mounded or elevated system. An elevated or mounded system typically requires a submerged pump that pumps your septic effluents to the top of your mound where they can perk down through the soil. The soil interacts with the effluents to breakdown and filter out impurities. If you did not have at least three feet of soil to allow this natural breakdown to occur, then your system could contaminate your well or the local ground water. If you are close to a stream or lake additional requirements are required to get additional approval from the DEQ for your system. Scheduling a perk test involves setting up a time when you will have a backhoe on premise, and we can meet with the health officer to conduct your test. We recommended that the property owner be present when the test occurs in case any changes to the drain field location are required by the health officer.
Why Use a licensed and bonded Septic Installer like Shelar Sanitation?
Installing a new septic system is a big investment. Regretfully, if the new septic system is installed improperly, you can end up having to dig it up and re-do everything. Shelar Sanitation, LLC has been in business since 1950 and has installed thousands of new septic systems, so we know how to build all types of drain fields, drywells, and elevated systems. It is the simple things like knowing what types of submerged pumps hold up best and or knowing the right type of stone to use in a system that ends up saving you time, money, and aggravation in the long run. Another significant reason to use a licensed, bonded, and insured company to install your new septic systems is because it will make your home more saleable. One of the key disclosures in selling your home revolves around having working plumbing which requires a working drain field and or a hook up to a municipal sewer system. It is a great selling point to have a receipt from a licensed contractor and a septic permit from your local health department as proof that you have a modern and efficient septic system installed prior to the sale of your property.
How much will it cost to build a new septic system?
New septic system construction cost is based on the number of square feet of your drain field and the size of your septic tank. We do not give general estimates of cost without knowing what your local health officer is going to allow you to build. We have found over the years that people rush into wanting to know the price of a system before they even know what type of system and overall size of drain field that can be approved for their property. As a fully licensed septic system installation company we do not feel it is fair to quote a price to someone until we know the type and size of system that is approved by your local health officer. Your local health officer will determine the size of drain field that you need based on a variety of factors. The factors that most people do not consider are such things as how many bedrooms and bathrooms are present on your property. One single element such as this leads to a determination of how many people could potentially occupy your current property configuration. Once the potential occupancy rate is obtained, your local health officer will factor that into the potential load that may be placed on your septic system. That load will determine the minimum drain field square footage requirement that must be built to safely operate a septic system at your location. Other factors such as soil type, and its drainage or perc rate characteristics determine what size of drain field you will need. Shelar Sanitation, LLC will assist you in applying for a septic permit and arrange to have a backhoe present for a perc test as part of our overall fee structure for a new septic system installation.
Keep the Process simple!
Just let Shelar Sanitation do all the work for you! We visit your property, do all the required preliminary drawings, fill out the permit application, and schedule the perc test with your local health officer. All you need to do is put down a small good faith deposit that pays for the permit and the perc test. When the county issues a permit with real specifications you will obtain a final cost estimate to complete the work.
How long does it take to build a new septic system?
Much of the time goes to getting an appointment with the health officer to do the perc test. We can often get a perc test scheduled within 7-10 days after receiving your deposit to pay for the permit and perc test. Once our crew is on the job, it takes a few days of excavating, tank setting, stone delivery, laying pipe, hooking it up the home, and smoothing off the excavated area. There are a number of things that must be done to get your job scheduled. First, we need a few good days of weather. Next, we must get approval from Miss Dig to dig in the proposed drain field area of your yard. Miss Dig will mark key gas, cable or other lines. Having an approval from Miss Dig ensures that you are clear to dig and use excavation equipment in your yard. We make the call for you to Miss Dig. Our crews are quick and efficient, so you will not have to worry about having your lawn torn up for more than a few days in most cases.
Why are drain fields so expensive?
Building a new drain field involves digging up a large area in your yard. Imagine digging a hole as large as a big swimming pool and bringing in 4 or 5 dump trucks full of stone to fill the hole. Then lay down perforated pipe in a specific slope to maximize efficiency using a laser level and you get the picture of why it is a time-consuming process. So, now you can begin to understand why it is an expensive process to build a new septic system. Now add more stone on top of the perforated drain lines plus a layer of insulation material to prevent freezing, fill in another foot or more of dirt on top of that and rake it all out and you have a better appreciation for the time involved. It may take one person all summer long to dig such an area by hand. If that person did not get the details correct such as the proper slope of the pipe, and the right kinds of materials, their system might fail prematurely or not work at all. When you add up the cost of the stone and materials, backhoe and or dump truck rental, your own time and effort required to build a new system it becomes evident why it is better to just hire a company that specializes in drain field construction. Shelar Sanitation, LLC has been building new septic systems since 1950. Many of those systems are still in operation today. The typical life expectancy of a drain field is around 25 to 30 years provided the owners pump their septic tank on a regular basis. Failure to pump your septic tank every 3 to 4 years can result in premature failure of a brand-new septic system.
Do you offer free estimates on new drain fields?
Yes, if you live in the greater Jackson, Michigan area, Duane Shelar will make an appointment with you to evaluate your proposed drain field and or septic tank. Shelar Sanitation does not do any construction outside of 30 to 45 minutes from Jackson Michigan.
Why Use Shelar Sanitation, LLC?
Shelar Sanitation, LLC has an excellent reputation and has been building new septic systems in Jackson County since 1950. In that time, we have built thousands of new drain fields. We understand what works best for a wide variety of soil conditions here in Jackson County. So, call Shelar Sanitation today at 517-764-1650 and get the peace of mind of knowing that whatever system we install will be right for your property and will last for years to come. A new drain field built by a reputable company like Shelar Sanitation LLC s will only add value to your homestead.