Get Ready for Your Septic Tank Installation

Septic tank installation in Coralville, Iowa requires you to take a variety of steps to ensure that everything is done correctly and legally. Fully understanding this process is critical to ensuring that you don’t make any mistakes and end up getting in trouble. Each of the steps below should be done, in this order, before you start. Doing so will protect you and also get your septic tank installed without difficulty.

Working Towards Full Legality

The first step in septic tank installation is to make sure that you do everything legally and by the book. This process requires that you get a multitude of inspections and permits from various experts. Doing so is necessary because it makes sure that no mistakes plague your site or cause complications that could be dangerous. The most common that you’ll have to get in this situation include:

• Health Inspection – Contact the health department in your area and ask them to inspect the site. They will come, see if there are any issues that could complicate the installation process, and will then give you their permission or permit if they believe the process is safe.
• Building Inspection – After getting the okay from the health inspector, you need to talk to a building inspector. They will come to the site to inspect it for structural strength and decide if the situation is okay. If not, they’ll demand you make changes before you get the necessary permit.
• Plumbing Inspection – Now that you have the okay from the building inspector, you need to talk to a plumbing expert about the installation. They will come to the site and check all of your connections to ensure that you are doing everything by the books with your setup.
• Other Permits and Licenses – Make sure that any professional that installs your septic tank has received the proper licenses and permits from the state. This step typically requires talking directly to them and the licensing committees to ensure that everything is kosher with their licensing.

At this point, you should be ready to go and your site fully legal for your septic tank installation. However, you may also want to talk to a multitude of installation experts, first, to make sure that you did everything that was necessary. This step of the process also helps you find someone that you can trust to do the best job of installing your septic tank for you.

Typing Your Soil Properly

Critically, you need to make sure that you thoroughly test your soil before you install any septic tank or hire any professional to do it for you. Your soil needs to be strong enough to not only support the system but have the proper ground for filtration. This process isn’t necessarily complicated, but does require an expert to come to your home and take samples of the soil in and around your field to get a feel for what to expect during your installation.

For example, you typically want soil that is reasonably strong but not too dense to ensure proper drainage. Type A soil – which is very thick with clay – is often too dense to allow water to pass through your field. By contrast, Type C soil is usually too weak to support your tank but more than capable of passing water. A compromise is typically necessary with Type B soil to ensure that you get the best installation results.

Beyond these factors, you also need to make sure that your system isn’t too near areas that could become contaminated if the sewage was to leak. For example, lakes and streams typically must be located far from a septic system to avoid any problems. And any area that suffers from heavy vibrations is also an excellent place to avoid because these spots often cause the tank to experience structural issues that may compromise its strength.

Installing the New Septic System

Once you’re sure that the soil is safe for your septic tank installation, you need to remove the old one as carefully as possible. This process requires that you hire experts to come to your home, identify the location of the old septic field, and remove the tank. Typically, you’re going to have to spend several hours – sometimes even days – on this process to ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible.

For example, you’ll not only need to remove the septic tank but also turn off the water flow to the tank, remove any pipes or fittings specific to the system, and then clean up any debris that may be in the area. Since this process is typically going to last a few days, make sure that you take care of your water needs by storing fresh water for drinking and cleaning. Toilet use may require trips to a friend’s house or even a stay in a hotel until the system is removed.

Just as importantly, you also need to understand that the installation process will also take a few days after you’ve removed the old system. Therefore, you need to make sure that your home has been prepared, including not just the water storage tips above, but even fixes to the lawn’s structure or your parking area. Multiple workers will be at your home for many days and will need a comfortable place to park while they work.

And critically, you need to take steps to help your children get to and from school and find places for your pets to stay if you can’t take them to your new destination. For the children, you may want to drop them off if you can or find a friend who will do it for you. As for the pets, you may need to board them in a kennel or a pet daycare center until your septic tank installation is finished.

Let Us Help You

As you can see, septic tank installation in Coralville, Iowa requires a lot of preparation that you simply can’t skip. So if you need help with this process or otherwise need any assistance with your septic system, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Brown Concrete & Backhoe. We will do what is necessary to help you get the best septic system installed that you can afford.