The following glossary terms and definitions can help you better understand your septic services provider and can help you communicate with them more effectively.
absorption area
The absorption area is the area where waste water from a septic system is emptied for filtration and release into the ground.
Also known as: drain field, absorption field, drainage trench, septic drainfield, septic system drainage bed, leachfield, soakaway bed, leaching bed, on-site sewage facility seepage bed…
The following glossary terms and definitions can help you better understand your septic services provider and can help you communicate with them more effectively.
absorption area
The absorption area is the area where waste water from a septic system is emptied for filtration and release into the ground.
Also known as: drain field, absorption field, drainage trench, septic drainfield, septic system drainage bed, leachfield, soakaway bed, leaching bed, on-site sewage facility seepage bed
blackwater
Blackwater is waste carried off by toilets and urinals. This water is raw sewage and must be treated before it can be released into the environment.
Also known as: septage, black water, raw sewage
capacity
The volume of wastewater, both blackwater and greywater, that an onsite septic system can handle. Septic system capacity is usually described in terms of daily volume allowed.
Also known as: available capacity, allowed capacity, wastewater capacity, septic system capacity
drainfield
A drainfield (also known as a drain field, absorption area, drainage bed, seepage bed, or leach field) is the area where perforated piping is set in drainage trenches to distribute effulent and wastewater from septic systems.
Also known as: drain field, absorption area, drainage bed, seepage bed, leach field
effluent
Effluent is the partially treated liquid that leaves a septic tank after filtration of solids in the tank and on the way to the absorption field or drainage field for continued treatment and release into the environment.
Also known as: septic effluent
failure
Septic system failure is some kind of failure of a septic tank or septic system. Failure may be signified by sewage visible on the ground, baking up into the home or business, leaking, seeping, contaminating ground water or ground surface, and a failure to meet permit and code standards.
Also known as: septic system failure
graywater
Any water from a residential or commercial building excluding sewage (blackwater) and water from toilets. Gray water includes bathtub and shower water, tap water, washing machine water, and other rinse water. Kitchen sink water is not considered graywater because of the presence of food solids. Graywater systems reduce the load of water on septic systems by separating water from sinks and showers from blackwater from toilets.
Also known as: gray water, greywater, grey water, graywater septic systems
grease trap cleaning
Commercial kitchens, restaurants, food establishments and other buildings with kitchens or facilities that may create extra grease content in waste water may have separate grease traps located in their septic systems. These septic grease traps must be cleaned to remove the grease, as it can cause traps and filters to clog and back up.
Also known as: septic grease trap cleaning, grease trap cleaning services
holding tanks
Holding tanks are wastewater tanks that hold sewage. Unlike septic tanks, holding tanks do not leach into a field or mound where the water is broken down and eventually released as filtered water. Instead, holding tanks hold sewage that is stored until it is removed. Sewage from holding tanks must be pumped out by vacuum truck and removed to a municipal treatment plant for treatment. These tanks must be serviced much more often than septic tanks due to their nature.
Also known as: holding tank pumping services
leach field inspection
The leach field, also known as a septic drain field, is the drain and associated piping and filtration field that helps remove impurities and contaminants from septic tank liquids. A leach field inspection proves that the septic tank filtration field is functioning correctly and filtering wastes from the liquid coming from the septic tank. This ensures local waterways, wells, watersheds and aquifers are protected against contamination.
Also known as: leach field, septic drain field inspection
root removal
Trees, shrubs and other plants that are planted to close to septic systems, septic tanks, leach fields and septic pipes can invade the systems with their roots, causing clogs, backups and other problems. Septic systems aren’t buried very deeply, so root clogging is common. Root removal services remove roots from pipes and repair damaged areas.
Also known as: septic system root removal, septic tank root removal, septic line root removal services
septic filter cleaning
Septic system filters may need regular maintenance and cleaning to keep them clear and functioning at peak performance. Septic filter cleaning may include degreasing, pressurized cleaning, flushing and scrubbing depending on the type of filter and amount of build up.
Also known as: septic filter cleaning services, septic system filter services
septic odor control
Most well-functioning septic systems don’t allow sewage odors to escape. However, sometimes commercial and residential septic system require odor control services. These can include investigation and diagnosis of the odor, repair of broken lines or equipment, installation of filtration devices, vents, filtering vent covers, and other specific services required.
Also known as: septic system odor control, septic odor investigation
septic sludge
Septic sludge is settled solid waste that sinks to the bottom of a septic tank. Septic sludge is semi-solid organic waste and must be pumped from the septic tank from time to time to free up space for new waste.
Also known as: sludge, organic sludge
septic system
A set of components that receive, store treat, and disperse blackwater and sewage at residential and commercial properties. Septic systems usually consist of a septic tank to receive and hold solid waste, a treatment system to sanitize and dispose of septic effluent and wastewater (usually in the form of a leach field, drain field or septic mound), and the pipes that move wastewater from the building to the system and from the septic tank to the drain field or mound.
Also known as: complete septic system, septic tank system, on-site sewage system, OSS
septic system additives
Septic system additives can include chemical, organic, inorganic, biological, yeast, bacteria and enzyme septic tank additives. While these additives have been long marketed to homeowners as necessary for reducing sludge build-up and odors, studies show that most additives are expensive and have very little to no effect on septic system effectiveness. Septic systems that are functioning and maintained correctly should have the right balance of biological additives, enzymes and organic material to function well without additional additives and enzymes.
Also known as: septic system enzymes, biological septic system additives, septic tank additives
septic system inspection
Septic system inspection is the process of inspecting an existing septic system for potential issues, malfunction or other problems. Inspections should occur once a year or when problems surface. It is also recommended that home sellers and home buyers arrange for septic system inspection to prove the system they’re selling or buying is functioning correctly. Septic system services routinely provide septic system inspections.
Also known as: septic tank inspection, septic inspections
septic system maintenance
Like all home systems, septic systems also need regular maintenance to function properly and prevent the system from failing. Septic system maintenance includes pumping, inspection, tree root removal, removal of biofilms and drain field maintenance, and may also include the changing of daily behaviors to keep the system functioning well, such as not disposing of cooking oils or chemicals down the drain, avoiding use of the garbage disposal, not flushing salted water, avoiding flushing of non-biodegradable waste items such as cigarettes and hygiene products, and being mindful of how much waste water is pushed into the system.
Also known as: septic tank maintenance, septic maintenance, care for septic systems
septic system pumping services
Septic tanks and septic systems need pumping every three to five years (or more or less, depending on the specific system and use factors of each septic tank and system) to stay functional and avoid problems. Septic tank pumping and septic system pumping includes emptying of the waste that isn’t naturally decomposed by anaerobic digestion process within the tank. These solids and sludge must be removed so that the tank doesn’t fill up and discharge untreated wastewater into the septic system’s drainage field. Septic system pumping is the process of pumping out accumulated sludge by a specialty vacuum truck. The waste is then removed to a treatment plant for treatment.
Also known as: septic tank pumping, septic vacuuming, septic system cleaning
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