When settling in local sewer in a country private house, many homeowners instead of traditional cesspoolsyam install systems with the installation of a septic tank. These installations are much more practical and convenient, but also require periodic cleaning of sediment accumulated at the bottom. AlthoughCleaning a septic tank is required much less often than cleaning cesspools.
Septic tanks are usually called simple flow-through structures that are used for mechanical cleaning household waste. Unlike cesspools, septic tanks do not simply accumulate discharged wastewater; in these installations, simple processes purification – mechanical settling and biological decomposition of organic matter.
When processed by bacteria organic waste silt is formed and settles to the bottom of the chamber. In addition, some of the waste cannot be recycled, and a layer of sediment gradually accumulates at the bottom of the installation. It is recommended to periodically remove this sediment. Let's look at how to clean a septic tank and how often it should be done.
The need for cleaning
To autonomous system the sewage system worked uninterruptedly, it needs to be periodically maintained and cleaned. When using cesspools, the need for pumping is obvious; cleaning should be done as it is filled.
Unlike cesspools, a septic tank does not accumulate waste; the purified water is discharged outside, and sediment in the form of sludge remains inside the tank. Excessive siltation of the installation leads to a decrease in the efficiency of the installation, reducing its environmental safety.
After all, silt deposits, accumulating at the bottom, gradually reduce the volume of settling chambers, and the water simply does not have time to settle well before being discharged outside. If the septic tank has not been cleaned for a long time, then the level of sediment will reach the overflow pipe, the water will simply stop flowing and a serious emergency situation will arise.
As a rule, it is recommended to clean and remove the septic tank at least once a year. The fact is that the silt deposits that accumulate at the bottom become compacted over time and after a few years turn into a solid, heavy substance resembling clay.
The thicker the layer of dense sediment, the smaller the useful volume of the chambers, that is, as sediment accumulates, the installation loses productivity and quality of wastewater treatment. In addition, cleaning septic tanks at this stage may not yield results, since the pump simply cannot cope with heavy deposits. Therefore, you should not wait for an emergency situation to arise; carrying out pumping once a year will avoid problems.
Advice! The use of special biological products will help to slightly increase the periods between cleanings. These preparations contain bacteria that effectively process organic matter. Their use helps reduce the amount of insoluble sludge, but does not eliminate it completely.
How can you clean a septic tank from sediment?
When solving the problem of how to clean a septic tank, there are only two acceptable solutions:
- Use the services of a company that provides sewage disposal services, that is, using special equipment to clean cesspools and septic tanks;
- Pump out the septic tank yourself using a powerful fecal pump.
Advice! The first option, when sludge removal is carried out by professionals, is preferable. Of course, you will have to pay for the services, but the owners will not have to do unpleasant work. In addition, they will be freed from solving the problem of disposal of pumped sludge.
Professional pumping equipment
For pumping out sludge from sewerage installations apply:
- Vacuum trucks with vacuum pumps. The contents of the chambers are pumped out into a container installed on freight car. If the volume of the container allows, then you can completely pump out the septic tank or cesspools at one time;
- Silt suckers. It's more modern installations for maintenance of local sewerage systems. They are more powerful and capable of destroying even solid deposits; such special equipment can be used for pumping out sediment if water does not leave the septic tank due to accumulated deposits. In addition, the advantage of this option is the fact that to carry out pumping, the car does not need to drive directly to the septic tank. The capabilities of the equipment allow you to perform the necessary operations when stopping the machine at a distance of up to 40 meters from the installation hatch. Moreover, suction pumps are capable of not only pumping out sludge, but also immediately flushing the sewer system using a jet supplied under pressure.
Advice! Performing two types of work at once (pumping and flushing) saves time and money.
What is required from a home owner?
Let's figure out what the owners need to do if they decide to clean out the septic tank or pump out cesspools using the services of professionals. The procedure should be as follows:
- Choose a company that provides sewage disposal services;
- Place an order for septic tank maintenance. At this stage, it is necessary to correctly formulate the tasks. For example, if the installation is heavily silted and the water does not drain, then in addition to cleaning it is worth ordering the system to be flushed. In addition, it is necessary to inform the dispatcher of the installation depth and its volume. This information is necessary to make the right choice. technical means. For example, a regular sewer truck can clean a septic tank whose depth does not exceed three meters;
- Sign a service agreement;
Advice! If the owner wishes, it is possible to conclude a subscription service agreement. As a rule, this is more profitable than one-time orders. In addition, the owners do not have to think about when and how to clean the septic tank.
- Provide free passage to the cleaning site.
It must be remembered that the process of pumping out the septic tank will be accompanied by the release of unpleasant odors. Therefore, this event should not be scheduled on a weekend when the whole family is going for a picnic in a country house.
Self-cleaning
If it is not possible to use the services of professionals, you will have to do the cleaning yourself; cleaning a septic tank with your own hands is done as follows:
- Prepare equipment: fecal and water pump, long hose, container for collecting the pumped out substance. The container must have sufficient volume and a tight-fitting lid;
- Pump out the contents of the cameras;
- Rinse the chambers; water is pumped using a pump. If possible, flush the pipes;
- After flushing, it is poured into the septic tank pure water(this needs to be done if the septic tank is plastic; there is no need to pour water into a concrete one, since such an installation is not at risk of floating) and, if desired, you can use a special biological product.
If cleaning the septic tanks does not bring results and the water still does not leave, then most likely the reason is silting of the filtration fields. In this case, it will be necessary to consider the construction of new soil treatment devices, since washing the filter layer is a very labor-intensive task.
So, regular cleaning of the septic tank is necessary event, which allows you to maintain the functionality of the installation and ensures normal level sewage treatment.
The Pumping Service company offers pumping, removal and disposal services for sewage and waste for residents of the North-East of Moscow and the region. Our specialists work with any type of autonomous sewer systems, and we are able to cope with cesspools of any size and design.
Cleaning toilets and cesspools - quickly, professionally and cheaply!
Pit for a country toilet
This is a sealed tank of any volume, shape and depth, designed to collect wastewater and human waste. The use of such structures in private households is the simplest and most easy option organization of an autonomous sewer system.
The cesspool can be made from:
- polymer materials;
- bricks;
- concrete rings;
- whole concrete structure etc.
Regardless of the material of manufacture, the toilet must be pumped out on time, since this is the place where harmful toxins are formed and occur. unpleasant odors. If this process is not taken seriously, it will directly affect the safety of your entire family!
You just need to do it regularly cleaning toilets and cesspools. The frequency of cleaning depends not only on the size of the tank, but also on the number of people in the family. The Pumping Service company offers these and many other services related to sewer maintenance.
We guarantee the quality of the work performed!
Cleaning country toilets and cesspools
Our fleet includes modern sewer trucks on GAZ, MAZ and ZIL truck chassis. All vehicles are equipped with powerful pumps and waste collection tanks high power. We use a variety of biological products and chemicals to kill bacteria.
Price
The presence of a team of specialists and our own equipment allows us to offer affordable prices for most potential clients. Rest assured that sewer cleaning will be completely inexpensive. Call the indicated numbers and order the service. And if necessary, you can always count on advice and support.
For summer residents and owners country houses in the absence of a central sewerage system, one very important task has to be solved with a certain frequency - cleaning the septic tank. Unfortunately, such a wonderful structure, which ensures the purity of wastewater, itself requires regular cleaning.
To answer this question, you must have at least general idea about the construction of septic tanks. Septic tanks may vary design features, the materials from which they are made, but they operate on the same principle - to one degree or another, they are, first of all, settling tanks.
The container, placed in the ground, is intended for filtration and purification of wastewater using the flow method. This happens in the following sequence:
- The wastewater is brought to a container where it is discharged.
- Wastewater settle in the chamber for about a day, dividing into fractions.
- Heavy fractions settle. If the septic tank has biological treatment, then it is populated by anaerobic microorganisms, which at depth in an oxygen-free environment process settling particles, forming sludge.
- Clarified water without suspended particles flows to the filter well, where it is completely purified and seeps through the drainage into the ground.
Gradually, the sludge accumulates, occupying a certain volume. This reduces the performance of the device. To clean a septic tank, you need to pump out most of the sludge that has formed. It is not advisable to remove all the sludge, since anaerobes live in it, and they will have to be repopulated in a completely cleaned septic tank. It is recommended to pump out about 80% of the sediment. Usually, septic tank cleaning performed as needed, but at least once a year.
Methods for cleaning a septic tank
Cleaning methods depend on the design of the septic tank:
- Some devices are equipped with special sludge pipes through which sludge flows by gravity or under pressure.
- There are septic tanks that do not require pumping. Sludge enters them using special pumps through filters into replaceable tanks. The degree of filling of the tanks is determined visually; the filled tank is automatically replaced with an empty one. This system is simple and convenient, but it also costs a lot.
In all other cases, you will have to make a choice between two options:
Professional services
The arrival of vacuum cleaners will help solve your problem quickly and easily. When applying for sewerage services, As a rule, you need to indicate the depth and volume of the septic tank, as well as provide access for vehicles. Specialists using a hose and vacuum pump pump out the contents of the septic tank or cesspool into a container installed on the machine, and, if necessary, flush the chambers and pipes. If the volume of the tank in the vacuum cleaners allows, then the septic tank is pumped out at one time.
The task is simplified if the company providing sewage cleaning services has sludge sucker. It's more powerful and modern equipment. Such a machine does not need to drive close to the septic tank; the length of the hoses is about 40 m. Powerful pumps are able to cope even with solid deposits and, if necessary, carry out flushing from such an impressive distance.
If you need professional septic tank cleaning, price for such a service in the Moscow region starts from 3,000 rubles (for a septic tank up to 3 cubic meters). Although, the further from the capital, the lower the prices. For example, in Ryazan, located 200 km from Moscow, a similar service is offered for 2,500 rubles. Washing of chambers and pipes is not included in this price.
If the chambers were washed, then it is necessary to repopulate the septic tank with microorganisms.
Do-it-yourself septic tank cleaning
Septic tank pumping- a procedure that you can do yourself. For this you will need fecal pump, a water pump, a long hose and a tightly closing container of sufficient volume. If the sludge has acquired a solid consistency, it will be useful submersible fecal pump with grinder.
It will be necessary to pump out deposits from the chambers into a container, and, if necessary, rinse the pipes and chambers with a water pump, followed by adding a biological product containing anaerobes.
IN Lately To the listed methods of cleaning a septic tank, another method has been added, which is gaining more and more popularity among owners of suburban real estate.
Bacterial cleaning
The application serves as an excellent auxiliary tool for cleaning septic tanks and cesspools, allowing you to significantly save on calling a sewer truck - the need for it arises much less frequently. And in cases of short-term residence outside the city (for example, in the summer at the dacha), bacterial cleaning can become an alternative to professional pumping of a septic tank or cesspool.
Biological products containing certain bacteria are added to the septic tank with water. Microorganisms get to work, purifying the water to a safe state, and the sludge becomes looser and loses its unpleasant odor. Such microorganisms are especially useful if sludge deposits thicken and harden.
The use of specialized biological products allows you to make the cleaning procedure less frequent and save money, because professional pumping out septic tanks- the service is not cheap.
This method is especially in demand among summer residents who get by cesspool under the toilet. Independent cleaning of cesspools- an unpleasant task. Vacuum truck services for summer residents who do not live outside the city permanently, it is unnecessarily expensive. And the use of a biological product for cesspools allows the water pumped out from the pit to be used for irrigation, and the sediment for fertilizer.
If you are interested in professional pumping out cesspools, price services will amount, as when pumping a septic tank, about 3,000 rubles in the Moscow region and others major cities. In the regions prices are lower. For example, in Saratov they ask for 2 times less money for such a procedure.
A high-quality certified biological product will cost just over 1,000 rubles. When using biological products you need to remember some important points:
- Getting into the septic tank, where the biological product is added, contains chlorine and other aggressive chemical substances kills microorganisms.
- Bacteria usually work in the temperature range from +4° to +30°C. This means that the use of biological products is useless in winter period.
- Microorganisms begin to work no earlier than after a couple of hours, so you should not expect an immediate effect.
- Such biological products should be used only in accordance with the attached instructions.
Having considered all the basic and auxiliary methods for cleaning septic tanks and cesspools, we can conclude that this is not a very complicated, but mandatory procedure. And the choice of method is always yours. If desired, every country resident can find best option, which suits him from a material and technical point of view.
Cesspools are equipped for removing human waste products in dachas or land plots for small private houses. The construction of such treatment facilities does not take much time and does not require large financial expenditures. As a rule, to clean cesspools they call special services, but it also happens that the location of the septic tank does not allow special equipment to drive up and pump out sewage, or this method is not beneficial to the owner of the house. Then you should use chemical and biological agents to clean the cesspool without pumping.
Biological drugs
Many owners of private farmsteads have encountered a mechanical method of cleaning a cesspool or country toilet and they know firsthand how unpleasant this activity is. Most of them preferred pumping biological drugs, the advantages of which are obvious:
- Under the influence of bacteria, waste products are transformed into a harmless substance.
- Fecal matter decreases in volume.
- The smell disappears.
- The resulting mass is an excellent fertilizer for garden plants.
Features of use
Such products contain cultured (artificially grown in laboratory) bacteria. Their features:
- Unlike microorganisms that develop in nature, they cannot adapt to extreme conditions.
- They do not tolerate low temperatures and contact with household chemicals.
- To ensure normal life, a liquid environment is required.
- When the contents of the cesspool dry out, the cultivated bacteria die.
Regular use biological agents allows you to do without pumping out the contents of the cesspool, which does not contain household chemicals. The drugs are effective in the warm season.
The most effective biological products
These include “Bioexpert”, “Ecorecycle”, “Sanfor Bioactivator”, “Bioactivator Living Bacteria Biosept”. The listed biological products are safe for insects, animals and humans.
"Bioexpert" is available in the form of effervescent tablets. It contains selective microorganisms, enzymes, and minerals. Removes detergent residue, greasy deposits, and eliminates unpleasant odors. Suitable for septic tanks and cesspools. In tanks with a volume of up to three cubic meters, 1 tablet per month is enough to achieve the desired effect. For cesspools, bacteria must be activated by dissolving the tablet in 5-7 liters of water.
"Ecorecycle" is a universal preparation for cleaning septic tanks and cesspools. Available in powder form. Reduces the volume of deposits and neutralizes sewage odors. Effective only in organic environments. Not suitable for sewage pits where it ends up household chemicals. One sachet (75 g) is enough for a month with a pit volume of 2 cubic meters.
"Sanfor Bioactivator". It contains wheat bran (30%), cultural microorganisms (5%), sodium bicarbonate (65%). The drug eliminates unpleasant odors, fat and fecal deposits, accumulations of phenols and cellulose. A 40 g package is valid for a month and reduces the contents of the cesspool by 30%.
“Bioactivator Living Bacteria Biosept” is available in the form of granules and powder. It begins to act 2 hours after entering the sewer (flushing water in toilets, sinks, showers or bathtubs). Decomposes fecal matter and residues toilet paper, removes greasy deposits and soap deposits from detergents. Frequency of use: 1 dose (25 g sachet) every 2 weeks.
The instructions included with any of them will help you choose the right drug, which will indicate the type of suitable cesspool.
Chemicals
Used to clean septic tanks and outdoor toilets for a long time. Formaldehyde-based preparations were most often used. However, it is highly toxic, dangerous to human and animal health, and harmful to the environment, which is why it has been banned since the end of the 20th century.
Among modern chemicals Preparations based on:
- ammonium compounds;
- nitrogen (nitrate) oxidizers.
The first refers to budget funds for cleaning septic tanks. They are not as toxic as formaldehyde, but are still dangerous to human health and environment. The latter are recognized as the safest. The composition of these cleaning agents is close to nitrogen fertilizers that are used in agriculture.
Features of application
Disadvantages of ammonium compounds:
- The substance obtained as a result of processing using chemical cleaners based on ammonium compounds cannot be used to fertilize agricultural crops.
- The effectiveness of such drugs is noticeably reduced when interacting with household detergents.
Nitrogen oxidizers have only one disadvantage - high price. There are many more advantages:
- do not lose effectiveness when combined with household chemicals.
- cope well with the decomposition of biological inclusions;
- neutralizes unpleasant odors.
These cleaners are used to dissolve sludge and solids in septic tanks and neutralize harmful bacteria.
The most effective chemicals
Products based on nitrate oxidizers from the Devon line - “Devon-N” and “Devon-Il” - are widely used. After using them, you get a safe liquid that can be poured into the compost heap.
"Devon-N" - universal remedy wide spectrum of action. Supplied in disposable bags weighing 30 g and liquid form in containers with various volumes(0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 l). Advantages:
- effectively eliminates unpleasant odors;
- does not lose properties at sub-zero temperatures;
- does not contain alkalis, acids, formaldehyde, quaternary ammonium compounds;
- dilutes fecal matter, while reducing the volume of contents of cesspools.
The most convenient way to use the drug is in powder form. To remove the smell of sewage, the contents of two sachets (60 g) are diluted in a liter warm water and irrigate the surface of the cesspool using a watering can. This amount is sufficient for a tank with a surface area of 2-3 m2. Valid from 2 to 4 weeks.
"Devon-Il" is a drug for eliminating siltation and blockages in septic tanks, drain wells and cesspools. Available in the form of a concentrated liquid in 1.5 liter containers. Advantages:
- eliminates sewage odors;
- not afraid of low temperatures;
- environmentally friendly.
To prevent blockages and siltation in the absence of odors: 50-100 ml of the product into the toilet or sink drain once a month. If an unpleasant odor is present, the same amount is poured every week.
The described drugs are accompanied by detailed instructions. It must be carefully studied before use.
When cleaning is necessary
It is not always possible to cope with the masses in a cesspool with chemical and biological preparations:
- If installed incorrectly drain pipes(when they are located too low), silt deposits clog the drain, resulting in a clog.
- If they merge into the pit liquid waste from the bath and kitchen, which contain synthetic detergents. Most drugs do not work with them.
Signs of an overflowing cesspool:
- There is an unpleasant smell next to her.
- Slowing down the drainage of water from the toilet, sinks, and sinks.
- The appearance of flies nearby.
If the symptoms described above are observed, emergency cleaning is required - it is recommended to call a vacuum cleaner.
Prevention
When installing cesspools and septic tanks, it is necessary to correctly calculate their total volume in accordance with the number of people living in the house and the intensity of sewage use. During operation, errors may “pop up” due to which you have to call special services to download the contents.
To prevent the problem of overflowing the septic tank from arising in the future, it is necessary to regularly prevent blockages after cleaning.