Septic Tank in St Andrews

What Is A Septic Tank?

Septic tank may be a very strange concept to many individuals, but to the households that make use of them - they’re crucial to several homes especially the ones who are not connected to the mains sewage line

A septic tank .is simply an underwater sedimentation tank which is incorporated for the treatment of waste water via a process called biological decomposition and drainage. The tank utilizes natural processes in conjunction with tried and tested technologies for waste water treatment. The waste water comes from household plumbing which are often generated by bathrooms and toilets, kitchens, laundry as well as drains.

Septic tanks usually possesses a very simple design. They are simply underground containers that are watertight ( usually round or rectangular) made of plastic, fibreglass or concrete. They normally constitute different compartments which is a T-shaped outlet to prevent the sum and sludge from escaping that tank and finding a spot on the drain field area.

Septic tanks are particularly useful for households with a poor drainage system or those that aren’t connected to the mains sewage system. They serve as their main source of safe waste water disposal. The tanks work by collecting waste water and excreta in one huge underground tank and they happen to be very common in rural and developing areas.

Septic tanks are typically fitted underground and 50 metres away from the building. For those that live in towns and cities, septic tanks are mostly not needed as the waste water is normally transported and taken care of by their sewage system is is maintained and managed by a local water company. If you own a septic tank, you have an extra duty to make sure that it’s existence doesn’t negatively impact the environment.

How Deep Is A Septic Tank Buried?

Septic tanks may be an unknown concept to a lot of individuals in town and cities, but to those in the rural areas where certain things are unavailable, septic tanks are a necessity. After all, modern amenities such as appropriate plumbing is something we all need to live a comfortable and conveniently lifestyle.

If you happen to be interested in knowing more about the septic tank concept, you just moved into a house with a septic tank already built in or perhaps you want to have a septic tank system installed on your property, then you may likely want to know just how deep septic tanks are buried. Regardless of what the case may be, being aware of the depth of your septic tank can be a very tricky affair given the circumstances and even more so, when you’re ignorant of the positioning of the lids.

When it comes to the depth of septic tank systems, the general rule of thumb is that they should be buried within the range of four inches to four feet underground.

If you’re more particular about locating where your septic tank is built in, there are a few easy ways to find out. Firstly, you can let your sewer pipes lead you in. Generally, the tank as well as drain field are normally fitted parallel to the sewer line which extends from your home. Secondly, you can also look for visual clues to check if there’s either septic tank risers or clean out ports that is coming out from the ground. This way, you’ll able to tell right away where the septic tank system is located underground. However, if there are no visual clues then you can make some intelligent guesses. Simply take a look at your building’s piping and conditions of the property to have a good idea of where the tank is buried.

How Does A Septic Tank Work?

A septic tank system is an alternative to the mains sewage system whereby the wastewater is treated underground and is able to last for many generations. They’re mostly found in rural setting where there’s a lack of centralized sewer systems due to the difficulty in installing and managing them. These type of systems make use of the perfect blend of natural resources and advanced technology to treat wastewater produced from household plumbing. These includes the kitchen drain, bathroom, laundry room and more which all runs to the septic tank. When it gets to the septic tank, the organic matter will be digested and floatable matter alongside the solids are separated.

In this article, we’re going to give you a better understanding of how a modern septic tank works. Let’s take a look!

✓ All water stemming from your household goes straight into the main drainage pipe that lead directly to the septic tank.

✓ Meanwhile, the septic tank, which is usually underground and happens to be a water tight container, retains the waste water for a period long enough to enable the solid materials sit at bottom and start to dissolve. In the process, both oil and grease will float to the top as a layer of scum.

✓ Any wastewater that’s liquid will then leaves through the drainfield out of the septic tank.

✓ The drainfield, on the other hand, is a shallow excavation that’s made of unsaturated soil. The treated water is transported via the piping onto a porous surface which enable the filtration of the wastewater into the surrounding soil. The soil, in turn, treats and disperses the wastewater.

✓ Finally, the wastewater percolates into the soil for the removal of harmful bacteria alongside other contaminants.

How Much Does A Septic Tank Hold?

If you’re thinking about installing a septic tank system in your home, the type as well as the size of the tank are the most common things to put into consideration before making a decision. Private sewage disposal is very common in the rural areas which are unable to access the mains sewage system. Septic tank systems that includes a soil absorption system or a drain field is the most affordable way that you can treat your household’s waste water. To get the size of your septic tank, you’ll have to determine the size of the house as well as the number of people living in it. Generally, a domestic septic tank varies largely in size usually between 750 gallons to 1250 gallons.

Septic tanks have three common types that are used in domestic construction. These includes:

✓ Concrete septic tanks

✓ Polyethylene or plastic septic tanks

✓ Fibreglass septic tanks

The most common type of septic tanks is the concrete tanks, however, they’re usually very heavy and would require a machinery to install. Plastic and fibreglass septic tanks, on the other hand, are much lighter which makes them more ideal for remote and hard to reach places.

Several influencing factors can play a key role in determining the size of the septic tank you need. These includes the home’s square footage, the number of bedrooms as well as the number of people that resides in the house. Below are rough estimates of septic tank sizes you’ll need depending on the square footage and number of bedroom.

✓ One and two bedroom homes of less than 1500 square feet will require a 750 gallon septic tank.

✓ Three bedroom homes of less than 2500 square feet will require a 1000 gallon septic tank.

✓ Four bedroom homes of less than 3500 square feet will require a 1250 gallon septic tank.