Failure to maintain a functioning septic/holding tank causes slow draining sinks, toilets, drains. You may also experience a sewage odor near the house and a mushy area near or around the drain field. Alleviate these situations and lengthen the systems proper operating life span by scheduling maintenance. Unsure? Schedule an inspection.

An accepted practice, developed by the University of Wisconsin is the levels should not exceed 1/3 of the tank volume.

If you are considering selling or purchasing a home in Wisconsin, it is required to secure a well and sanitary system evaluation. This evaluation requires that both systems respectively be brought up to the current Code. The purchaser and or their lending agency will usually request this service. The cost of the testing and evaluation is usually paid by the purchaser but can be negotiated by either party. A thorough evaluation is critical to assess the condition of the water or sanitary system!

Customers always ask, “How can I tell if my system needs service or if there is a problem looming?” There are a number of signs an ailing system will display such as; slow draining sinks, toilets, drains. A gurgling sound from a drain when water is being used. A sewage odor when outside or in the house. A soft, mushy area near or around the drain field. A green patch of turf over the drain field. Water noticeable in the vent pipes. As the sanitary system ages, all the above can be noticed at one time or another. With early detection, there are avenues of approach to help alleviate these situations and lengthen the systems proper operating lifespan.

A mound system is an engineered drain field for treating wastewater in places with limited access to multi-stage wastewater treatment systems. Mound systems are an alternative to the traditional rural septic system drain field.

Cameras can be utilized in many different areas such as sewer and drain lines, well casings, chimneys, vent pipes, crawl spaces, etc. The camera head is approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and can negotiate 45 and 90-degree bends in the 3-inch pipe. This versatile tool takes the guesswork out of diagnosing problem issues such as broken tiles and pipes, cracked chimney and boiler flues. Most access restricted areas can be easily inspected and video recorded for inspection and repair purposes.

The purpose of tank baffles is to secure the waste solids which flow from the house. The solids then break down in the septic tank and only the water should leave the tank to be further treated in the (dispersal zone) drain field. Sanitary tanks are equipped with two baffles each. One baffle is at the inlet and one baffle is at the outlet. Many sanitary tanks are constructed of concrete. Due to the bacteriological process of breaking down the solids in the tanks, a corrosive gas is emitted. This hydrogen/sulfide gas can cause corrosion to the areas above the water line in the tank. This process is usually more severe on the outlet side of the tank to include the outlet baffle. When the outlet baffle is damaged or broken off, the solid waste from the house can flow directly to the distribution tank and or to the drain field. This can cause backups, ponding and severely reduce the life expectancy of the dispersal zone. AST, Ltd. has the staff to repair and replace your broken baffles.

All sanitary systems are equipped with septic tanks. Some systems can have several tanks. Mound and at-grade pressure systems typically have two or more tanks. These tanks may come with risers (round rings, concrete or plastic) which allow the manhole cover to be brought to the surface. By Wis. Code, manhole covers must be either 2 inches above grade or 4 inches below grade and buried. Any cover above grade must be secured with a locking device (chain and lock) and warning label describing the dangers of entering the tank. Periodically the risers and covers will become cracked and worn. Leaks at the riser seams may cause groundwater infiltration. Your service provider should access the condition of the covers and risers upon visual observation and bring any defects to your attention. AST, Ltd. maintains a supply of risers and covers to fit most sanitary systems. Some buried covers can be raised to the surface to eliminate unpleasant digging. Cracked and broken risers can be removed and replaced to ensure the integrity of the sanitary system.

An Aeration System has some similarities to a standard sanitary system. This system is used in areas where the soils are not ideal for filtration and treatment. An Aeration System will have the standard septic tank or tanks, sized for usage, and an aerator which pumps oxygen into the waste water to increase the bacteria. The bacteria consume the waste as a food source, clarifying the waste water in the process. The waste effluent flows to a pump chamber to be distributed to the dispersal zone, (mound, at-grade pressure, etc.). Some systems can be more complicated with recirculating sand filters, Ultraviolet disinfectant lights, alarms, dosing timers, etc. Aeration Systems typically require yearly service and must have a Certified POWTS Maintainer secured to satisfy State/County inspections and reporting. AST, Ltd. has these professionals on staff to inspect your system.