septic systems

The common types of septic systems in use today include: 

• Conventional  -  Drainfield is installed underground
• At-Grade  - Drainfield is installed at ground surface
• Mound  -  Drainfield is installed on top of sand that is hauled in
• Holding Tank  -  Does not have a drainfield

The simplest system is the holding tank which, as the name implies, merely acts a reservoir until it is full and then must be pumped out. The other systems all have a tank which also acts as a reservoir however some treatement occurs in the septic tank before the water is either pumped or gravity flows into an absorption field.  The type of septic system your home will utilize is determined by the suitable soil available for sewage treatment as described by the soil test.

The soil test is the first step in the process of a septic system installation. The soil test is an evaluation of the soil & site conditions on your property. Using many different criteria, the CST (Certified Soil Tester) establishes the amount of suitable soil for sewage treatment available and the location of where the septic system is to be placed.

The amount of suitable soil is determined by many factors. The CST considers soil characteristics such as texture, color, consistence and structure among others. The most important characteristic of the soil is how well water drains through the soil.  Sites may have the presence something called redoximorphic features. Simply put, redoximorphic features are stains in the soil, usually reddish and/or grayish, that are caused by periods of saturation of water.  Other sites may have sandstone that will slow down the water flow and clean-up process.  

The other major consideration is the site conditions. Among the factors evaluated is the slope of the land, aesthetics, installation concerns, and setbacks from the home, outbuildings, well and lot lines. Area available is another crucial detail. The area required for your septic system depends on the severity of the conditions present in your soils and also by the number of bedrooms your existing or proposed home has.

Some soil testers will perform random excavations with little or no thought about your site layout or soil characteristics in order to enhance their profit. Schoen Plumbing is defined from others by our willingness to spend the time exploring your soils with the minimally invasive hand auger and shovel to find the best soils. We aslo spend more time working with the homeowner because we will not disfigure a beautiful home with a poorly situated septic system.

The second step in the septic system installation process is obtaining the sanitary permit. The Sanitary Permit is the first permit you must acquire. Your Building Permit cannot be issued until your Sanitary Permit has been issued. To obtain a Sanitary Permit, you must have:  a Septic System Plan. drawn and a Plan Review performed by the appropriate state agency.

A septic system plan is drawn from information contained on the soil test. Just as a carpenter builds a home from a blue print, the plumber builds the septic from a septic system plan. The plan includes such items as the layout, the septic system, the size of the treatment tank & absorption field, county required maintenance agreements, a contingency and management plan, and specifications on types of materials used.

Schoen Plumbing is a Designer of Engineering Systems for Septic Systems. Our septic system design is approved for any plumber to work from. There is no extra cost if you decide to go with another plumber. This saves you time & money, so you can focus on your home project.

Once a septic system plan is complete, it is sent off for review. Depending on the county in which your project is to take place and the type of septic system to be installed, the plan will either be reviewed by a county official or a state plan reviewer. Plans should be reviewed and returned in as little as 2 weeks, no more than 4 weeks.

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 We encourage our customers to obtain other bids so that they can see we are in fact trying to offer the best price possible. Schoen Plumbing gladly meets you on site to discuss the results of your soil test and to provide you with a free bid.  We have a good background with state officials, extensive knowledge of our trade and experience with code.