Tag Archives: septic system maintenance

Homeowners – Don’t Neglect Your Septic System!

Most of the time, your septic system quietly burbles away in the backyard, very efficiently turning waste products into nutrients that the earth uses to nourish plant life.  When it’s working correctly, a septic system is a pleasure to own.  When it malfunctions, it’s a complete headache.  It can make unpleasant odours, unexpected flooding, and render your home’s sinks and toilets inoperable.  And it will always act up at the least convenient time – in the middle of the night, or a few minutes before the first guests arrive for your big party.

Instead of waiting for a problem to – ahem – arise, practice regular preventive maintenance on your septic system – the grease trap (if you have one), the tank itself, and the weeping tiles in the septic field.

Edenflo family owned business

In BC’s lower mainland, Edenflo Pump Truck Services is your go-to provider of septic and holding tank service.  We’re a family owned business, and we understand the concerns faced by homeowners with septic tanks.  We’ve devised a strategy of periodic preventive maintenance that will keep your septic system working as designed without any hiccups.  We’ll come and inspect at predetermined intervals, and perform only the work that’s required.  If the sludge build up in your septic tank warrants pumping (which all do, in intervals of one to five years or so) we’ll clean it out. We can use video line inspection to ensure that your main sewer line is clear of obstructions, and we can use hydro flushing to clean any blockages, and even clean your septic field.  But we’ll only do what needs to be done to keep your system operating, trouble free.

Edenflo serves all of the lower mainland with the best septic tank service including Abbotsford, Aldergrove, Delta, Surrey, Langley, White Rock, Richmond and as far away as Lions Bay.

For more information about regular maintenance services offered by Edenflo, and to find out why you need to sign up for the peace of mind this service will give you, call 604-575-1414 or fill out our online request for service.

Why Do Septic Tanks Overflow?

Installing a septic tank in your property (if there isn’t a municipal sewer system available in your area) helps in waste water management. Although a septic tank could last for many years, there are times when it begins to malfunction.

Septic Tank and Septic System

One of the most common problems of a septic tank is overflowing. An overfilled tank is not only disgusting; it is also hazardous to health. When the tank overflows, the risk of contaminating drinking water with unprocessed human waste is bigger. This could lead to a number of illnesses that could be prevented if only an efficient septic system was installed.

Too Small a Tank
The size of the septic tank determines how efficient the system will be in processing waste water. For an estimate on how big a tank should be, multiply by 150 gallons the number of individuals in a household. That should be the holding capacity of your septic tank. A small septic tank cannot contain all the wastes and water in a home, so the risk of overflowing is greater.

Sludge Buildup
Septic tanks should be pumped out every three years. If there are more people and if a lot of water is used in the household, then the tank should be cleaned more frequently. Septic tanks spill over when there is too much sludge, water or solids accumulated in the system. To prevent an overrun, have the tank inspected by a licensed septic system investigator to see whether there is a need to repair or pump out the system.

Ground Water
Anaerobic bacteria in the tank break down solid wastes and convert them to sludge. Liquids in the tank go through the drain field and into the soil. When the soil is saturated with water, it becomes inefficient in absorbing the waste water from the tank. The waste water could enter the drinking water system and that could lead to a lot of health problems.

Edenflo specializes in minor plumbing and pump repairs, septic tank inspection and cleaning, and power flushing of storm and sanitary drain lines. Don’t wait for sludge and septic waste to infiltrate your home, ensure you book an annual inspection with Edenflo.

Are You Using Baby Wipes?

Do you or someone you know use baby wipes? When they’re done, do they just toss them away?

Here’s something to think about. While the package may say flushable, recognize that only means it will easily go down the toilet and to your tank. What happens to it once it gets there? It’s biodegrades, right? Eventually, that’s correct.

In the meantime, you have mounds of baby wipes (we all know how many a baby needs) building up in your tank, bio-degrading at different rates. Your pump has to avoid them. And once you’re at the point of needing your tank pumped, the pump truck now has to avoid them. It neither is successful in avoidance, this can end up being a very costly “throw-away” for you.

Your best option is to throw it away. Not in your toilet, but with the diaper. Save yourself the potential cost of repair.