Do You Have Effluent Showing Up In Your Yard?

May 8th, 2009

Help! I have effluent showing up in my yard, does this mean my leechbed is full and needs replaced? Or can the Septic Genie help me???? Thanks!!

This is the typical symptom of drain field failure. It is an inevitable consequence of putting anaerobic (without oxygen) effluent from conventional septic systems into the same place in the soil.  The normal period of time it takes for this failure to occur is approximately 20 years.

This period of time is based on the soil type, the design of the drain field and the number of people who use the septic system daily.

The Septic Genie technology was developed to reverse this situation by breaking down the organic slimes and other organic materials that clog the soil pores.   This is accomplished by using aeration and facultative bacteria in a device that merely sits on the bottom of your septic tank and “grows” these bacteria using your family’s wastes as “food”.

Upon leaving the septic tank, these bacteria will continue to breakdown organic material, most especially organic slimes, thus reducing the viscousity of these slimes, and returning the drain field to proper function.

The Septic Genie will solve this problem.

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How Often Should A Septc Tank Be Pumped?

May 7th, 2009

Assuming a septic system is designed properly, it shouldn’t have any real disposal problems for 20 to 25 years provided the system is not overloaded beyond its design capacity and your septic tank is periodically “serviced”.  Service means pump it on a regular basis.

The conventional, anaerobic septic tank is basically a filter for the disposal field.  Its purpose is to retain 70 to 90 percent of the organic load, the “solid stuff” you put into the tank.  It does this by a minimum retention time that has little movement (except when you add new stuff) of the liquid into and out of the septic tank.

Intestinal bacteria continue to survive in the tank and while in there, they secrete enzymes that break apart the solids at the molecular level allowing non floating solids to sink to the bottom forming sludge and the floatable solids to rise to the surface of the effluent as scum.

The resultant “clarified” effluent then leaves the tank, still “nasty” with some suspended solids and intestinal bacteria, and ends up in the disposal field there to be absorbed into the soil for final treatment.
The intestinal bacteria will ultimately cause the disposal field to fail through biomat clogging of the soil.

If you don’t periodically pump out the accumulated solids in the septic tank, the retention time needed for this “filtration” by sequestration to happen, is reduced by the ever growing layers of sludge and scum.  These solids take up volume that would otherwise be liquid.  This reduced retention time causes the clarified effluent to contain a greater concentration of non-settled or separated solids and intestinal bacteria.

These addtitional solids and intestinal bacteria then inappropriately leave the septic tank and end up in the disposal field to cause premature disposal field failure.  This is why you must pump an anaerobic conventional septic tank.

The current thought in the septic industry is pumping should be done no less often than three years and no more than five years

When you have your tank pumped, have the pumper check your tank to see the amount of solids build up.  That is the key.  Six to eight inches of scum or floating solids is the max you want in the tank.

Do not put any bacteria or enzyme amendments into the septic tank that claim to reduce pumping.  They will.  These products short circuit the filtering aspects of the conventional septic tank by solubolizing the filtered and stored solids and sending them out to the disposal field to cause premature failure just like I described above.

The Septic Genie will reduce the need to pump your septic tank to near zero while keeping your disposal field from failure.  The Genie uses bacteria to accomplish this but they are grown in an incubator (Genie) continuously operating in the septic tank and daily sending out countless numbers of these bacteria to the disposal field to keep the soils open and functional.  Do not make the mistake of comparing what the Septic Genie does with bacteria vis a vis these amendments.

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How Do I Know If I Have A Clogging Problem?

May 1st, 2009

If you have doubts about exactly what is causing your septic problem, the first question you should ask, in determining what may be the problem, should be how old is the septic system?  If the septic system is approximately 20 years old or older, then it is fairly certain that clogging of the disposal field soils is the problem.  In that event, a Septic Genie would solve that problem.

Should the age of the septic system be reasonably less than the 20+ years, then you can ask around your neighborhood and see whether problems tend to develop with other septic systems in the time frame you are experiencing septic problems.  Also, are these other systems experiencing the same symptoms or problems as you septic system.  If the answers are basically no, then there are other steps now to take.

It would be appropriate to then have a pumper come out and inspect your septic system.  Pump the tank at the same time if you have not pumped the tank within the past three years.  Pumping will allow you to evaluate whether additional liquid is entering the system.

If there is a leak in water lines or a broken pipe on the inlet side of the tank, you will hear water entering the septic tank.  Call a plumber.  If there is failure of the disposal field or there is high ground water entering the disposal field, you should see water entering the septic tank from the outlet end.  Call Septic Genie.

The pumper or you can do a water stress test on the outlet end of the septic tank to determine how much liquid load the disposal field can handle before backing up.  The pumper should know how to do a water stress test.  If not, contact us again and we will send you instructions.

Since you didn’t give us any particulars about your septic problem or any symptoms of failure there is little else to advise you on.

The pumper may have some opinion or position about your septic system and the need to repair it.  We will happily offer you an objective evaluation of his proposal even if you decide not to purchase a Genie.

We try to offer everyone information about septic solutions even if we don’t sell a Genie.

We see our company as a service company to inform the home owner of all nuances of septic system repair and assist them in understanding what they are being offered without trying to sell a Genie.

Your septic problem is the critical issue and you must choose the best course of action for you and your family.

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Leach Field Problems

April 28th, 2009

Here’s a good question today from Dan Goddard:
Questions:
1. I don’t think that all my leech lines are working. The first leg that comes out of the tank has a couple of areas where water has surfaced and my yard is getting soggy. Can you help?
2. When washer drains we have pooling at or near the septic and bubbling in the toilet. No pooling when flushing toilet and no water backing up from other drains. Had tank pumped 1 year ago. Occasional odor near septic tank. What are your thoughts?

Answer:

Your septic system is indeed demonstating several common symptoms of leach field problems.  Your leach lines are clogged with biomat.  They are not allowing all of the liquid effluent leaving your septic tank to pass through to the unsaturated soil.  What you see on the surface of the ground around your septic tank and leach lines is the amount of liquid the leach lines cannot absorb.

The soggy areas are merely liquid effluent that is now looking for a way out. The liquid cannot leave the trenches by the bottom and sides and must now leave the trench by absorption through the soil on top of the trenches.  This absorption process breaks down the soil structure and by being constantly wet and therefore makes the soil soggy.

The pooling you have from the washer is typical of a fast and heavy slug of liquid being forced into a septic tank that has leach field problems.

It takes time for the liquid to leave the tank because the leach lines can’t take the liquid load quickly.  The liquid tries to get out wherever it can in the quickest time. If the liquid cannot drain down through your leach lines it tries to come out on the surface; if there is resistance on the surface due to pooling from a previous breakout, the liquid will try and escape from the tank.
As the slug load is slowly absorbed by the leach line, the liquid disappears.  The bubbling in the toilet is the displaced air caught in the inlet sewer line to the septic tank from your house that has to get out some way.  As the liquid from the tank is backing up to some level into the inlet sewer line, it rises up to the easiest place to get out and that is normally the shower/tub drains or a toilet (these being the lowest drain points).

The pumping merely removed solids (assuming the pumper properly pumped your tank) and keeps the retention time for the solids separation at a correct duration. Pumping will not cure leach field problems.
The smell near the septic tank is most likely from effluent in the soil that is surfacing during the wash event.  This effluent carries some organic material solubolized in the liquid and many intestinal bacteria.

The soil becomes saturated over time, has no oxygen in the soil pores and makes a usable home for the intestinal bacteria entrained in the effluent.  There over time, these intestinal bacteria will create odors that we commonly refer to as septic odors.  There could also be enough soil disturbance over the time the liquid has surfaced over the septic tank to make small passage ways in the soil when not filled with effluent during washing events to allow septic gases to escape to the surface.

The Septic Genie is the answer if you don’t want to tear up your yard and pocket book.  This technology has cured many hundreds of septic failures just like this.

Posted in Leach Field Problems | No Comments »

Can Septic Genie Rid Biomat Clogged Drain Lines?

April 24th, 2009

Mr Koch wrote into us with the following question:

“My septic system has been flooded for about the last 2 months. I was wondering if septic genie can get rid of the biomat which has been rapidly growing since the flooding and clogging our drain lines.”

The Genie technology and method of use was focused on the drain field problem you’re having.  Since biomat is the single or major contributing factor in 95 plus percent of septic system failures, it seemed like the logical issue to be concerned with.  It took ten years and contributions from a number of people to find the solution.

The creation of biomat is by intestinal bacteria forming a huge colony that spreads into soil pores over time.  When depth penetration into the soil is deep enough, the biomat disallows the passage of liquid out into the soil as fast as you put liquid into the system.  The surplus that can’t get out of the system each day begins to add up to a volume that eventually creates enough hydraulic pressure that can cause surfacing of effluent as your septic system is doing.  This problem is a biological problem.

The solution is also a biological; find some organism that can either kill the intestinal bacteria or consume their by product (biomat) that is the problem. That is just what the Genie does.

It is a small incubator that grows facultative bacteria at the exclusion of nearly all other aerobic bacteria that might try and colonize the incubator.  They use your waste as food and multiply rapidly.  A percentage of these bacteria become entrained in the liquid effluent in the septic tank and then leave the septic tank and travel to the drain field.  There they do the most important of jobs; they breakdown and eventually consume biomat.

The removal of biomat opens the soil to percolation (the movement of water through the soil by gravity) and your septic system can function properly again.  The continued operation of the Genie in your septic tank will continue the process of remediation with every flush of the toilet or bath/shower you take.  As time passes, the entire biomat that formed over the years your anaerobic system operated will be digested and the soils surrounding your drain field will be capable of percolating liquid.

The Septic Genie technology has been restoring failed septic systems since 2000.  There are thousands of septic systems just like yours that have been restored to proper function.  The Septic Genie will restore your septic drain field.

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What Is The Life Span Of A Concrete Tank And What Means Are Required To Maintain It?

April 23rd, 2009

A properly designed and manufactured precast concrete septic tank can last a hundred years.

The major problem for durability is the use of the concrete tank for anaerobic effluent storage (household waste!).  Anaerobic intestinal bacteria surviving in the liquid and waste, produce a by gas product named Hydrogen Sulfide gas.  This gas is well known for its rotten egg smell.  It is one of the constituent gases that is readily recognized as “septic smell”.

This gas collects between the top of the liquid and tank lid and is the energy source for sulfide metabolizing bacteria named Thiabacillus.

This bacteria leaves a by product of their sulfide metabolism and that is Sulphuric Acid.  These bacteria coat all the concrete surfaces above the liquid level and leave countless microscopic drops of this acid on the concrete every day.  Over time, the acid breaks down the “basic” concrete thus destroying the septic tank.

The only way to protect against this process is to coat the inside surfaces of the septic tank with a non reactive material.  This is required on new tanks in many states.

In an existing tank, this isn’t practical.  Installing a Genie will kill the intestinal bacteria that create the Hydrogen Sulfide gas.  No more gas, no more energy for sulfide seeking bacteria, thus no more acid to destroy the tank.  Now the tank can last indefinitely.  This is another advantage to installing a Genie.

Other than this issue, there is nothing you need to be concerned about for your concrete septic tank.

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Septic Genie and Vacation Homes

April 17th, 2009

Many vacation homes are in remote areas and are not hooked up to mains sewer. In these situations the homes are on a septic system.

Here’s a question we recently received:
I have a seasonal cottage in mid-New Hampshire, the season being June-October. If I run the Genie only during these months each year, will I need to replace the bacteria each year? Will the Genie be as effective if not operated continuously?
Answer:

The Genie will certainly remediate and keep the septic system operating at any normal usage.  As long as the Genie is operating during the periods when the residence is in use, the bacteria will be generated within the system and they will leave the septic tank and travel to the disposal field where they will consume biological slimes and organic matter.

When you stop using the septic system there is no further potential for degradation.
You would close the residence down, unplug the Genie and leave for the winter.  When you return the next spring/summer, replace the bacteria bag and plug in the Genie.  The system will stabilize with 24 hours and you’re back to keeping your septic system remediated.

You can purchase the new bacteria bag (BacPac) through the web site and it will be dropped shipped to your address.

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Tree Roots and Septic Drain Fields

April 6th, 2009

Many homeowners are concerned that tree roots can cause their septic system to fail. Here’s a typical question we get:
Question:

I have 5 large oak trees within ten feet of my septic and drain field. Will the Septic Genie work here?

Answer:

Tree roots when they invade a drain field or enter a septic tank become a structural matrix for intestinal bacteria to colonize.  Over time the intestinal bacteria fill the spaces between the hair roots as they do in soil pores.  The process takes longer because the tree roots have larger spaces between the hairs.  This biomat clog will be removed just like the biomat in the soil.  The roots merely want water and nutrients.  They don’t want to be a barrier to the passage of nutrient laden water.

Take a steel wool pad and put it under your kitchen faucet.  Water passes right through.  Now put mayonnaise on it.  No water passes through.  The steel wool is more dense than tree roots.  Mayonnaise is like biomat.  Get rid of the biomat and the tree roots actually help in reducing the amount of liquid that the soil needs to process.  The roots also uptake many of the contaminants that the soil microbes would have to deal with to purify the septic effluent.  But keeping the biomat out of the root mass is necessary.  This the Genie does just like it does in the soil.

We have restored many drain fields with root intrusion using the Genie technology and do more every year.

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Drain Field Problems

March 31st, 2009

Question:

Our septic field normally shows up as 5 very green strips in our yard. In the past week two of the green lines have started to die. We are wondering if this is a sign of a problem with our drain field. Thank you.

Answer:

This is a classic story.  You most likely have what is called a serial distribution leach field.

This means that all of the effluent (liquid leaving your septic tank) goes to the first of the five lines of trenches you have until it fails, and then by design flows to the second keeping the first one filled and failed until the second one fails and then the effluent goes to the third one etc etc.

The important fact is that each line stays failed and full of effluent in this process.  An anaerobic conventional septic system is designed to fail from this process.

What happens with the plant growth over the lines is that the effluent in the lines rises to a depth where it gets into the root zone of the plants growing over the lines.  Initially, through a biological process commonly known as nitrification, a group of chemolithotrophic bacteria (you don’t want me to explain what these guys are here) “oxidize” the nitrogen in ammonia to nitrate.

Nitrate is a fertilizer as I’m sure you know.

Now the plants over the drain field have access to liquid and food.  They stay green when surrounding plants don’t and or grow more robustly in comparison with these other plants.  This is the green stripes you mentioned.  Eventually, these plants are exposed to too much fertilizer and liquid and become stressed and die.  Over fertilization is often a problem for plant health.  That is what is now happening with the die back of these green stripes.

This means that your leach field is extremely marginal and very near failure.

This is the time to install a Septic Genie and remediate these lines.  In fact, for remediation, this is the best time to install a Genie as the field hasn’t totally failed and the effluent from your septic tank is still being absorbed sub soil.  Obviously, it takes a bit longer to restore function if the system is in total failure.

Posted in Drain Field, Leach Field | No Comments »

Septic Odors and Gases

March 27th, 2009

Here’s an interesting question we received about septic odors and gases:

Question:

I have sewer gas leaking back through my septic system into the house. The pipe bringinsewer into the system does not have a 90 degree elbow extending down into the tank. Do I need to install an elbow with a short pipe extending down into the tank. and if so how far into the tank should it extend ?
Answer:

The gases generated in your septic tank by septic bacteria have to get out of the tank or these gases can cause an explosive (not like a bomb) back up in the waste pipes.  Explosive means that you might flush the toilet and a geyser of septic tank effluent and solids can charge back into your house because of the high pressure in the septic tank from gases not being able to escape pushes some of the contents back into the house.

Your waste, drain and disposal pipe system has vents before all fixtures so these gases can excape from the system (typically through the roof) and not get into your house.  Homes that are fifty or sixty years old or older can have a single vent running up the side of the house to vent the sewer line before the house.  Often times these vents don’t penetrate the roof and merely stop at the or just below the eaves.  These are not very effecient and can become clogged by insects, birds and general debris.  These types of vents must be kept open and clean.

If you are smelling septic gases, formed by septic bacteria, in the house, I would need to know if it is constant or merely when you use particular plumbing fixtures.  Over time, solids can and do build up inside the waste pipes of the house and give off septic gases.  Flushing toilets in older homes can often allow these septic gases into the house during the flushing cycle when there is liquid moving through the trap of the toilet creating air channels for gases to get into the house.  More information will be needed to understand your problem.

Obviously, there can be a broken fitting or vent pipe with a hole in it that is allowing the septic gases to get into you walls and house.  If you have a cast iron waste and vent system, and the home is fifty plus years old, this is a real possibility.  There are sulfide metabolizing bacteria living in the aerobic areas of the septic and waste pipes of your house that utilize Hydrogen Sulfide gas and leave Sulfuric Acid on your pipes.  Cast iron pipes will be eaten up over time.  Modern PVC or ABS pipes are inert and non reactive to acids and don’t have this problem.  This would need to be investigated by a plumber or other equally skilled individual.

Have the septic tank opened and inspected.  If you haven’t pumped your septic tank regularly, then solids can build up in the tank and cause liquid and solids from the house to back up into the inlet sewer line from your house.  The pumper should be able to advise you about the condition of your tank.  If the tank is heavily laden with solids, you  might want to have your sewer line jetted or rootered to remove residual solids that may have attached to the inside of the pipe.

Lastly, you could have a broken inlet sewer pipe from the house that can cause a build up of solids in the inlet pipe even though the septic system works.  Its not common but does occur.  Again, have a local septic professional look into the possibility if nothing else seems to help.

Sewer gases created by septic bacteria are toxic and can make you ill or even cause death.  The smell you are experiencing is most typically Hydrogen Sulfide.  Sulfides will anesthetize the olfactory nerves in your nose and you won’t smell it after a very short period of exposure time but it is still there.  Hydrogen Sulfide gas damages your hemogloben cells so they cannot uptake oxygen.  Simply put, it damages the oxygen transportation system in you body so you can’t use oxygen when exposed to certain concentrations of the gas for a long enough time.  Do not allow this problem to continue undiagnosed and repaired.

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