Category Archives: Septic Tank Maintenance

Don’t Delay! Book your Septic System Inspection Today!

Performing routine inspection and maintenance on the home’s septic system is vital. Properly maintaining the entire system will allow the safe disposal of the home’s sewage system. Routine inspection and proper maintenance assures the homeowner of an operational, healthy system for many years to come.

The septic system is a part of the home’s plumbing system that contains three essential fixtures including the tank, the system’s distribution box and the drainage field. All of the liquid waste from the home is moved to the sewage system, and enters the septic tank. As the waste and water begin to accumulate, all of the wastewater will naturally separate into the scum at the top layer, the wastewater in the middle, and the sludge that makes its way to the bottom. The natural bacteria inside the septic tank use the organic matter as its primary source of food. The residual material simply sinks to the bottom to create sludge. The wastewater then makes its way through the distribution box and finally out to the drain field, where it soaks into the ground below.

Critical Routine Inspections
Routine inspections are especially critical to ensure that the drain field is operating properly, and will last for years. Excessive rain and melting snow in the springtime requires an inspection and sometimes pumping of the tank to ensure the entire unit operates properly.

Without a septic system inspection, it is very easy for the drain field to become clogged because the effluent water contains particles that should have been consumed by the bacteria, or fallen to the bottom as sludge.

With proper maintenance, the entire septic system can last for decades. Without it, it can quickly fill up and stop working altogether. Do not delay. It is time to book a septic system inspection today, to ensure the home’s sewer drainage system is functioning properly.

Choose Edenflo for Environmentally Friendly Services

Wastewaters, from commercial properties to residential homes, have basic characteristics that could cause a significant negative impact on the environment. It is often full of hazardous chemicals, microbiological pathogens, and other related contaminants that could cause significant issues if not handled properly. We at Edenflo are proud of our environmentally friendly services in helping our communities all across British Columbia maintain healthy standards when disposing of collected wastewater.

The wastewater all around our communities are waterborne liquids and solids that have been discharged from commercial and residential properties. While they are an essential component to living in a community, they can cause significant issues when not handled properly.

Removing, Controlling and Treating Wastewater
In general, the philosophy of proper wastewater sanitation typically involves removing, controlling and treating the wastewater before allowing it to reconnect with the natural environment. Through an intelligent design, companies including Edenflo, follow the basic fundamentals to ensure that the wastewater collected helps to maintain an acceptable condition of nature.

The treatment of wastewater is a proven process were all of the solids contained in the water go through a process where their partially removed and partially decomposed, and eventually forming inorganic solid. At that point, all of the liquids are naturally disposed, leaving only the solids behind.

Wastewater disposal can happen in two different ways. The process can include service disposal, such as using it for irrigation as a non-potable liquid. It can also be reclaimed by the Earth using sub-surface disposal techniques where the treated non-potable water is allowed to penetrate below the surface.

Edenflo works hard to maintain the highest standards with our eco-friendly services to ensure the community that no wastewater is discharged on the surface waters including our estuaries, lakes and rivers. Our actions help to eliminate the creation of dissolved oxygen that can cause significant harm to the water and the environment.

What Not to Dump in Your Toilet and How it Can Affect Your Septic Tank

The septic tank requires little maintenance, thus it’s often the most neglected part of the home. There’s very little effort involved in keeping it in good condition. However, homeowners need to keep in mind that a septic tank needs to be clog free in order to work properly.

The tank is not a garbage can and should not be considered as such. Flushing down sanitary napkins, diapers, and even toilet paper can stop the tank from working properly. Random items such as cat litter, coffee grounds, and cigarettes butts can also hamper the efficiency of the tank. Anything that’s non-biodegradable can stop the sewer system from functioning well as it should.

Bacteria grow in the tank, and they are responsible for breaking down the solids that make their way into the system. With a tank nearly filled with non-biodegradable materials, the bacteria in the tank will have a difficult time turning the solids into sludge.

What if the item is too small or too trivial to count? Items such as dental floss and cotton buds may not seem like a lot, but if the tank uses a grinder pump, small items can be stuck in the impeller, causing massive pump damage.

Moreover, chemicals from home cleaning products (such as ammonia, bleach, and drain cleaners) also impede the processes of the septic system. These chemicals interfere with the anaerobic bacteria’s job, making waste processing very inefficient. What’s worse is that the chemicals can seep into and contaminate the nearby water system.

There’s a reason why garbage cans are created—they’re for the proper disposal of biodegradable and non-biodegradable items. When the tank breaks down, it will be most costly for the homeowner to have it repaired. Proper care and maintenance of the tank should save owners from the headaches and expenses that a broken down sewer system brings and that’s where Edenflo can help.

New Video: How Does Your Septic System Work?

Check out our latest video showcasing how your Septic System works, and how through regular maintenance with Edenflo Pump Truck Services, you can avoid damages, and costly repairs. For all of your Septic Tank and System needs, give us a call!

Get Your Septic Tank Inspection before Winter

With proper inspection and cleaning, a septic tank can last as long as 20 years. However, there are times when sludge from the tank accumulates more quickly and needs flushing out so that the tank would work properly.

Although routine maintenance for septic tanks is usually done every three years, homeowners should conduct an annual inspection of their tanks, especially if they have a garbage disposal system in the kitchen. The inspection is done to assess how much waste has accumulated inside the tank.

Regular maintenance of a septic system is less expensive than having it repaired. The grease trap and other tank parts should be inspected and cleaned to prevent septic tank breakdown in the future.

When to Have the Inspection
One of the most important things to remember is not to have the inspection during winter season. The ground is very likely to have become frozen from the cold—this will make digging test holes an impossible task to do.

If you must check on the condition of your system’s catch basin and other parts, do it before winter comes. A licensed septic system investigator should be able to determine if there is a need to flush out or repair the tank.

Flushing out the tank
The sludge sitting inside the tank is made of three different layers. The top layer is mostly oil and other products lighter than water. These float to the top, above the water, which is in the middle. The bottom part is where the decomposed solids are.

The purpose of pumping out the tank is to not only reduce the amount of liquid in the system (which can freeze up during winter), but also to break down the solids at the bottom. Back flushing the tank will break down the solids from the bottom, making the effluent a lot easier to remove.

Residents of Vancouver, Richmond, Delta, Surrey, Langely, New Westminister, Burnaby, Aldergrove and White Rock can call Edenflo for septic system inspection, maintenance, and repairs.