Cesspool & Septic Service, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, NY

The Purpose of a Grease Trap Grease traps are often called interceptors and grease converters and they have one main purpose, to catch or intercept the grease and solid waste before they enter the wastewater in a septic or sewer system. These grease traps are metal or plastic tank fixtures, attached to plumbing systems, that contain pools of rotting food and waste. Fats, oils, and grease are lighter than water and float to the top of the tanks.  Grease traps have been around since the 1880’s and the technology has remained almost the same since then. They have a tank that acts as a reservoir holding the wastewater and solids that enter the trap. As the wastewater cools, the fat, oil, and grease hardens, and allows the food solids to settle. These solids, being lighter than water, float to the top of the grease trap. The wastewater is forced through the grease trap and out to the septic or sewer system. The fat, oil, and grease remain in the tank increasing in volume fro

Symptoms of a Failing Septic System Septic tank failure can cause a smelly, dangerous and costly mess and it’s something that you should absolutely avoid. If your home has a septic system, you should make sure to watch out for any signs of trouble. Here are five symptoms that your septic tank is not working as it should. Each of these symptoms should be taken seriously and handled immediately. If you notice any of these signs then you should call a septic system service to inspect your system. Smell A clear indication that your septic system isn’t right is the smell. If the smell of sewage anywhere near your home, drain-field, or within your home then trouble may be brewing. Greener grass The first sign of a drain-field beginning to fail is an increasing amount of moisture in the soil. If you notice that the grass is growing quicker or vibrantly around the septic tank site, then there’s likely a problem. Excessive plant growth shows that the problem may have bee

How Often Should You Pump Your Septic Tank The answer to question of how often one should service their septic tank depends on a multitude of factors. Thankfully, there is a way to stay up-to-date on septic maintenance. Initially, you should have your tank pumped 3-5 years after it’s installed new. This first service will provide you with valuable insight into the condition of the septic tank and the amount of solids. The pumping professionals can then recommend a schedule based on the thickness of the solids, together with other factors like the timing since the tank was new or last serviced as well as the number of people living in the home. Keep in mind that there really is no way to predict the conditions of a septic tank over a period of time. That said, if a pumper provides a recommendation for how often to pump your septic system, they are only basing this recommendation on what they see at the moment. Any changes in habits or lifestyle can, and will, affect the sept

How a Septic Tank Works The septic tank is defined as “A tank in which waste matter is decomposed through bacterial action.” Today’s septic tank is a watertight box usually made of precast concrete, concrete blocks, or reinforced fiberglass. A septic tank is a small, on-site treatment and disposal system buried in the ground. the septic system has two main parts, one - the septic tank and two - the soil absorption area. When waste water from your home enters the septic tank this is what happens: 1. Organic solid waste floats to the surface and forms a layer of what is commonly called “scum.”  Bacteria in the septic tank biologically digest and convert this material to liquid. 2. Inorganic solid materials and the by-products of bacterial digestions sink to the bottom of the tank and form a layer commonly known as “sludge.” 3. There’s only clear water between the scum and sludge layers. It is this clear water – And only this clear water – that should overflow into

Facts About Your Septic System If you have a septic tank or plan on installing one, it’s important to know how it works. This will help you take the right precautions to extend its life, understand what to do if something goes wrong, and take inventory of your options if you ever need to expand your system because of a home improvement project. These single-home water treatment systems are used by one in five U.S. households and nearly half of all houses in the South clean up wastewater just as well as city municipal systems. Septic systems are better options for lower populated rural and suburban areas, where running sewer lines would be to expensive. The typical life expectancy of a septic system is 25 to 30 years. How septic systems work All septic systems are made up of two main parts - a tank where solids settle to the bottom and a drainfield (also known as a leachfield) where the water disperses. The type of septic system you have should be included in th

How does a Cesspool Work? Biodegradable waste water empties out of a home through a main drainage pipe into the cesspool. The cesspool is an underground water-tight container made to hold the liquid and solid waste. Naturally occurring anaerobic bacteria begins to breakdown the waste by essentially digesting it and separating it into three parts. Solid waste which sinks to the bottom of the tank, lighter particles which form a layer of scum along the surface. Bacteria continues to break down the solid waste and converts it into liquid which then flows out through a series of perforated pipes known as leach fields into where it slowly seeps harmlessly into the surrounding soil. The soil receives, treats and disperses the wastewater into the ground. #Cesspool #Cesspools #NewCesspool #NewCesspools #CesspoolPumped #CesspoolsPumped #Septic #SepticTank #SepticTanks #SepticSystem #NewSepticSystem #SepticTankPumped #Overflow #Overflows #OverflowPumped #Overflo

Cesspool Preventative Maintenance Cesspools require maintenance every few months depending on the size and the condition of your cesspool. Most importantly routine maintenance can prolong the life of your system, but only when performed by a reputable cesspool and septic company. The most common method of cleaning out a cesspool is with the use of a large pumping truck. But there are ways to keep your cesspool system working efficiently in the meantime by controlling what goes into it. While bacteria is key to the breakdown of waste in a cesspool, there are many substances which can’t be easily broken down and can even kill of the helpful bacteria. Here’s a short list of objects you should avoid putting into your cesspool: •Household chemicals •Antibacterial cleansers •Diapers •Hygiene and paper products •Grease and fatty matter •Powdered laundry detergent   •Insoluble clay #Cesspool #Cesspools #NewCesspool #NewCesspools #CesspoolPu

Cesspools Cleaning Options There are 3 common ways to clean out your cesspool, each with their own set of advantages and drawbacks. Aeration This is a process of  pouring sulfuric acid into the cesspool. The acid will break down the solid waste and sludge material which allows for air to pass through and break down and further breakdown the waste. The downside to this is the corrosive nature of the sulfuric acid which can cause damage to the inner walls of the cesspool if not used correctly. Hydro-Jetting Hydro-jetting is a process of shooting high-pressure water into the ground at the bottom of a cesspool. This method breaks up the solids and has a fast recovery time when cleaning a cesspool. Pumping This is the most common way to clean out a cesspool. This method involves the use of a large certified pumping truck with extracts the contents of a cesspool into a large storage tank. Pumping should be done anywhere between once a year to once every 3 or 4 years d

Dry Wells Dry wells are drainage structures that leach rain water from parking lots, roads, buildings, roof water, bridges, or a house roof or driveway into the ground. Home dry wells can also be utilized to leach laundry water into the ground. They can consist of precast concrete ring or multiple rings depending on the capacity needed or the depth which is needed to reach good sand for sufficient drainage. These precast rings are made in different diameters that also effect drainage capacity. On top of the precast ring or rings is a top which can be a dome or a slab with a smaller access hole in it. That hole is covered with either a steel manhole cover and brought to grade for access or a concrete cover that is buried below ground. If the cover is below ground, it will eventually need to be accessed at some point in it's life for maintenance. Dry wells are very similar to a cesspool with two key differences. One difference is obviously what waste water it's being us

What is a Cesspool? A cesspool is a large underground holding tank, used for the storage of liquid waste, commonly used in rural areas without centralized sewer systems. Cesspools are covered by a concrete or stone lid where the waste water flows. Cesspools are also called overflows or a leaching pool when it is used as secondary component in a septic system where a septic tank or another cesspool would be either of the main components in a wastewater drainage system. Within a cesspool, solids and sludge are broken down by anaerobic bacteria essential for this process to work. Solid waste will sink to the bottom and lighter waste particles will float to the top forming a top layer of scum. The wastewater then drains up into the soil through perforated walls in the cesspool. #Cesspool #Cesspools #NewCesspool #NewCesspools #CesspoolPumped #CesspoolsPumped #Septic #SepticTank #SepticTanks #SepticSystem #NewSepticSystem #SepticTankPumped #Overflow #Overfl