FAQs

How often do I need my septic tank cleaned?

Every 2-3 years is typically recommended to keep your system properly maintained.

Are there any symptoms to let me know that I may need my septic tank cleaned?

Yes. The toilet flushes slower than usual, and you may have a backup in a basement drain.

How are septic tanks located?

Probing the ground with a bar or using an electronic locating device.

Does waste water from a garbage disposal or dishwasher go into a septic tank?

Yes. Have your septic tank cleaned routinely to avoid problems with the septic system.

How are clogged lines cleaned?

The most common way of unclogging a sewer line is using an electric eel. Electric eel machines rotate a steel coil cable and a cutting blade through the line.

My pump alarm is going off. Why?

The liquid level in the pump chamber is either too high or too low, or an electric problem exists in your system. You might try checking your circuit breakers.

What is a drainfield?

Septic drainfields are used to remove contaminants and impurities from the liquid that emerges from the septic tank. Another term for this is a leach field or leach drain. A septic tank, the septic drainfield and the associated piping compose a complete septic system.

The drain field typically consists of an arrangement of trenches containing perforated pipes and porous material (often gravel) covered by a layer of soil to prevent surface runoff from reaching the wastewater distributed within those trenches.

What is a Jetter Service?

A jetter is composed of a controlled high-pressure water source, a flexible high pressure line (called a jetter hose) of up to several hundred feet in length, and a nozzle that uses hydraulic force to pull the line into sewer drains, clean the sides of pipes, and flush out residue.

Jetters are primarily used to remove obstructions throughout the length of a building's drain field and to prevent the recurrence of clogs by cleaning the sides of drain pipes and flushing out residue.

What is a Dye Test?

A dye test is used to determine if waste water leaks to the ground surface —an unsanitary condition indicating serious septic failure.

The test involves flushing dye down a toilet or other drain. The system is purged with water to put a working load on the absorption system. If the dye surfaces, then the septic system is malfunctioning.


Didn’t find the answer you were looking for? Call the professionals at Economy Septic Service at (724) 775-1269 today for any further questions you may have.

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