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| One
of the most expensive home replacement and maintenance costs
is your septic system. Having the system checked prior to selling
or buying a home should be definitely done. |
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| SEPTIC
INSPECTION TESTING |
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| AAA
Quality Home Inspections, Inc. performs a visual inspection of your
septic system which includes: |
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Locating the Septic System and components.
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Locating the Distribution system and Drain Fields.
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Locating the Dry well or wells.
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Inspect inside the tank using an INFRARED state-of-the-art camera.
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Check for proper flow of waste water into septic tank and waste
water leaving tank and entering into drain fields or Dry wells.
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Check for problems with baffles not functioning or eroded. If
the baffles are not visible, the tank must be pumped before the
baffles can be checked for proper function and or deterioration.
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Check for any visual tree roots & tank cover failure.
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Check for any visual signs of sewage in yard or in neighbor's
yard.
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When necessary, use of an instrument called a Sludge Judge which
will determine the thickness of the scum layer, the liquid effluent
depth, and the depth of the sludge. This helps determine if a
tank needs to be pumped.
- Only
licensed sewage removal septic companies can pump your tank.
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| Typical
Problems, and the causes, range from things that are easy and cheap
to repair, to a need for a complete system replacement. |
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Clogged pipes.
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Broken pipes.
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Damaged tank.
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Tipped distribution box.
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Clogged/broken soil absorption piping.
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Clogged absorption soil (grease & solids).
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Saturated soil absorption area.
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Driving over absorption system.
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Paving over the absorption system.
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Flooding the absorption system from roof runoff or drainage.
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Improper original construction.
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Tipped or flooded distribution boxes that result in uneven loading
of soil absorption system lines.
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Use of additives which claim to extend the life of the system
can cause many problems. Do not add treatments, chemicals, yeast
or other treats to a septic system, in general they do not work
and cause many problems.
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Rusting steel tank covers can cause death! Rusted covers can collapse
and septic gases and waste water are highly toxic and can kill
in just minutes of exposure.
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Concrete tank lids can be damaged by vehicle traffic, Heavy duty
covers are available.
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Steel tank baffles can rust out and fall off, permitting solids
to enter the soil absorption system.
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Steel tank bottoms rust out.
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Concrete tank baffles may erode from chemicals, detergents, bad
concrete mix, poor maintenance and general use.
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Concrete tanks can crack.
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Summer homes or temporary built structures normally will have
marginal septic systems.
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Age, eventually even a well-maintained system, will clog and have
to be replaced.
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EXAMPLES OF SEPTIC TANK DRAINAGE SYSTEMS |
| Example
1 |
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| Example
2 |
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| EXAMPLE
3 |
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| Estimated
Septic Tank Pumping Frequencies in Years
(For a year around residence.): |
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HOUSEHOLD
SIZE (Number of people) |
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
TANK
SIZE |
YEARS
BETWEEN PUMPING |
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| 500* |
5.8 |
2.6 |
1.5 |
1.0 |
0.7 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
--- |
| 750 |
9.1 |
4.2 |
2.6 |
1.8 |
1.3 |
1.0 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
| 1000 |
12.4 |
5.9 |
3.7 |
2.6 |
2.0 |
1.5 |
1.2 |
1.0 |
0.8 |
0.7 |
| 1500 |
18.9 |
9.1 |
5.9 |
4.2 |
3.3 |
2.6 |
2.1 |
1.8 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
| 2000 |
25.4 |
12.4 |
8.0 |
5.9 |
4.5 |
3.7 |
3.1 |
2.6 |
2.2 |
2.0 |
| 2500 |
389 |
15.6 |
10.2 |
7.5 |
5.9 |
4.8 |
4.0 |
3.5 |
3.0 |
2.6 |
| *
500 is below minimal size for new construction. |
| If
you use a garbage disposal, add one person to the family size. |
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