The Pumper's Wife

So, if you read my previous ever-so-eloquently-written-wastewater-post from last week…You’ll notice the first thing I mentioned when avoiding septic system “messes” was WATER USAGE.  Today, I’m going to elaborate on that.     I had written how septic systems are sized according to the number of bedrooms.  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 way to assume approximate water usage. One thing septic systems are good at, is showing you when you’ve used too much water.  (Think about trying to fit 20 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket…)  Typically, you’ll see standing water over your drainfield first, but sometimes too much water can lead to a back-up in the house as well.  Below, I have listed the ...

As I have stated before in previous posts/blogs/articles, so many people don’t really know how their wastewater systems work.  Because they don’t know how they work, they don’t understand simple “dos” and “don’ts” of a septic system.   I totally get it!  Until I got drug into this business I never pondered what happened every time I flushed.  I doubt you do either.  However, when it comes to your own on-site wastewater system (i.e. septic systems) if you don’t ponder it just a little bit, it can lead to big, messy, gross, disgusting, expensive problem. Have I enticed you enough thus far?   Great, let’s dig in! Today, I’m going to write an overview of how a septic system functions.   I mean, if you’re going to understand something you need to start with how it works, right?  Right. The diagram above is a basic description of what happens to all the wastewater in your home....

So, I have written several posts about traditional septic items – how about something septic related but on the side of “new” or “advanced”?  (Technically it’s not really new…but it is new to Nebraska!)  Did you know technology exists to clean up your wastewater better than ever?  For years, the main treatment of septic wastewater has been in the tank.  The water drains in the tank first and because it is typically air tight, the bacteria in the tank conduct anaerobic respiration to break down all the nasty stuff that is in the water.  After the tank treatment, the water slowly drains out to your lateral field where the soil performs a final treatment.  In the drainfield, water is either absorbed into the ground or evaporated through the plants (transvaporation). So why would an alternative to this treatment that has worked for years be necessary you ask?  Well, there are several reasons!  1) As wast...

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...

Grandma used to say "my 'forgetter' works better than anything else I got!"  As I get older, I totally see where Grandma was coming from.  Wow...why is it so hard to remember things? The other day I was reading an article (non-septic related – shocker, I know…) about memory loss and a recent study that found the average adult forgets three things a day.    Three things a day!!    Isn’t that crazy?    On the list of things “most forgotten” the top 5 were: 1.       Letting a cup a coffee go cold 2.       Where you put your keys 3.       What you went into a shop for 4.       Clothes in the washing machine 5.       Taking food out of the freezer We live in a world where there are more pressures and distractions than ever before.    This does not aid in our memory loss.    So, ...

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 colder than we have seen for a while.   We also gleaned quite a bit of snow during the 2018-19 winter as well. 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 well.  It all depends on the amount of water a household uses, the soil type your system is placed in, and the...

You and your spouse just bought some land.    Both of you are excited about building and looking at floor plans.    You are dreaming about different flooring and bathroom tiles, while your husband is designing 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 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” some of your planning attention? “What?!” you ask.    “You want me to be more concerned about...