Do you use a water conditioner that requires salt?  If so, you need to read this. 

The life expectancy of the baffle in your septic tank is signifigantly  less than the tank itself.   The baffle typically lasts around twenty years before it deteriorates or simply falls off into the bottom of the tank.  If you use a water conditioner, your baffle will deteriorate much quicker.  We see the baffle, which is made of concrete, turning to dust in as little as 6 years.  In 10 years, they have usually dissappeared.  As you may know, salt is very corrosive and when it is mixed into the harsh environment of septage, rapidly corrodes the cement in your tank.  The first item to go is the baffle.  It works much the same way as road salt eats away the metal your car is made of.

We are not trying to tell you not to use your water conditioner.  We are advising you that there is a price to be paid for using one.  If your house is ten years old or more,  the septic tank needs to be inspected for baffle deterioration.  To facilitate this inspection, the tank needs to be opened up, pumped out and a visual inspection performed.  If you already have concrete risers installed on your tank (You will have a flat concrete cover somewhere in your yard) this is very easy to do.  If you have no riser or a small 8 inch plastic pipe sticking up in your yard, a hole must be dug down to your tank lids and the tank can be inspected at this time.  We strongly reccommend that large(24" wide) risers be installed at this time.  As a matter of proceedure, we always inspect for baffle problems if the tank has risers that enable it to be accessed. 

We are not trying to alarm you, but this is a common problem and if left unrepaired, will destroy your drainfield.  Baffle repair is not expensive, sometimes as little as $200.00.  Drainfield repairs are thousand of dollars and destroy your yard.  If you are installing a new system, have your installer remove the concrete baffle and install a baffle made of 4" PVC pipe and never worry about it again.

Our replacement baffles are made of plastic.  It is hands down, the best product to use.  We also install Effluent Filters at the same time.  The filter fits inside the baffle and filters out small particles of waste that would normally wind up in the drain field.  These filters are cleaned at the time of your scheduled septic service with  a garden hose.

A septic system that has no baffle also releases improperly treated water back inot the water table and ultimately  in to water wells.

Any questions?  Please give us a call.