Greenway Septic Service

Greenway Septic Service
Greenwood Lake, NY 10925

Septic 101


How does a septic system work?

  1. A house sewer line carries the waste to the septic tank.
  2. A septic tank which prepares the waste material for disposal into the leaching system.
  3. A liquid distribution box may be used to uniformly distribute effluent through the leaching system.
  4. A leaching system which may consist of a leaching field, trenches, pits, beds or galleries which help purify the effluent by filtration through the soil.

 

Understanding a Septic System:

Septic systems are individual wastewater treatment systems that use the soil to treat small wastewater flows, usually from individual homes. They are typically used in rural or large lot settings where centralized wastewater treatment is impractical.

There are many types of septic systems in use today. While all septic systems are individually designed for each site, most  septic systems are based on the same principles.
A septic system consists of a septic tank, a distribution box,  and a drainfield, all connected by pipes called conveyance lines.

The wastewater your home produces is referred to as effluent and consists of black water (toilet waste) and grey water (kitchen, shower, sink, and laundry waste).   Effluent flows directly from your house into a "watertight", underground, two compartment (chamber) septic tank.   Solid waste settles into a sludge layer  on the bottom and fats float to the top of the first compartment.  Between these two scum layers is a zone of clarified liquid effluent which is internally piped to the second compartment of the septic tank for additional settling.  

As incoming sewage from the house fills the first compartment, clarified liquids are forced to leave the second chamber of the septic tank and flow out to the leach field or leach pit.   The typical leach field is a series of shallow rock filled trenches   where effluent is "purified" as it slowly percolates through the soil.   A leach pit is a deeper, larger hole filled with rock for disposing of wastewater.

This effluent then slowly seeps into the subsurface soil where it  is further treated and purified.

 


Common causes of failure

  • neglecting to regularly inspect and clean the septic tank
  • lack of understanding on proper use of the system
  • poor soil conditions and/or faulty design or installation
  • over use - volume of water discharged exceeds system capabilities
  • Odor and/or Slow draining tubs and toilet back-ups are signs of septic system failure.
  • High surface water in the leaching area
  • Lush growth of grass

Many problems can be prevented by simple maintenance, but not all. We can evaluate your system, including inlet and outlet T's, distribution boxes and the drain field. A simple evaluation can save your family thousands of dollars, unforeseen stress,  and embarrassment.

If a problem does occur, it is best to contact Greenway Septic Service for further investigation as pumping alone may not remedy the problem.

 

Daily service seven days a week 

24 Hour Emergency Service

845-595-1063 office/fax

845-653-1486 cell

 

SMARTER, CLEANER, GREENER 

 

 

 
 

 

 KEEPING IT GREEN

 

 

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Greenway Septic Service
Greenwood Lake, NY 10925