The U.S. Department of Health, Education, and WelfarePublic Health Service says, "A septic tank system will serve a home satisfactorily only if it is properly designed, installed, and adequately maintained.  Even a good system which does not have proper care and attentionmay become a nuisance, and burdonsome expense."

Septic system maintenance means two simple things.  First, sludge that accumulates in the bottom of the tank must be pumped out periodically.  How frequently depends on the size of the tank, the use it gets, and the condition of the system.  There is no additive that you can put in the tank that will deal with the sludge.  IT MUST BE PUMPED OUT.  If not pumped out it will eventually overflow into the soil absorption area.  This will clog the system, and it will need to be replaced, at enormous expense and inconveniece.

The second part of septic system maintenance involves the the bacteria necessary for solids digestion.  If bacteria - killing products are used in the home - as they ussually are - the bacteria must be replenished.  If the bacteria are not replenished, the system will fill up with solid material and overflow into the soil absorption area.  This will clog the system, and it will have to be replaced.

Your septic tank could be overflowing solid material into the soil RIGHT NOW, and you won't know it until it blocks the soil so badly that no more drainage is possible.  This blockage takes varying periods of time depending on soil structure.  But this is fact: a neglected system WILL get blocked; it WILL overflow; it WILL have an obnoxious order: it WILL contaminate and pollute.  It will probably have to be replaced.  The first septic system "emergency" usually marks the beginning of the end. Replacement costs vary from $1500. to $3000 and up.

A-1 Septic can check out the condition of your system.  If it needs to be cleaned, we are equipped to clean it.  If it has a bacterial deficiency, we can treat it with liquid bacteria/enzyme treatment.  These treatments contain enzymes immediately available to break down the solids in drains, pipes, septic tank, and soil absorption system and also contains reproductive bacteria for continued solid digestion and odor control.