The Pumper's Wife

  In our family, the fall is the "most wonderful time of the year."  After working out in the hot sun all summer, fall breezes are particularly delightful.  But fall also comes with rifle season, campfires, turning leaves and Thanksgiving -- all of which are highly anticipated in this home.   You might even say we have unintentionally created our very own holiday with the on-set of deer season.  We take hunting very seriously...and I have the hanging heads of dead deer to prove it -- much to my home-decorating-agony! What a world this family enjoys...pumping poop and hanging dead deer carcass on the wall! Aren't you jealous? But I digress... What do these changing season mean to you as a septic living homeowner? Honestly?  Not much! We still continue to pumping septic systems all year long.  Our only issue comes with the weather and being able to access the tank.  If you are a homeowner who lives on septic, your tank is likely in the back yard or a bit downhill away from

Today I will elaborate on the septic system drainfield and the best way to care for it. As stated last week, after we conduct a percolation test, and it passes, then we can install a conventional septic system.     In the diagram above, you can see all the components of a septic system.  There is a tank and a leachfield/drainfield.  When I talk to customers, many of them are confused as to what makes up a septic system.  I would say many think that all they have is a tank and that is it.  However, the bigger portion of the septic system (and also the most expensive part) is the leachfield/drainfield/lateral field.  This part of the septic system is where the final treatment takes place.  It is also very important to know where your lateral field is located.  If this portion of your system becomes damaged or inhibited in any way, it will ruin the functionality of your septic system.   Below are two examples of what is being installed today for lateral fields.  The top picture is an exam

When you are married to a guy in the septic industry this time of year means PERC TEST DATE NIGHT!  I mean WHO DOESN'T LOVE watching water absorb into the soil on a gorgeous summer evening?!  I often joke with my customers about how my husband and I have our "romantic septic talks" every night....but to some degree it is no lie.  Every night...candlelight or not....we talk septic! But given it is "installation season" this also means perc tests...thus, perc test date night! So, what are perc tests and why do I feel the need to write about them?  Let me elaborate.... If you’re building a residence in the country, something you might not know is you have install your own wastewater system for your home – or a place for all your wastewater to go.  In town, there is plumbing and city sewers to take care of all that, but if you build in the country you have to provide your own sewer system!  The most popular types of wastewater systems are septic systems.   Septic sy

Today I will elaborate on the septic system drainfield and the best way to care for it.   In the diagram above, you can see all the components of a septic system.  There is a tank and a leachfield/drainfield.  When I talk to customers, many of them are confused as to what makes up a septic system.  I would say many think that all they have is a tank and that is it.  However, the bigger portion of the septic system (and also the most expensive part) is the leachfield/drainfield/lateral field.  This part of the septic system is where the final treatment takes place.  It is also very important to know where your lateral field is located.  If this portion of your system becomes damaged or inhibited in any way, it will ruin the functionality of your septic system.   Below are two examples of what is being installed today for lateral fields.  The top picture is an example of EZ Flow lateral.  The lower picture is an example of plastic gravelless chamber.  Both of these types of systems behav

This week we will talk about TOILET PAPER!! Yay!     What fun?! What fun?!     Who doesn’t LOVE talking about the substance we use to wipe the most disgusting items from our body?! Hip hip hooray!!   I know I have you going on a toilet-paper-celebrating-frenzy, but to be honest, toilet paper is no laughing matter when it comes to your septic system.  Believe it or not, using the wrong toilet paper can clog your system and leave you with a HUGE mess.  So, how do you know if you’re using the wrong toilet paper?     Let me help…    Unfortunately, all toilet papers claim to be “septic safe.”  This can be really confusing to the “new to septic” homeowner.  I’m sure all toilet papers will eventually break down once they get to the tank, but here’s the problem – if they are thicker, 3 ply, quilted toilet paper, they struggle to make it to the tank.   Here’s why…   When you use cheap, single ply toilet paper, the minute it hits the water and gets even the slightest agitation, it will start bre

It’s that time of year when everyone is calling to either get their tank pumped or discuss issues with their septic systems.     An item that is a biggie with many systems is water usage.     Why?     Septic systems are designed to handle only so much water so, if you go over that amount, your systems will let you know….kinda like Christmas dinner makes the pants tighter?     Too much water will show up in standing water on laterals or sometimes back-ups in the house.     I can’t help you with your snug-fitting jeans (shouldn’t we just be able to eat what we want without consequences?), but I can assist with trying to figure out water usage issues!   First and foremost, your system is sized based on the number of bedrooms in your house.  It is assumed that there is at least one person per bedroom using approximately 100 gallons of water a day when sizing a system.  Obviously, there is no way to know exactly how much water will be used in the home, but to date this is the most logical w

NOTE:  I have seen this story in several places -- not sure of the origins, but it's funny nonetheless!  Enjoy! As a guitarist, I play many gigs.  Recently, I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man.  He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the back country.  As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight.  There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late.  I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place.  I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play. The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around.  I played out my heart an soul for this man with no family and friends.  I played like I've never played before for this homeless man. As I playe

     If you’re building in the country, something you might not know is you have install a wastewater system – or a place for all your wastewater to go.     In town, there is plumbing and city sewers to take care of all that, but if you build in the country you have to provide your own sewer system!     The most popular types of wastewater systems are septic systems.   Septic systems work in conjunction with Mother Nature.  The largest part of a septic system is the drain field (also known as a lateral field or leach field).  The drain field is the portion of your septic system that uses the soil to absorb ALL of the water that comes out of your house.  Every time you flush, do a load of laundry, take a shower, run the dishwasher, wash your hands, etc., the water drains out of the house and eventually ends up in the soil right outside.   But there’s actually a little more involved with where your septic system is placed and what kind of soil is best at absorbing water….   Before you ca

This article is timely given the last week's rain....when we get sloppy seasons such as this, be mindful of your septic system and monitor your water usage!! Nebraska is one of those fortunate states that gets to experience all four seasons every year.     Our springs are typically cool and wet, summers hot and dry, crisp falls, and cold, snowy winters.     During any one of these seasons, we can experience extreme weather.     For instance, the fall of 2018 was extremely rainy and led into a winter that was very cold and full of snow.  All that gleaned a TON of moisture that was not kind to many septic systems -- especially the older ones!   Why am I taking the time to tell you this?   Your septic system is sensitive to what Mother Nature does.  If we have a wet fall or spring and the ground is overly saturated, this can cause problems for your system.  Typically, it is the older systems that struggle more during times like these, but we have seen newer systems have problems as w

You and your spouse just bought some land.     Both of you are excited about building and looking at floor plans.     You are looking at different flooring types and bathroom tiles, while your husband is dreaming about his new shop/outbuilding with built in man-cave.     You find yourself a builder and that’s it!     Right?   Well, sort of….   Now, I know it isn’t the most exciting thing to consider, but one of the most expensive items in your house when building in the country is your septic system.  You will spend somewhere between $8,000-12,000 on it depending on the number of bedrooms in the house.  I’m no mathematician, but I doubt you’re spending that kind of money on other appliances.  If you’re going to be writing that big of a check, don’t you think it would be wise to make sure you give this “appliance” your attention?   “What?!” you ask.  “You want me to be more concerned about my wastewater than my flooring and tile?”   Yes....yes, I do.     But not because I don’t want you

I may be showing my age here, but any time I think "time to get pumped" I can't help but lovingly think of  SNLs Hans and Franz and their motivational tag line...."We're here to PUMP YOU UP!" So forgive my age and slightly off way of thinking...but I am here to "PUMP YOU -- OUT!" On a more serious note, the best thing you can do for septic maintenance is have your tank pumped regularly.  It's a lot like changing the oil in your car.  The more miles, the more frequently you change the oil.  With a septic system, the more people, the more solids produced therefore, the more frequently you need to pump.   Here’s why… The diagram above shows what an average septic tank contains on a daily basis.  You will see sewage or wastewater comes in from the house, then liquid, sludge and scum get trapped in the tank, and finally wastewater that seeps to the laterals field.   Though you may find all these components completely gross, it’s actually important t

  Today I will elaborate on the septic system drainfield and the best way to care for it.   In the diagram above, you can see all the components of a septic system.  There is a tank and a leachfield/drainfield.  When I talk to customers, many of them are confused as to what makes up a septic system.  I would say many think that all they have is a tank and that is it.  However, the bigger portion of the septic system (and also the most expensive part) is the leachfield/drainfield/lateral field.  This part of the septic system is where the final treatment takes place.  It is also very important to know where your lateral field is located.  If this portion of your system becomes damaged or inhibited in any way, it will ruin the functionality of your septic system.   Below are two examples of what is being installed today for lateral fields.  The top picture is an example of EZ Flow lateral.  The lower picture is an example of plastic gravelless chamber.  Both of these types of systems beh

Oh toilet paper!  What grievances you have bestowed upon us!  Especially in this last year of shortages and toilet paper hoarding!  Why must you vex us so?! Okay, maybe toilet paper problems aren't that bad, but they can be problematic and in this time of crazy weather cycles, toilet paper can become a septic systems public enemy number one.  Why is this?  First of all, most toilet papers claim to be “septic safe.”     This can be really confusing to the “new to septic” homeowner.     I’m sure all toilet papers will eventually break down once they get to the tank, but here’s the problem – if they are thicker, 3 ply, quilted toilet paper, they struggle to make it to the tank.   Here’s why…   When you use cheap, singl e ply toilet paper, the minute it hits the water and gets even the slightest agitation, it will start breaking down into tiny pieces.  This is perfect for a septic system because tiny pieces do not get stuck in the line or in the baffle region of the tank.  Therefore, t