Homeowners – Don’t Neglect Your Septic System!

septic-system-diagramMost of the time, your septic system quietly burbles away in the backyard, very efficiently turning waste products into nutrients that the earth uses to nourish plant life. When it’s working correctly, a septic system is a pleasure to own. When it malfunctions, it’s a complete headache. It can make unpleasant odours, unexpected flooding, and render your home’s sinks and toilets inoperable. And it will always act up at the least convenient time – in the middle of the night, or a few minutes before the first guests arrive for your big party.

Instead of waiting for a problem to – ahem – arise, practice regular preventive maintenance on your septic system – the grease trap (if you have one), the tank itself, and the weeping tiles in the septic field.

In BC’s lower mainland, Edenflo Pump Truck Services is your go-to provider of septic and holding tank service. We’re a family owned business, and we understand the concerns faced by homeowners with septic tanks. We’ve devised a strategy of periodic preventive maintenance that will keep your septic system working as designed without any hiccups.

We’ll come and inspect at predetermined intervals, and perform only the work that’s required. If the sludge build up in your septic tank warrants pumping (which all do, in intervals of one to five years or so) we’ll clean it out. We can use video line inspection to ensure that your main sewer line is clear of obstructions, and we can use hydro flushing to clean any blockages, and even clean your septic field. But we’ll only do what needs to be done to keep your system operating, trouble free.

For more information about regular maintenance services offered by Edenflo, and to find out why you need to sign up for the peace of mind this service will give you, call 604-575-1414 or fill out our online request for service.

Best Way to Deal With a Flood? Make Sure it Doesn’t Happen

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Flooding is nasty, especially if it comes from your home’s drainage system. Nothing is worse than coming home to find the basement filling with sewage backing up through the drains.

A flood can be an expensive proposition – if your basement is finished, you’ll likely have to tear up flooring and carpets, have some drywall replaced, and sort through your destroyed possessions. You’ll have to deal with the insurance, contractors, and stress.

The best way to deal with a flooded basement is to do your level best to make sure that it doesn’t happen in the first place. If your home is older, you live on a treed lot, or you have a septic system, you should consider a program of regular inspection and maintenance, including Video Line Inspection (use of a Closed-Circuit Television Camera to investigate the interior of your sewer lines) and hydro-flushing to clear out any debris.

If your property has storm water catch basins, you’ll want to have them inspected to make sure they function properly – a buildup of debris can cause them to malfunction and excess water will find its’ way into your home through the foundation.

If you have a commercial building with a food preparation space, you likely have a grease trap, which by law needs to be inspected and cleaned on a regular basis.

Many building owners consider sewer lines an “out of sight, out of mind” issue, and don’t choose to go looking for problems. Unfortunately, by the time that a problem calls itself to your attention, it’s too late. Be proactive, and schedule an inspection today. For more information about preventive maintenance and other services offered by Edenflo, call 604-575-1414 or fill out our online request for service.

Are You a B.C. Property Manager? Here’s What You Need to Know About Depreciation Reporting

HYDRO-EXCAV-BC-forestMore than half a million people in British Columbia live in Strata homes– a type of condominium development in which individuals own their homes, but there are shared facilities owned by a corporation.

If you’re a property manager or strata council member (or even a homeowner) of a strata property, it’s important that you understand the Strata Property Act, particularly the sections regarding repair and maintenance, and depreciation reporting.

Strata corporations must repair and renew all common property and assets of the corporation, ensure that maintenance, repair, and renovation work is planned appropriately, and that strata corporations with five or more units have a current depreciation report. Depreciation reports are a complex document that must be prepared by an individual or company having knowledge of all of the strata corporation’s common (shared) property. They include an inventory of the physical components of the shared property, and an estimate of each components service life over 30 years.

The depreciation report must be completed every three years, and must be provided to a potential buyer when a unit is sold.

It’s nearly impossible to find a single individual or business who can give you information on all of the systems in a multi-residential unit that constitute common property. For expert inspection of your strata corporation’s sewer, septic, or grease trap systems, contact Edenflo Pump Truck services. Our technicians are certified by the Pipeline Assessment and Certification Program (the PACP is the industry standard system for assessment of pipes and sewers) and can use state-of-the-art Video Line Inspection cameras to inspect your plumbing from the inside.

For more information about the services offered by Edenflo, and how they can help you keep the property you manage compliant with Strata reporting requirements, call 604-575-1414 or fill out our online request for service.

You Don’t Appreciate Perimeter Drainage Until it Fails

If you’ve got a building with a basement, keeping water out of it is a considerable challenge. The number one hero in the fight to maintain a dry basement is the weeping tile – a porous pipe buried around the footings of the building foundation designed to route groundwater away from the walls. This water is taken either to a catch basin or to a sump pit in the basement, where it is sent on its way by a mechanical pump.

Flood-surrounds-houseIn older buildings, clay weeping tiles were used, while newer construction employs corrugated polyethylene piping, called “Big O” and perforated PVC piping. Clay tiles can degrade over time, while silt and other solids can clog all types of perimeter drainage. When this happens, the tiles no longer remove groundwater from around the foundation, and water is allowed to stand outside the footings of the home. Leaks will form, generally at the seam where the basement walls meet the slab of the floor, though water might also seep up from underneath (due to the hydrostatic pressure that’s increased when the normal “escape” is blocked) and come through cracks in the floor.

Common fixes for this problem involve weeping tile excavation and replacement, which is quite expensive, or digging up the floor next to the walls and installing new tiles, which costs less but can be less effective.

Modern Video Line Inspection and Hydro-jetting technology can be used to examine the weeping tiles around your foundation, and remove many clogs in your perimeter drainage system. Edenflo has trucks with equipment that can open your weeping tiles with water jets, while simultaneously removing the water and debris released by the jetting action.

If your basement is leaking, or if you’re interested in preventing problems with your perimeter drainage system, call Edenflo at 604-575-1414 or fill out our online request for service.

Video Line Inspection – Find Out What’s REALLY Going On Underground

Video Line Inspection is a relatively new technology that’s been rapidly embraced by Edenflo as best way to diagnose a problem with a sewer system.

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Our technicians are certified by Pipeline Assessment and Certification Program, which is widely accepted as the industry standard system for coding defects and construction features in pipes and sewers. They are able to determine exactly what, and where, the problem is in your septic or sewer drain with the use of a specially designed CCTV (closed circuit TV) camera. The camera is fed into the system, and can pinpoint problems, large and small, in the waste drains in your home or commercial premises.

Our expertise in the business of sewer and septic systems comes into play in interpreting the information the video provides. It’s dark down there, and everything tends to look kind of the same. Our experienced technicians can tell the subtle differences between a dirty pipe (and they’re all dirty) and a clog, or a weakened sidewall that’s leaking. Armed with the information that the video reconnaissance gives them, we can propose the most economical fix. In most cases, we can use our hydro-jet equipment to clear a clogged system quickly and efficiently, so you can get back to the things that are important to you.

In addition to diagnosing problems, Video Line Inspection can be used to evaluate the overall condition of your septic and sewer lines, a great idea as part of general preventive maintenance, and helpful when considering purchase of a resale property.

For more information about Video Line Inspection and other services offered by Edenflo, call 604-575-1414 or fill out our online request for service.

Septic Tank Cleaning – The Dangers of Neglecting this Important Task

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Given what septic tanks do, many people might not realize how important it is to keep them clean. Of course, plenty of people probably just don’t want to deal with them for the exact same reason. However, it absolutely must be done. Continue reading about the risks of not cleaning your septic tank.

Problems Associated with Not Cleaning Your Septic TankHow your septic system works edenflo
There are a number of problems that could occur as a result of not properly cleaning your septic tank on a regular basis. Foul odours are a common and understandable one. However, you could also have sewage back up, through the ground and into your lawn or garden. The sewage could also build-up and cause blockages in the system itself. The septic tank could even back right up into your home’s plumbing system.

An insect infestation can result if septic tanks are not maintained properly. White scum can also form around nearby drains or ditches. The toxic waste from your septic tank could also seep out into nearby wells or watercourses, which would be an obvious risk to public health.

For the truly unlucky, runoff from an unmaintained septic tank could end up actually compromising the foundation of their home.

Properly Caring for Your Septic Tank
Given the many potential problems that could occur from not caring for your septic tank, it’s important that you take appropriate measures.

The most important thing you can do is to have your septic tank pumped on a regular basis. Most experts recommend having it done every 1 to 5 years, but it will differ depending on the size of your home and the number of occupants.

It’s very important that you always hire a professional, like those from Edenflo, to handle the maintenance of a septic tank on your behalf. Septic tank systems may not seem like the most advanced of technologies, but in the hands of an amateur, they can cause all kinds of problems.

When to Have Your Septic Tank Cleaned

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Septic tank maintenance doesn’t have to be a headache. The vast majority of septic tank maintenance is preventative maintenance. As long as you keep up with the preventative maintenance and schedule a septic tank cleaning in the proper time frame, your septic system should continue to function well.

In BC, septic tank cleanings can be done by a qualified pump truck service such as Edenflo. A full-service pump truck service company will also offer hydro flushing and hydro excavating services as well as catch basin cleaning and repair. Older systems may need flushing and repairs, but typically, the system only needs to be pumped at regular intervals.

A septic system is quite simple. The tank catches sludge waste from your home. Sewage solids will break down in the septic tank to some extent and the liquid sewage makes its way to your leach field. Thicker solids settle on the bottom of the tank.

Getting the septic system pumped every one to five years is normal. The frequency of septic tank cleaning depends on how heavy the use is. If there are more people in the home and you wash more clothes, more frequent septic tank cleaning will be necessary to remove accumulated solids.

If you have a catch basin, hydro excavation is a process where water is used to loosen the debris that is clogging it. The water is injected to catch the debris and the combined slurry is removed with a special vacuum. Many times, dysfunctional drainage systems can be restored through hydro excavation.

Hydro flushing is a similar service for smaller issues, such as slow drains in a house or commercial business. The pump truck service will flush the drain system with specialized hoses that allow maintained forward pressure and continuous flush until the debris is removed and drains flow freely.

How to Take Care of Your Septic System

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Your septic system will serve you well for many years as long as you follow a few basic guidelines for preventative maintenance. You will need an occasional septic tank cleaning by a pump truck service, but that’s usually all that is needed if you follow these guidelines.

Only biodegradable waste should go down the drain. Make sure that the toilet tissues and detergents you use say biodegradable or have an indication on the label that they are septic-tank-safe. Anywhere in BC, septic tank cleaning by a professional service should be done every one to five years.

A professional septic tank maintenance company such as Edenflo will inspect your tank for cracks, damaged baffles and other issues when they come to pump the tank and will advise you on any maintenance that is necessary. Most of the time, you can avoid needing maintenance.

Never plant trees or shrubs over your septic system drain field or over your septic tank as roots can cause serious damage that requires costly repairs. The surface around your septic system should never be used to park vehicles and should remain unpaved and permeable. Make sure the cover to your septic tank is securely in place at all times and make sure it remains accessible.

Never pour grease or food waste down the drain. Yes, that means you should not use your electric garbage disposal. Dispose of such waste in a compost area or in your regular garbage. Anything that goes into the garbage disposal adds to solid waste in the septic tank and overloads your drain field with liquid waste, and can ultimately result in septic tank back-up.

Feminine hygiene products should never be flushed down the toilet. Always dispose of them in the regular trash. Also avoid flushing cigarette butts or any other trash down the toilet.

How Your Septic Tank Works

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Your septic tank’s function is essential for processing human waste from your home. Waste flows from the drain pipes in your home into your septic tank. There, the liquid and solid waste are separated. A baffle prevents debris from flowing beyond the septic tank so that the passage of waste to the drain field or “leach” field is uninterrupted.

A septic tank’s size depends on the size of the home and how many people are expected to live in a home of that size. The tank needs to be large enough so that the solid waste has time to separate and sink to the bottom and the liquid has time to drain out into the field.

How your septic system works edenfloThe most important aspect of septic tank maintenance for the homeowner is to not overfill the septic tank with excess waste. Limiting the number of laundry loads per day and the amount of wastewater going down the drain helps prevent overfilling. It is also better not to pour grease down any household drain, and not to let water runoff from rain pool on the drain field, as that will also slow down the tank’s ability to drain.

Your septic tank loses capacity as the amount of solid waste accumulates on the bottom. That’s why septic tank cleaning is necessary. Anywhere in BC, septic tank cleaning can be performed by a pump truck service such as Edenflo. Pump truck services typically include baffle inspections and an evaluation of the performance of your system.

The company that provides your pump truck service should be able to advise you on septic tank preventative maintenance. Companies such as Edenflo also provide hydro flushing of clogged drains in your house as well as hydro excavation of catch basins if you have them and are responsible for them.

What You Need to Know About Septic Tank Maintenance

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The actual maintenance of a septic tank system doesn’t involve constant work and isn’t a major chore for a home or business owner. BC septic tank cleaning services perform routine septic tank cleanings and these cleanings need not be a hassle.

If you follow a few basic rules for septic tank maintenance, about all you’ll need to do is have pump truck service perform a septic tank cleaning every one to five years. BC septic tank cleaning services such as Edenflo can do the job easily and quickly.

What do you need to do over the course of the year in terms of preventative maintenance? Most of the rules are very simple. Don’t over-fill the tank with liquid. The standard for most households is not to do more than two loads of laundry each day if you have a conventional washing machine.

Make sure you use toilet tissue that is safe for septic tanks; the same goes for dish and laundry soaps. Disposable feminine hygiene products should not be flushed down the toilet. It is also beneficial to occasionally use live bacteria to treat your septic tank – this can be found at most hardware stores.

Proper maintenance of your septic tank drain field and the area around your septic tank is also important. Don’t pave over the drain field and never park or drive vehicles over your septic tank or drain field. This includes heavy tractors that might be used for yard work.

Don’t plant deep-rooting trees or shrubs near your septic tank and make sure that the tank covers are securely in place and properly seated and closed at all times. Pump truck services generally include cleaning and inspection of the interior baffle that prevents any loose debris from clogging the passage to the drain field. Following these simple rules of preventative maintenance will keep your septic system working.