Products and Services     

This page will give you the straight poop on products/services that can help you protect your septic system from failing and may even get your failing system going again.  

Septic systems are science, not folklore.  Don't believe it when the village idiot tells you to throw yeast, brown sugar or dead chickens in the tank.  These tricks can actually hurt your system.

Think about this...in most cases when a septic system fails it's not the tank that is failing, it's because the drainfield/soil got plugged-up with solids and will no longer allow water to pass through it.  Pretty simple isn't it. One of the best ways to prevent solids from plugging the soil is by using filters (gee, that was a tough one).  Washing machines are a leading source of the solids that plug drainfields.

A typical family discharges enough lint every year to carpet a living room floor! Lint screens and nylon socks trap less than 5% of these contaminates. These minute particles, because they are so small and light, do not settle in the septic tank, rather they stay in suspension and are flushed out to the drainfield where they actually plug-up the pores of the soil bed.

To compound the problem much of our clothing and carpeting is now manufactured with synthetics, polyester, nylon etc... Septic systems do not breakdown plastics! Once these non-organic materials enter the drainfield, there is no way to remove them.

This filter has been featured on CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS and FOX news broadcasts around the country.  Entire communities, prisons, Laundromats are using this filter and many contractors are automatically including it with every system they install.  Some Government Agencies  would like to make filtered wash water a code requirement! Why? Because it works!  With the cost to replace a septic system running $5,000 to more than $20,000 the FILTROL 160 is cheap insurance to protect your wallet and your property.  

I have used the Septic Protector for over a year and the performance is OUTSTANDING! It collects an unbelievable amount of lint (before I purchased the Septic Protector, I had a backup). I believe the Septic Protector is one way to keep the system running well by keeping the bad in-organic washing machine stuff like nylons/polyester lint out of the septic system. Your product is great and I believe it will help keep my 40 year septic system in top shape. The only question I have is how will I know when to replace the nylon filter. It looks about the same as it was when new. You can post this Email on your web site. G.S.

Product	Cost	Shipping	Total	ORDERING INFORMATION
Filtrol 160 with one filter click here for detail product information	$139.95	$12.95	$152.90	CLICK HERE TO ORDER ON-LINE
Filtrol 160  with/extra filter* (suggested) click here for detail product information	$152.90	$12.95	$165.85	CLICK HERE TO ORDER ON-LINE
Replacement 160 micron filters (last 1-3 years)	$12.95	$6.50	$19.45	CALL 1-888-873-6505 TO ORDER VIA TELEPHONE

bUT IT ISN'T JUST FOR PEOPLE ON SEPTIC SYSTEMS.  EVEN CITY PEOPLE ARE USING IT:

I HAVE TO TELL YOU HOW GREAT THE WASHING MACHINE FILTER WORKS.  BEFORE I INSTALLED THE FILTER I HAD EXPENSIVE PLUMBING PROBLEMS WITH LINT FROM MY WASHING MACHINE PLUGGING UP MY DRAINS AND SEWER LINE TO THE STREET. THE AVERAGE BILL WAS $150.00!  NOW SINCE I HAVE INSTALLED THE FILTROL NO MORE PLUMBING BILLS!!!!!!! YOU SHOULD CALL IT THE PLUMBING PROTECTOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  DAVID W.  in OHIO

MORE SOLUTIONS (NO ONE BOTHERED TO TELL YOU ABOUT) Like effluent filters, soil fracturing, soil amenders, alternative systems, septic heaters, etc.

Most septic failures occur when the drainfield gets plugged with solids that were supposed to stay in the tank. Effluent filters, $50 to $100, are installed (by a contractor...not a do-it-yourself project) in the exit baffle of the tank and stop the LARGER solids from getting out to the drainfield. These filters are cleaned when you have your tank inspected...Cheap insurance and along with a washing machine filter, one of the best things you can do to protect your system from failure. Call 1-888-878-3752 or checkout their website at http://www.orenco.com

Many states are now getting smart and making easy access to the tank for inspection/pumping/service a requirement by having the tank cover at the surface. No more of that "lets bury the tank 6 feet deep so we can never get to it." And it only makes sense…having a tank so deep you need heavy equipment to get to it is like welding the hood of your car shut. However there is a drawback to this, it makes getting in the tank too easy and over the last few years there have been several cases of children (with their natural curiosity) opening the tanks, falling in and drowning. Click here to see septic deaths Tuf-Tite makes access covers that lock. Lets the contractor in but keeps the kids out. You can have one installed usually less than $300. Cheap insurance. Check out their website http://www.tuf-tite.com/index.html or call them at 1-800-382-7009 Of course you don't want a cover sticking up in your yard, so get a decorative rock to cover it (see below).  I have 2 in my yard covering my inspection pipes and plan to get a few more.

One of the biggest advances in the septic industry is the use of gravelless chamber systems. The Infiltrator Chamber System is designed to replace  stone and pipe leachfields.  Each chamber provides more than twice the leaching capacity of traditional methods, so you get a safer, more reliable, and more efficient system. Infiltrator chambers are designed for quick and easy installation.  Only the leachfield area of your yard is affected.  The rest remains undisturbed.  This differs from stone and pipe installations which require heavy equipment for hauling and dumping the stone.  A significant amount of cleanup is needed in stone and pipe situations and the potential for yard damage is greatly increased. For more information call Infiltrator Systems directly at 1-800-221-4436 or visit their web site at http://www.infiltratorsystems.com   to learn more about these innovative chamber systems.

Many states are now requiring inspection pipes and covers be exposed. There are 2 reasons for this: The first is ease of access…when it comes time to pump, inspect or troubleshoot the system no one wants to spend time searching for and digging up these access ports. If they are exposed the contractor can do their job much easier and faster (and cheaper). The second reason is, there is a visual reminder for the homeowner that they have a septic system. When you completely bury that system the "out of sight, out of mind" phenomenon takes place…people forget they have a septic system and the abuse soon follows. Having these ports exposed is great…except they are ugly, particularly if you have spent a lot of time and money making the rest of your yard look beautiful. There is a solution however, cover them with fake rocks. These rocks are light enough to move around, yet heavy enough they won’t blow away. You can get them in a variety of different shapes and colors. I have 2 in my yard for my septic system and plan on getting another to cover my wellhead.  Call 1-877-329-6757 or click here www.fakerock.com/ to see them.

SOIL FRACTURING TO REJUVENATE FAILED SYSTEMS: When drainfields become plugged or compacted, they can’t drain and fill up with effluent drowning the aerobic bacteria. Many failed systems can be rejuvenated by fracturing the soil. This process utilizes a hollow tube inserted into the soil, then a 300 pound blast of air is injected into the soil creating thousands of tiny fissures. These fissures allow the drainfield to drain creating an oxygen atmosphere and allowing the aerobic bacterial colonies to re-populate. This process, known as Terralifting, can be performed in a matter of hours with no digging or damage to the yard. The cost will range from $1,000-$2,000. A lot cheaper than a replacement. Call 1-888-298-4272 to find out where the nearest machine/contractor is to you. You can also find them on the web at www.terraliftinternational.com

ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS: In the old days people would have a separate system just for their sinks/showers/washing machines and there is a place for them....but you can not just start hosing down the petunias and tomatoes with it...grey water is still contaminated and needs to go through the treatment process.  The Wastewater Garden System is an excellent addition to an existing system for irrigation, as a primary treatment system in environmentally sensitive areas, or even for those on city utilities for those people that pay high water bills for their gardens.  These systems are being used all over the world. Call 978-369-9440 or www.ecological-engineering.com

If you have read my writings you know I am not a big fan of additives. It’s not that they don’t work and there is not a place for them, it’s the fact that people use them and think they take the place of preventive maintenance and this is not true. At the very least the tank needs to be regularly inspected to find problems before they become failures (what happens if your exit baffle falls off…you won’t find out until the system is totally shot). One product I now recommend (because I tested it on failing systems and it worked) is Septic Scrub. Septic Scrub is an environmentally safe product that can get some failing systems going again. And if you don’t mind doing a little digging to find the distribution box, you can do it yourself.  Call 1-888-352-7226 or check out http://www.arcan.com/

Sodium, (salt) in wastewater can cause clay particles to chemically bond developing a water proof barrier. If this is a problem (water softener) with your system, calcium-polysulfide or Septic Seep can correct the damaged soils.  Call 1-800-372-9637 or email  drayner@psnw.com

Non-biodegradable lint is a major source of drainfield failure, but it's not just lint from your washing machine that kills your system...it's the amount of water your washing machine produces.  In most homes washing machines are the leading source of hydraulic overloading.  A top loading washing machine can use up to 62 gallons of water per wash load.  On a heavy wash day you can easily put 400, 500, 600 gallons of water down the drain in a few hours. This high volume of water not only floods your system it can also agitate your tank and flush solids out into the drainfield. Front loading washing machines use up to 70% less water than a top loader and are easier on your cloths.  But in the 1960's and 70's the convenience of top loading washers dramatically dropped the sales of front loaders.  Subsequently most manufacturers stopped making them.  However by the 1990's the federal government realized everyone (city sewer and septic) needed to start conserving water and encouraged manufacturers to start making them again.  Now those manufacturers are trying to play catch-up.  Frigidaire was the only U. S. manufacturer that kept making them and are now rated as one of the best front loaders on the market today (if you want to find out how good a product is, don't ask the manufacturer that sells them, ask the people that repair them).  If you are in the market for a new washing machine this is the brand to check out:  http://www.frigidaire.com/products/laundry.asp

Odors are a big problem for some homes.  Vents on the roof allow the pressure to equalize as waste water flows down through the drain pipes, without a vent system your sinks/tubs/toilets would gurgle, glug, and drain slow.  Often these problems are caused by wind currents.  As the wind blows over the house, the air currents that are supposed to carry the gasses up and away can carry the sewer gasses down into the living areas.  The SWEETAIR filtration device is an activated carbon filter that can prevent this problem by removing the offensive odors as they come out of the vent.  They cost about $50 and most homeowners can easily attach the filter themselves in minutes.   They can last 20+ years and as an added bonus, they prevent birds, squirrels and leaves from clogging your vent stack (I once found a HUGE gray squirrel in my toilet that had crawled into the vent/plumbing system from the roof.  Luckily I looked before...well, you know.   I now have a vent filter to prevent future intruders...true story).  Call Sweet Septic at 1-800-622-8768 or visit their webpage at www.sweetair.com.

Over the last few years we have had record numbers of septic systems freezing up.  When we have a winter with low temps and little or no snow cover, the cold will find the weaknesses in your system.  Some people have resorted to putting electric heating elements into the tank.  Two problems with this are; it's not the tank that freezes (first), it usually starts in the drainfield and works its way back to the tank.  Second, the tank can explode from the methane gas and that could ruin your whole day.  However here is a heater that is designed specifically for septic systems.  You place it on top of your inspection pipe and with a thermostatic control, kicks on when needed and blows hot air through the entire system.  Anyone that has lived through a frozen system knows it is expensive and a major hassle.  Where this is really going to come in to play is with seasonal cabins.  Use this heater and you can keep the cabin open all year.  Check out www.septicheater.com or call 1 (888) 417-3784.

Here is something you may find handy. I have a habit of "losing" my favorite pants and shirts when my wife is ready to wash them.  Consequently I don't get to wear them when I want to.  A while back I got one of these mini-washing machines for less than $60.  A little water, a little soap, crank the handle for a few minutes and they are ready for the dryer.  It is great because you don't need to run the washing machine for a small load.  It would work great for a cabin where water or electrical power is an issue. It would be great for an RV or single people that don't have a lot of clothes to wash.  Call 1-888-813-9559 or visit laundry-alternative.com  They have a lot of other cool stuff that you can not find in stores and lots more information on the status of septic systems. My daughter asked if she could use it because my grandson is a drooler and she is constantly washing his outfits...now she won't give it back.

"What kind of toilet paper should we use?" is an often asked question.  The main thing you want is a paper that will breakdown readily in a septic tank.  Unfortunately the paper that does breakdown easily is very similar to using 80 grit sand paper (like what you find in airports) and is not what you would want to call a pleasure cruise to use.  The stuff that is comfortable to use however will buildup in the tank.  In fact if you open a tank the whole top layer will be toilet paper and in some conditions that layer will get so hard you can literally stand on it (but I wouldn't suggest testing this) and the contractor has to use a machine called a crust buster to break it up.  Problem solved: SepticSure is for septic systems and RV's.  Not only does it breakdown well, it is dye and chlorine free...it's soft and smoooooth.  Oh yes, just what I have been looking for.  Check this stuff out at www.septicsure.com or call 1-800-548-2804.  Buy it by the case.