Frequently Asked Questions

For routine maintenance such as having your septic tank pumped, replacing a broken lid, or having your drain field jet washed, all these task can be preformed without a permit. Any time it involves changing or repairing an existing septic system, installing a new one, or digging in the drain field itself, requires a permit from your local enviromental health department first.

If your existing septic system is malfunctioning and not working properly, chances are that it may be fixable. If tree roots haven’t compromised the lines in your drain field, or your not using an excessive amount of water that your drain field can’t handle, there’s a very good chance that your septic is fixable. From either replacing lids on your existing tank, fixing a broken or damaged pipe, or to jet washing your drain field out, these solutions can potentially fix your septic problem, and for way less than the cost of a new septic system.

You should have your septic tank pumped every 3-5 years, depending on the amount of usage. Big family, high volume of water use, or rental properties should start with having it pumped every 3 years, and then determine if it can go longer between pumping. For small households, 5 years should be sufficient as long as no harmful items aren’t being flushed down the drains.

A properly maintained septic system can last a very long time. What kills a septic system is not having the tank pumped often enough, to much water being used for the size of the drain field, tree roots evading into the drain field and blocking up pipes, and strong amounts of cleaners and chemicals that can kill the healthy and beneficial bacteria in your septic tank.