Monthly Archives: September 2021

What Do You Need To Know About Septic Tanks?

It can be stressful to move to a new house. If you are moving into a home that has a septic system and you’ve never had one before, it’s important to know some things about the operation so you don’t make any big mistakes. For example, you will need septic tank pumping service in Napa every few years, even if you treat the system well. Here are some other things to know.

Strain Things In The Sink

Even if the kitchen sink has a garbage disposal, you don’t want to use it very often if you can help it. Use that item sparingly as it can increase the amount of solids in your tank, which is not what you want. Put a strainer in the sink when you are trying to wash dishes or cut things up and that will help you catch things you don’t want to go down so you can throw them away instead of wash them down the drain.

Know Where The Tank Is Located

You are going to know where your septic tank is and where the drain field is as well so you can tell the technicians that might have to come to help you with issues. You will also want to keep the drain field clear or trees, bushes, and other things or that could damage how the system operates. Don’t drive heavy equipment over that area and have the tank pumped out through the central manhole not the smaller holds. Keep copies of receipts that show when the tank was pumped out.

Avoid Harmful Products

There are lots of things that can cause a lot of damage to the septic tank and the entire system. Don’t put paint or other like solvents down the drains. Don’t put cooking grease or oil down there either. Anything anti-bacterial can also harm the bacteria makeup within the tank. You don’t want to flush anything but toilet paper and waste, either. These harmful products can cost you a lot in the long run.

Watch For Pumping Signs

Know the signs that you need to have your tank pumped out, so you know what to watch for. IF the drains are starting to run slow or you notice a foul smell or a lot of water in the drain field, the tank might be filling up fast. Knowing the signs can help you avoid a major disaster, like a backup into your house.

Have Pumping More Often Than 5 Years

If you haven’t had the tank pumped out in 5 years, that’s not a good thing. Never go more than 5 years without a tank pumping. It needs to be emptied out regularly to restore the balance of good bacteria and take away the sludge.

If you want more information on septic tank system, or if you want to have your system checked out once you move in, the professionals at American Sanitation Inc are here to help.

How Portable Toilet Cleaning Works

If you have to rent portable toilets in Sonoma, CA for an event and they are going to be on-site for quite a few days, you might wonder how they are going to be cleaned out. The professional companies can help you to set up a service plan so they portable toilets stay in good operating condition for the length of their stay. Depending on how long they will be there and how heavy their use will be, you will want to have them cleaned out and serviced during their stay. But how does that work? Here are some of the details.

Pumping Out The Tank

One of the first things the technicians will do when they arrive to service the portable toilets is pump out the tanks. They need to remove the waste, water, and other items from the tank to make room for more use. Taking away that waste is a huge part of the servicing process.

Filling Up The Water

The portable toilets don’t remain completely empty, even if they are newly services. The technicians will fill the tank back up with a small amount of water that can help to catch waste and dampen any odors.

Chemicals For Odor And Bacteria

They will also add certain chemicals to the mix so it can take away odors and kill of bacteria that might have grown in the tank during the days of use. That’s an important part of making the portable toilet a pleasant experience for anyone who must use it in the upcoming days of your event.

Scrubbing With Cleaning Solutions

Once the tank is taken care of, the technicians will scrub the interior and exterior of the portable toilet unit to cleanse it and make it look and smell nice. The cleaning solutions take care of bacteria and make it a clean place for your guests to use the next time it is needed.

Re-Stocking Items

Before they complete the process, the technicians will also re-stock everything within the toilet. They will make sure the toilet paper roll is fresh and that there are extras. If there’s a hand sanitizer inside or outside of the portable toilet, they will fill it up. Some portable toilets are fully flushing and have sinks and running water. If that’s the case, they will fill the soap there. Otherwise, there might be a hand washing station outside that came with the unit. They will clean and sanitize that as well as fill paper towels and hand soap there as well.

Once the technicians leave after servicing the portable toilets in Sonoma, CA, the units should be in good operating order once again, as if they just arrived for the very first time. You will want to talk to the professionals at American Sanitation Inc about how long your event in and how heavy you expect use of the rented toilets to be. That can help you set up a good length of time between servicing so everyone can get what they need from the rental.

Helpful Tips For Septic Tank Owners

Having a septic tank might be old hat for some people, but there are others who have never had one of these units before and may have no idea how to treat it. Septic tank pumping in Novato, CA is part of septic tank ownership and there are other tips you will want to know about if you have a home that has a septic system. Here are some of the things the professionals want you to know.

Never Enter The Septic Tank

You never ever want to go inside your septic tank, even if it is large enough that you feel you could fit with ease. The gas within the tank is toxic and entering the tank could be fatal to you. If you know you need repairs or think there is a blockage, call a professional and let them handle it. It’s not worth risking injury or death.

Have The Tank Pumped Regularly

Septic tanks aren’t meant to be used for decades without any attention. Even if you use the system perfectly, the tank is going to fill up and need to be pumped out. It’s best to get this job done by professionals every few years. There aren’t any chemical additives that can fill in the place of a pumping. Have it done when you notice the signs that things are running slowly or just do it regularly.

Monitor Water Use

The septic system is designed to handle a certain amount of water based on the size of the system, the size of your residence, and a certain number of people. If you have more people coming over to stay, or you get back from vacation and have a bunch of laundry, you will want to make adjustments in the water use area, so you don’t go above the average use at a time. Space things out so the septic system isn’t overwhelmed.

Conserve Water

There are a lot of things you can do to conserve water, so you agitate the tank less and keep the solid waste at the bottom of the tank to help and prolong its lifespan. Showers, for example, take less water than baths, especially if you keep them short. Front loading washers also take less water than top loaders. Look into other things you can do to save.

Read Product Labels

Any time you are using a new product, make sure it is friendly to septic systems. Some things might be labeled safe for septic tanks, but they aren’t always. There’s no such thing as a flushable wipe, for example. They are not safe and will build up in the system. You don’t want to use anything with anti-bacterial written on it as it will kill off the bacteria in the tank that you need for things to operate well.

If you want more tips or need septic tank pumping in Novato, CA, contact the professionals at American Sanitation Inc who can take care of all of your septic system needs.

Tips For Renting Porta Potties

There might come a time when you run across an event where you need to rent portable toilets in Novato, CA. There are many such events that can occur in a number of locations. If you are having an outdoor wedding, for example, and there aren’t any bathrooms nearby, it can be a good option. If you are having an outdoor concert, craft fair, or something else where there will be guests milling around for a long period of time, portable toilets are a good idea to investigate. Here are some tips for the rental process.

Look Through The Options

Once you know you need portable toilets, you will want to think about what type you want. There are actually a lot more options than you might know about. You can get what you think of as standard portable toilets and that might work fine for your event, but there are also fully flushing options that come with a sink and running water. That’s a nice choice for a classy event, like a wedding. There are also larger options for handicapped individuals or even for families that might have a mom or dad trying to help a young child. More space is always nice in those cases. Think about your needs and what the options are, and you can line them up together.

Book Early Enough

You are going to want to book the portable toilets you need early enough so you can get what you need without question. Don’t call the portable toilet company the day before the event and expect to be able to get anything and everything you need right away. Book in advance so you have your choice of options and can set up the delivery date with ease.

Get Plenty Of Toilets

You may need to work with the professionals on how many toilets you need. It depends on how many guests you expect, how long the event is, the location, and many other things. You should get more than you think and it’s always better to have too many than to experience long lines at the few you have. It will make anyone attending your event much happier.

Choose Good Locations

You have to put the portable toilets in good locations, and you might not really know what that looks like. The professionals can help you with that. They will want to see the layout of the event and then, when they see the grounds, they can help you choose flat, dry locations in good places to put the portable toilets for everyone’s convenience.

Get Pro Advice

When you are trying to rent portable toilets in Novato, CA, you admittedly might not know that much about the process and that’s okay. The professionals at American Sanitation Inc are here to help you with the process from start to finish. Tell us about your event, your budget, and every other detail you have in mind, and we can help you get the right portable toilets lined up for your purposes.