Septic System Installation and Service

It is generally based on how many bedrooms your house had when the system was installed. A 3-bedroom house will typically have a 1,000-gallon tank (the most common that we encounter), a 4-bedroom house will have a 1,250-gallon tank, and a 5-bedroom house will have a 1,500-gallon tank.

No, the size of the septic tank and leach field are based on the number of bedrooms.

While we do need to have access to the clean-out cover(s), we can provide the service to uncover the tank for a nominal fee.

We get this question a lot. The state health department recommends pumping your tank every 3-5 years. If you have children living at home, you should consider having the tank serviced more often, because your household uses more water, (showers, laundry, dishes, etc).

The septic tank is designed to work at a “full” level; the liquid level should normally be about 8”-12” from the top of the tank.

Most systems installed after 1980 should have an “as-built” drawing on file at your local health department, or town sanitarians office. If an as-built drawing is not on file, we have locating equipment that we can use to help locate the septic tank.

The short answer is no, these products say they are “flushable” and they are. However, they are NOT biodegradable and remain inside the tank and pipes for years, and can cause all sorts of problems and blockages. They are the most common cause of blocked pipes that we encounter. You should also never flush feminine hygiene products, baby wipes, and/or trash down the toilet.

No, water softeners should NEVER be discharged to the septic system; they require a separate drainage system, due to the high concentration of chemicals in the discharge water. We install water softener treatment units, if somebody has one hooked into their system.

No, a garbage disposal should not be used with a septic system.