FAQs

Our preference is to expose and lift the lids on the septic tank, we do this for a couple of reasons:

• Opening the lids on the tank allows us to:
  • ensure we are removing all of the soilds and sludge from the septic tank.
  • we can complete an inspection of your septic tank, ensuring that we can catch any potential problems before they become a problem.

• Emptying via the vent restricts:
  • us from getting all of the soilds and sludge from the tank.
    • We cannot get the movement out of the hose in order to clean your tank properly, meaning that over a period of time the solids will build up in the tank potentially causing blockages.
    • We cannot complete an inspection of the septic tank
      • this restricts us from ensuring there are no cracks appearing in the walls or floor of the septic tank.
      • we cannot see if there are tree roots getting into the tank
      • we cannot check if your inlet and outlet T are in good condition
        • If your inlet or outlet T’s are broken, this will allow solids to make their way into your pipe work causing potential blockages

If you find your septic tank is overflowing at the tank this can indicate a blocked or broken outlet line or full soak hole, meaning that the water you are putting into the tank has no where to go so it is forced to flow out the lids or back up the inlet line causing your toilets etc to backup, this could be caused by multiple reasons like:

• Tree Roots in your outlet line
  • If your outlet line runs through gardens or trees, the plants will run their roots towards a water source making their way into your outlet line causing a blockage
• Drain holes could be blocked with mud
  • Over time mud can drop in and block up the drain holes limiting the ability for the water to flow out of the outlet
• Full Soak Pit
  • Groundwater can affect a soak hole especially after a large rainfall, this can cause your septic tank to back up and potenitally overflow
  • If your outlet T is broken inside your septic tank this can allow solids to flow down the outlet which can cause a blockage in the soak pit

If you encounter this issue give us a call we will be happy to discuss a solution with you

Overflowing gully traps can mean a blocked inlet line to the septic tank, this can be caused by toilet paper, build up of fat or tree roots.

Things you can check before calling us:

• When was your tank last cleaned? if it has been over 5 years since your tank was cleaned, your tank could simply just be full and require an empty
• Take the top off the Bucan (mushroom next to the tank), Check that there is no build up of toilet paper in the bottom of the pipe – If there is get a crowbar or long stick and try and push the build up down this can often be the blockage and will save you having to get us out.

If the above is not the problem you need to give us a call, we will come out with our specialised water blaster and will clean the line for you.

This process is normally straight forward and simple with our drain cleaning head (Jetta Head), it will break through tree roots and fat deposits clearing the blockage, while cleaning the pipe walls all at the same time.

Our hydro jet machine forces water at high pressure through flexible hoses. The equipment can negotiate bends and has the ability to clear most blockages ranging from roots to silt and debris.

This high pressure water blasting or jet flushing machine can quickly and effectively clear blocked drains and eliminate tree roots (often a main cause of blocked drains).

When the high pressure water flows through the specially designed nozzles the water is transformed into powerful jets.

The result – CLEAN, CLEAR PIPES & DRAINS!

Electric Eel

To unblock drains we may use what in the trade is called an Electric Eel. This is also known as a “Sewer Snake” or a “Toilet Jack”. The Electric Eel is a flexible auger or drill-like tool that removes blockages in waste pipes, drains and sewers.

The engine spins the drill or blade in a clockwise direction into the blockage allowing the retrieval of objects such as hair, combs, small toys and cloth. If the blockage is not retrievable, the Electric Eel can also break up blockages such as tree roots, foam and plastic objects

If the drain is not completely blocked but the flow has been reduced, the Electric Eel flails around the inside of the pipe scraping off accumulated deposits and matter.

When undertaking any drain CCTV inspection, our sophisticated and high-tech drain camera is inserted into the drain or pipe. It is then fed along the pipe and records direct to DVD all images.

Once the blockage has been identified using our drain CCTV technology, the technician then utilised a feature of the camera head to determine the ground depth of the blockage as well as it’s precise location.

We are able to then mark the block/blockage area on the ground above. This specialised drain CCTV technology enables us to accurately locate the blockage to within 100mm.

Septic tanks generally need pumping (cleaning out) every 3–5 years to remove sludge and sediment.

• The frequency depends on what goes into the system
• How many people use it and the capacity of the tables
• Whether you recycle grey water

Cesspits and soak holes are small catchment/drains used to divert surface flooding. Commonly, Cesspits tend to block up due to excess silt, debris, rubbish and leaves.

We can either use a vacuum loader to suck out the material in the cesspit or flush a cesspit with the hydro jetter to clear it.

Soak holes are prevalent where there are few or no standard storm water lines available and are primarily designed to disperse storm water and excess rain water from a cess pit.

Often they can be defective due to an excessive build up of silt and therefore this inhibits ground leaching

Disposing properly of used fats and oils is very important. If you don’t, they can cause expensive problems later. Fats will become solid and eventually biock your pipes requiring a plumber to clear. – AVOID COSTLY REPAIRS…

• Cleaning the trap should be done regularly – once a month is usually alright but it will depend on your type of business and how much fat is going into the grease trap. Three months would be the maximum.
• We service many clients within the South Canterbury area, and are able to assist you with information for local coucil bylaws in this area.
• What happens to the waste from the grease traps? We recycle it where we can. If that cannot be done, we dump at the approved site for processing which is the Timaru District Council Milliscreen.

A grease trap is a device designed to intercept grease and Solids that have been washed down the kitchen sink, this process allows the soilds and grease to seperate from the water, retaining the grease and solids in the grease trap and allowing the water to flow out to the sewer.

Wastewater from the kitchen, laundry and bathroom discharges into a septic tank buried on the property. The heavier solids settle to the bottom of the tank, while suspended solids float to the top. The remaining liquid flows out of the tank and discharges into a soakage area (either a dispersal or evaporation field).

A confined space is any area that is not intended for human occupancy and that also has the potential for containing a dangerous atmosphere. A confined space:

• Is large enough for a worker to enter and perform assigned work;
• Has limited entries and exits;
• May contain a hazardous atmosphere, arising from chemicals, sludge or sewage;
• Is constructed so that anyone who enters could be asphyxiated or trapped by walls or floor that converge to a small cross-section, such as a hopper;
• Contains a material, such as sawdust or grain, that could engulf anyone who enters.

Examples of a confined space include a tank, vessel, vat, silo, bin and vault.

Others which are less obvious can be equally dangerous like open- top tanks and vats (particularly where heavier than air gases or vapours may be present), closed and unventilated rooms, or furnaces and ovens in which dangerous accumulation of gases can build up because of restricted air circulation even though the door is left open.