1. A septic tank Wastewater from all your household drains travels outside into the septic system. The septic tank system consists of two parts: 

• I. The septic tank and 

• II. The drainage system. The soil pipe that leaves your house empties into the septic tank.  leach field (Drainage system).

2. How it works: The septic tank is a large box that is most commonly made out of pre-cast concrete. Everything flows into the tank through the inlet baffle and into the middle section of the tank. Here, the bacteria that live in the tank break down the waste and it separates. Three layers form in the middle section of the tank. Organic solids form a crusty layer of "scum" at the surface of the tank. Inorganic solids form a layer of "sludge" at the bottom. The main purpose of the septic tank is to provide a place for all the solid wastes that leave your house to accumulate. Here the solid waste can be dealt with by pumping them out of your system. If the solids are not removed from the system, then the solid layers thicken and the "clear water" middle layer will be contaminated with solids which will then leave the outlet baffle and flow into the drainage system.

Click on either tank to see the 2-3 year process in action.

BECOMES THIS BELOW IN 2-3 YRS

3. Why is it necessary to pump a septic tank?
The importance of maintaining your septic system can be compared to the importance of maintaining your car's engine. The responsible automobile owner knows that the car's oil should be changed every few thousand miles. If you do not change your car's oil periodically, your car's engine will eventually fail. The same holds true for your septic system. Pumping your septic tank is the most important aspect of maintaining your septic system. Most septic systems should be pumped out every 2 or 3 years depending on the size of the tank and the number of people using the system. (In some cases when a large number of people are using a small tank, then the tank needs to be pumped annually or semiannually.) If the septic tank is neglected, solid waste will escape from the septic tank into the drainage system. The solids will plug up the following: 

1. the perforations in the leach lines 

2. the gravel in the trenches 

3. eventually, the soil itself. Once the drainage system is contaminated with solids, it will fail.

4. A leach field consists of either a network of perforated pipes laid in gravel filled trenches or the new infiltrator pipe laid without gravel. The leach lines usually stem from a small concrete box called a distribution box. Different homes need different amounts of leach lines. The number of bedrooms in the house and the percolation rate of the soil are used to determine the number of feet of leach lines necessary. As the clear water flows out of the septic tank, it drains through the perforations in the leach lines and into the gravel trench. Then it drains into the soil.

5. Barefoot Septic & Sewer Prices: (prices updated April 2008)

6. We at Barefoot's service all of Monroe and Livingston Counties. We also cover some sections of Genesee County (LeRoy, Batavia, Pavilion), Wyoming County (Perry, Warsaw), Ontario County (Victor, Canandaigua) and Wayne County (Walworth, Macedon).

Click here to see our location and the areas that we serve

7. Many customers call and ask us what needs to be uncovered in order to have a septic tank pumped. The answer to this question is the cleanout cover to the septic tank. There are usually 3 covers on a tank. A small cover near the front of the tank is called the inlet baffle cover. A large cover generally in the middle of the tank is the cleanout cover. The third cover is a small cover located toward the back of the tank leading to the drainage system. A rule of thumb is that the tank is located 10 feet out from the house. The tank can be any number of feet deep depending on the property. Most of the time the tank is at or near the surface of the ground and can be exposed with a shovel. In a few cases, a machine will need to be used to expose the tank and then risers are recommended.

8. A septic inspection is a service that we perform that provides a written report of a system. We provide information on the following areas:

• Age of system

• Age of home and number of bedrooms

• Date of last pumping and frequency of pumping

• Tank size and location

• Tank condition

• Existence of Gray water tank

• State of inlet and outlet baffle

• Water level in tank

• Drainage system present

• Information on pump station if one is present

• Indication of sewage or effluent surfacing

• If any modification have been made to the system

We generally require that the septic tank be pumped for the inspection if it has been a year or more since the last pumping. We also require that water is run in the system for 30 minutes before an inspection if the property has been vacant. Lastly, we expect payment the same day for all work performed at the inspection. We check a box stating whether the system passed or failed the inspection based on what we find. Our inspection report is not a guarantee for the system, but an evaluation of the system on that date.

These reports are generally required by the lending institution and each county has their own requirements. There are three things that can be involved in the buying/selling of property which are the following:

1. septic inspections
2. tank pumping
3. dye test

We do not benefit from the sale of the property and do our best to offer an honest evaluation based on our experience in this field.