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Pit Toilets and Vault Toilets: Pros and Cons

Posted on by oiradmin

In our homes, it is common to install toilets connected to a well-designed septic system
or a sewer. However, for campgrounds, recreational areas or remote nonresidential
areas, installing a traditional toilet can be impossible because of the lack of waste
facilities.

In places like parks and other remote areas, they use either vault toilets and pit toilets.
In this blog, we will be comparing these two along with their advantages and
disadvantages.

Pit Toilets

Also known as pit latrine, is a type of toilet that collects human excreta in a hole in the
ground. There is usually a toilet seat or squatting pan around the hole. It is usually
constructed with three major parts: the hole, concrete slab (floor with a small hole) and
the shelter.

Advantages of Pit Toilets:

 Its construction is very inexpensive

 It requires minimal upkeep.

 It doesn’t need to be emptied if the pit is large and deep enough.

 The wastes break down on its own

Disadvantages of Pit Toilets:

 When improperly ventilated, it can have a very foul smell

 When used very frequently, it can get full. In the event that the pit gets full
everything has to be moved into another location.

Vault Toilets

This type of toilet is a non-flush toilet with a vault or a sealed container buried in the
ground which collects the human excreta. The wastes are to be contained underground
until it is pumped out.

Advantages of Vault Toilets:

 The plastic type vault toilets are portable making it easy to be transferred from
one place to another. It is ideal to use this in special events and festivals.

 Depending on its construction, it offers privacy and comfort.

Disadvantages of Vault Toilets:

 It needs to be emptied, cleaned and sanitized regularly.

 A faulty ventilation system may also result to foul-smelling odors.

The Most Common Septic Tank Problems Solved

Posted on by oiradmin

When maintained properly, a well-designed septic tank won’t cause any problems.

However, most homeowners overlook their septic systems and only take action when
problems arise. Septic tank problems should be taken care of as soon as the early signs
show.

Here are some of the most common septic tank problems you might encounter and how
to get around them.

Too much water in the septic tank

When you use excessive amounts of water, the septic tank gets filled more
quickly than it can accommodate. This makes solid waste to get suspended and
clog the distribution tubes which are designed supposedly for liquids.

To avoid this, you may want to reduce your daily water usage. For example, you
can do the laundry twice a week not once every two weeks to avoid heavy usage
of water.

Presence of non-biodegradable objects in the septic tank

Items such as paper towels, sanitary pads or tampons getting flushed down to
your septic tanks can be very terrible mistake. It makes the liquid levels rise,
causing solids to block the distribution pipes.

Always see to it that you and your family won’t flush anything aside from human
waste. Make sure you use septic safe items such as biodegradable toilet paper,
just in case.

Detergents and other harsh chemicals in the septic tank

Most cleaning products have phosphorous as ingredient. While it helps in
cleaning and removing grime, flushing phosphates into your septic tanks may
harm the bacteria and enzymes responsible in digesting the wastes.

One good way to prevent this from happening is to avoid pouring the detergent or
soap solution down the drain. You may do this in the outside drains which are not
linked to the septic tank. Also you have to avoid using anti-bacterial soaps and
detergents. Always remember to use cleaning products in moderation.

Grease Trap Maintenance: What You Need to Know

Posted on by oiradmin

If you have a grease trap installed in your commercial kitchen, you should conduct
proper maintenance if you don’t want to your sewer system to be compromised.

What are grease traps?

Grease traps or grease converter is a kind of plumbing device designed to intercept
most greases and solids before they enter the wastewater disposal system. They
reduce the amount of fats, oils and greases that enter the sewers, maintaining your
piping system clog-free.

Since it collects most of the wastes, it’s highly recommended to have it regularly
cleaned. It needs to cleaned out every three months or depending on how heavily it is
used.

We at Microbialogic, will have to recommend our best performing grease trap treatment,
the GTB 800. GTB 800 Grease Trap Treatment breaks down grease, paper and other
organic matter that clogs grease traps, septic tanks, cesspools and their drainfields.

When applied to drains, it breaks down the grease, soap and other organic matter that
can cling to pipe walls and buildup in pipe traps. Its unique, high potency formulations of
cultured bacteria reactivate the beneficial bacterial action that maintains proper drain
flow.

GTB 800 Grease Trap Treatment also contains nutrients for proper bacterial growth and
buffering agents to guard against harmful contaminants entering the system. GTB 800
is not a chemical and is safe to use in any plumbing fixture to treat all types of plumbing
and septic systems.

What are the do’s and don’ts when handling your grease trap?

Do’s:
 Regular maintenance should be performed on grease traps.

 Use only safe and environmentally friendly grease trap treatments.

 Consult professionals during major problems.

Don’ts:
 Ignore grease trap problems. Delaying the necessary repair will only cause the
problem to escalate.

 Use low quality products that can often make the problems worse.

The Signs You Have a Septic System Failure

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When you have forgotten or overlooked about your septic system maintenance tasks for
many years, there would be an increased chance that it can fail at some point.

If the damage to your septic system has become severe, there will be signs that tell you
that it is high time to have it fixed or replaced. A septic system failure can result to
untreated sewage to come back up or be transported to other places. Another
dangerous risk of a failing septic system is to cause untreated sewage to reach into the
ground water.

Follow this guide to be informed about the signs to watch for to know if your septic
system is already failing.

1. The Foul Smell

You don’t need to have a perfect sense of smell to be able to determine if it’s
coming from your septic system. The stench can be very unpleasant that you can
instantly identify that it is really from your septic system. When untreated sewage
has escaped the tank, you’ll be able to distinguish it easily because what you are
smelling is toxic sulfur!

2. Your toilet just won’t flush.

Have you been experiencing difficulty in flushing your toilets? It could be a sign
that there is something wrong with your septic system. It could be already full or
there is a clog in the pipes.

3. There are strange gurgling sounds in the plumbing system.

When flushing the toilet, you may hear some sounds coming from the pipes.

Usually the reasons behind it may be similar to when your toilet won’t flush.

4. Water and sewage are backing up into your home.

If you observe water or waste backing up, then you will have to call for help
immediately.

5. The grass on your drain field turns bright green even during dry weather.

This could mean that the vegetation on top of your field is having more nutrients
from the septic system.

If you don’t want to experience problems with your septic tank in the future, you might
want to consider using eco-friendly and highly effective septic tank treatments as
preventive maintenance.

The Septic-Safe Products You Can Use

Posted on by oiradmin

Maintaining your septic system may require you to be extra careful with what you
put down the drain or the toilet. In this blog we will be covering some septic-safe
products you could use.

What is a septic system? Why is it important to have a well-maintained septic
system?

A septic system is built as a drainage system for homes without centralized
sewage pipe system. They make it possible to bring the waste and water from a
home into a septic tank which uses bacteria to separate waste from water. These
tanks are capable of releasing water into a drain field. The drain field naturally
cleans the water and allows it to return to the ground water systems.

Compared to sewage pipes, septic systems are cheaper and less expensive.

Unlike sewage piping, septic systems do not require external energy. Moreover,
these systems have very long lifespan that replacements may not be needed.

Septic systems create a positive impact to the environment by providing
nourishment for plant and bacteria growth when water is pushed through the
drainfield.

When harmful toxins are introduced to these systems, aside from the fact that the
stability of the tank can get compromised, the environment can also get affected.

Thankfully, there are so many products such as disinfectants that are safe to use.

These products are mostly the natural ones: those which won’t harm the bacteria
deep inside the septic system. They are usually made of natural elements and are
biodegradable.

The products that will most likely endanger the septic systems are the household
cleaning products and septic tank treatment products. Make sure to choose the
ones that will not cause harm to your septic system.

If you are looking for the best septic-safe product in treating your septic tank, you
may want to consider our products at Microbialogic. We are proud to have the
SDB 500 perfect for treating septic tanks. It is a concentrated and specialized
blend of microorganisms specifically selected and adapted to maintain septic
system health and proper drain flow.

How Can You Care for Your Septic Tank System?

Posted on by oiradmin

Your septic tank may be the last in the list of the things to maintain in your household.

However, you cannot deny the important role it plays for your home. When this system
fails, it would cause a huge inconvenience to you and your family.

If you take care of your septic system enough, you will be able to extend its lifespan and
value. Follow this list of the ways you can maintain your septic system in good shape.

1. The toilet should never be an option if you are to throw trash somewhere.

While it can be tempting to flush trash down the toilet, by now you probably know
very well that it won’t be good for your septic tank system. Place a trash can
nearby to avoid litter to be thrown down to your septic tank.

2. Grease could cause your septic system to get clogged.

You need to be extra careful when pouring grease down the drain. It prevents the
earth around your drain field to absorb other liquids, increasing the likelihood of a
back-up. Doing this may also require you to dig a new drain field.

3. Consider scheduling a regular maintenance inspection for your septic
system.

You should refer to what your septic tank manufacturer recommends for the
interval of each septic tank inspection. Make sure you are able to have your
septic tank checked regularly to spot even the minor issues as early as possible.

4. When was the last time you’ve had your septic tank pumped?

Usually, septic tanks are pumped every 3-5 years. Take note that the frequency
of pumping your septic tank will depend on the number of people living in your
home. The more people living in your home, the more frequent you should pump
your septic tank.

5. Be cautious of your drain field.

You also need to be mindful of your soakage area. You may surround it only with
grass. Avoid adding plants whose roots may run deep. Also, refrain from parking
vehicles on top of it. This may put a strain on your drain field and could
potentially damage the pipes within.