Author Archives: Capital City Septic Services

Signs You Need to Install a New Grinder Pump

How to Determine if a Grinder Pump Replacement is Needed

A grinder pump performs an important function in a home’s sewer system by pulverizing and helping remove wastewater from the kitchen and bathrooms. Many homes may not require a grinder pump. Often, gravity is enough to move wastewater from a home’s pipes and into the public sewer line. Still, when high elevations mean the main sewage line is above the house, a grinder pump is required to push sewage uphill to meet the public sewer line. 

Like most modern household equipment, grinder pumps are built to last and don’t require professional maintenance until well into their eighth to tenth year. Still, there may be instances wherein homeowners find themselves frequently running into problems with their grinder pump and having to call it in for repairs. When this occurs often enough, it might be time to think about whether that grinder pump ought to be replaced instead.

The following are a few of the signs that could point to the necessity of a grinder pump replacement:

Water flowing like a trickle out of a faucet.

Decrease in Water Pressure

Low water pressure is a common symptom shared by many problems that could be ailing a home – the impending failure of a grinder pump could be one of them. When grinder pumps aren’t working properly, they cause water to slow down its flow through the pipes. If this happens often enough, it could indicate a bigger problem with the grinder pump, especially if it coincides with other signs pointing to an ailing grinder pump.

Leaks in the Grinder Pump System

Because grinder pumps are part of a home’s sewage system, any leaks here become immediately apparent, as bad smells and foul odors from a sewage leak are bound to announce themselves in the worst way possible. But how exactly do these leaks occur? 

Part of a sewage grinder pump’s function is to grind up solid waste and debris from the wastewater. Any waste material that becomes too difficult for a grinder pump to cut down can create a significant blockage that, in turn, causes a leak. If homeowners don’t address this problem immediately and continue to allow debris to get into the grinder pump in turn, causing blockage time and again, it could seriously compromise the pump and cause it to stop functioning before its intended lifespan is reached, requiring a replacement. 

An Old and Aging Unit

The average grinder pump is built to last up to 25 years, enough to see through at least one generation of home ownership. This is especially true of grinder pumps that have been properly maintained and are used as intended, so if a grinder pump seems to be breaking down a lot lately. It’s already had more than two decades of service, so it might be time to replace it, not because it’s no longer useful, but simply because it has gotten too old. Over time, any equipment will lose its efficiency, and the same is true of grinder pumps, which tend to become more susceptible to blockages, clotting, and freezing as they age.

About Capital City Septic Services

Capital City Septic Services provides septic tank maintenance, repair, installation, and emergency services throughout Leon County and the Tallahassee, FL metro areas. Their team of experts works fast and provides friendly yet professional service that offers personalized solutions to virtually every septic tank concern. Call us today at 850-536-6919 for all grinder pump repair services in Tallahassee, FL.
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FAQs About Soil and Perc Testing

Why Soil and Perc Testing is Essential Before Installing Septic Systems

Sewer systems are crucial engineering marvels when it comes to public health. Without a reliable sanitary sewer system, people would constantly be exposed to waste, and diseases would run rampant. Unfortunately, a public sewer system may be out of reach for people who value space and independence.

Sewer systems are expensive to build and maintain. That’s why local taxes paid by incorporated areas in a town go to pay for them. Once someone crosses outside of the city limits, other options for dealing with sewage will have to be considered. Luckily, the technology that allows people to live safe and civilized lives off a sewer grid is easily possible. Still, careful planning and testing should be carried out to determine if building in a certain spot is possible. 

The article briefly introduces septic systems designed to handle a home’s sewage and what goes into preparing to install one. These concepts are essential for those buying land to build their dream home in the country. Call us at 850-536-6919 to schedule your appointment for soil and perc testing in Tallahassee, FL.

Soil testing in progress, demonstrated with a hand holding soil and a meter.

What Is Soil and Perc Testing?

In a septic system, a large tank is buried underground to collect all of the sewage in a home. Bacterial action breaks down most solids to the point that they can flow out of the tank along with the other effluent into a system of drainage lines. These lines leech the effluent into a drain field where the water returns to the environment safely. 

Before a septic tank can be installed, the ability of the surrounding soil to absorb and drain water has to be determined. This is done by a percolation test, or “perc test.” During a perc test, an expert digs a hole in the proposed drain field and observes how fast water drains from the hole. The soil is suitable for a septic system if the water drains faster than the threshold. 

Why Is Soil and Perc Testing Necessary?

In short, the authorities require soil and perc testing before a home can be built. In rural areas, the county often ensures that a property passes the tests before construction on a home can begin. Without suitable soil or a septic tank, sewage will not be dealt with safely, and the homeowner could expose themselves to dangerous pathogens and contaminate surrounding water resources. Before buying rural land with hopes of building a home, always make the passing of a perc test a contingency for purchase. 

Why Do Sites Fail Soil and Perc Tests?

Since the beginning of construction depends on passing a perc test, most potential builders want to know what influences it. The answer is that several things can cause a site to fail a perc test. Some conditions that cause a perc test to fail are: 

  • High water table
  • Shallow soil
  • Bedrock near the soil surface
  • Sandy soil 
  • Heavy clay soils 
  • Proximity to wetlands or bodies of water 

If a site fails the perc test, other sewer treatment options may be less traditional. Always get answers before beginning construction. 

About Capital City Septic Services

Capital City Septic Services handles septic tank installations from beginning to end. Their experts test, design, and install septic systems of all sizes. Call us today at 850-536-6919 for Septic tank service in Tallahassee, FL.

Whose Home Benefits From Grinder Pumps?

What are Grinder Pumps?

Homeowners that don’t know what a grinder pump is are probably not alone. Grinder pumps are not standard equipment for most homes but for homes that need them, they are completely necessary. Losing a grinder pump can cause the sewage in a home to backup, causing nasty messes and a total loss of plumbing functionality until service is restored. 

Grinder pumps are a type of submersible sewage pump with a few extra features. A typical sewage pump is intended to move solids up to two inches in diameter over short distances to sewer mains. Grinder pumps, on the other hand, grind sewage into a slurry that can be pumped long distances to reach sewage treatment facilities or equipment. They are often found in homes with basements or built on a grade below the municipal city sewer main. 

Grinder pump on a lawn.

How Do Grinder Pumps Work?

Sewage and grinder pumps are sump pumps intended only for sewage removal. Like a sump pump, grinder pumps have float switches telling the pump when the holding tank is full. Once the float switch is triggered, the powerful motor kicks on to pump sewage from a holding tank into the city’s sewer lines or to a septic system. 

The key difference between sewage pumps and grinder pumps is a powerful grinder located in the pump’s intake. With blades similar to a kitchen garbage disposal, this device can reduce nearly everything flushed down a toilet into a liquid slurry that can be pumped. When grinder pumps have more functionality than sewage pumps, care should be taken to not flush anything down the toilet deemed unflushable. 

Reasons to Install a Grinder Pump

Not every home will need a grinder pump, but for the ones that do, grinder pumps are not optional. Here are the main reasons that one will install grinder pumps and their accompanying hardware: 

  • Low Property Elevation: Most sewer mains are buried deep enough that most customers’ homes can use gravity to deal with their sewage as it flows towards the main. In cases where the home is built lower than the sewer, grinder pumps will be necessary to move the sewage uphill towards the sewer main. 
  • Sewage Traveling Long Distances: Homes far away from city sewer lines or septic tanks will need a grinder pump to move sewage long distances. Grinder pumps will probably be necessary if homes are more than 100 feet from sewer mains. 
  • Pressurized City Sewer Mains: Some cities opt to have pressurized sewer mains to overcome differences in sewer pipe elevation. One will need a grinder pump to push sewage into the system for homes hooking onto this grid. 

Benefits of Grinder Pumps

Grinder pumps are helpful devices that carry several benefits. Among these are: 

  • Integrated alarms that alert homeowners of potential problems
  • Allows people to build homes in places that are unserved by city sewers
  • Helps deal with sewage on properties without septic tanks
  • Longer lasting than sewage pumps
  • Tough and reliable 

For homes with grinder pump systems, don’t forget to schedule maintenance to avoid problems down the road. 

About Capital City Septic Services

Homeowners not hooked up to the city sewer system need a plumber specializing in sewage solutions for homes and businesses. Capital City Septic Services has competitive pricing on personalized solutions for plumbing problems on any property. A live person always answers phones, day or night, so call today at 850-536-6919 for grinder pump service in Tallahassee, FL.