Sewage Sump Systems Explained
Sewer Pumps in Homes
Most commonly, sewer pumps are used in homes with basement bathrooms or laundry rooms. Not all basements require them, but when the municipal sewer lines running to the street are at a higher level than the fixture, the sewer pump serves to pump both liquids and solids up into the sewer line so it can flow properly. Sewer pumps are also very common in septic drain-field systems, such as are found in rural locations where the septic drainage field or holding tank may be considerably higher than basement plumbing fixtures.
Sewage ejector pumps are meant to sit in a sump basin that is cut and dug into the ground below grade. This sump basin collects and holds about 30 gallons of waste, on average, for a moderate-sized home. The drain lines from the various fixtures in the basement area are sloped down into the side of the sump basin, and when the level of wastewater in the sump basin reaches a certain height, a moveable float on the sewage ejector pump starts the pump. The wastewater is then pumped out of the basin and up to the level of the sewer or septic line. Once the level in the basin goes down, the float drops back down and turns off the pump until the next time the basin fills.
System Requirements
A vent is required for a sewage ejector pump installation to equalize pressure during pumping and to provide an outlet for sewer gasses. The vent comes out of the sump pit and is either connected to an existing vent (soil) stack or runs up and through the roof.
The outlet pipe leaving the sewage ejector pump is usually 2 to 4 inches in diameter, connecting to the 3- to 6-inch main sewer line. Between the pump outlet point and the junction with the main sewer line, there is always a check valve to make sure that nothing drains back into the sump basin after the wastewater is pumped out. When it is installed properly, the top of the sump basin is sealed so that no waste or smell can come out of the top of the basin.
Why is My Septic Tank Alarm Going Off?
The alarm monitors the septic system to warn you when the water level within the tank where it is installed has risen too high or has dropped too low. There are many types of tanks, and which type you have will determine why your alarm is going off. Some septic systems alarms sound if the level in the main tank gets too high (like in a tight tank system), and others are designed to alarm if the water level is reaching a level that may damage other components of your septic system like a pump.
All septic systems with pumps will normally have some sort of timer installed to manage intervals when the pump will pump wastewater into the drain field. The system works at key times during the day to protect the drain field from becoming potentially harmed in times of higher water levels.
Do’s and Dont’s of Sewage Sump Systems
DO - Wear adedquate PPE when working on pumps or piping that have been exposed to waste water. Sump and sewage pumps often handle materials that can transmit illness or disease upon contact with skin and other tissues
DO NOT - Enter a sump basin after it has been used. Sewage and effluent can emit several gasses that are poisionous
DO - Have pump inspected and tested yearly for corrosion and wear
DO NOT - Flush feminine products, trash or disposable wipes. These items will burn out pump motors if flushed and lead to costly repairs
DO - Have sump basin drained and cleaned periodically as required
What to Do If Your Alarm Goes Off?
Silence Alarm
Reset alarm panel and check for error code according to owners manual
Stop using any fixtures or drains that go into the sump
Make sure sewage is not backing up into affected fixtures
If required, contact electrician to confirm electrical panel and relays are working as required
Arrange to have sump basin evacuated and cleaned
Once electricial components have been confirmed ok and wastewater evacuated from sump, your electrician or handyman can continue to troubleshoot basic issues like hung-up floats & clogged pumps
If further troubleshooting is required contact your service plumber
Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems Explained
What is Reverse Osmosis (RO)?
Reverse Osmosis (or simply RO) is a water treatment method that reduces mineral content in water. It involves passing water under pressure through a very tight membrane that allows only water molecules to pass through and rejects most mineral salts.
Among its many uses in industry, it is used extensively all over the world to convert sea water to drinking water (desalination) and for reducing harmful contaminants in potable water. Most bottled waters are made using Reverse Osmosis.
How are Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems different from other drinking water systems?
Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems are installed where reduction of specific contaminants is required. For example sodium, dissolved salts, mercury, nitrates, copper, fluoride, selenium etc. If your water has any such contaminant or tastes “salty”, RO is the way to go.
Other drinking water systems reduce contaminants that Reverse Osmosis systems do not reduce, such as chemicals, herbicides & pesticides, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Trihalomethanes (THM), MTBE, etc. Ceramic filter-based systems also reduce bacteria, coliform etc. Therefore, it depends on what your specific need is.
I have bacteria or Coliform in my water. Should I install an RO system?
No. Contrary to popular misconception, Reverse Osmosis systems should not be installed on water that is microbiologically unsafe. It is the nature of the process that does not make it a fool proof disinfection device. However, Reverse Osmosis systems can remove filterable cyst (e.g. Cryptosporidium, Giardia etc).
I’ve heard RO systems waste a lot of water. Is that true?
The nature of RO technology is such that when water flows through it, some of it is collected as clean drinking water, while the rest of the water, along with the contaminants, flows down to drain. To put the waste water in perspective, on an average, however, for a family of 4, the total amount of water that goes to drain is equivalent to 2-3 additional toilet flushes a day. This varies with water usage and quality.
I have heard that by drinking RO water, your body is deprived of minerals. Is it true?
Our body gets most of its minerals from the food we eat, not from the water we drink. For example, a glass of orange juice can have the same mineral content as you can get in 30 gallons of water! What’s more, RO water tastes great as well and that’s why most bottled waters are made using RO process.
Can I install RO on the main line to treat all the water in my home?
Installing RO on the main line is impractical, wasteful and expensive. RO produces high quality water, which will be a waste flushing down in the toilet. Waste water from the RO will be high and all the copper piping in the house will have to be changed to plastic!
Can I hook up the RO system to a refrigerator/icemaker?
Yes, it is common.
Water Softeners and Water Softener Cycles Explained
Water Softeners and Water Softener Cycles Explained
Hard water can be tough on your home, your skin and your wallet. Water softeners counteract those effects, by creating better quality water that extends the life of your appliances while also helping you and your home look and feel better.
Soft water leads to:
No embarrassing stains or hard water deposits on tubs and showers
Quicker, easier household cleaning
Less spotting on dishes and glassware
Reduced energy bills (improved water heater efficiency)
Lathers better while using up to 50% less soap
Whiter, brighter and softer clothes
Extended life of water-using appliances
Smoother, softer skin
How Does a Salt Water Softener Work?
One of the biggest misconceptions about water softeners is that the salt is what softens your water. What actually softens the water are thousands of tiny resin beads within the tank that filter out hard water chemicals. The salt is used to clean the resin beads during a regeneration cycle, allowing the system to continually remove hardness from your water supply.
Here’s a breakdown of how the water softening process works:
Hard water enters your home from a main water pipe or well, and travels to the water softener.
Resin beads in the tank attract and hold onto hard water minerals, removing them from the water.
Softened water exits the tank and flows to the plumbing throughout your home.
The Chemistry of Regeneration
During the softening cycle, sodium on the resin beads is exchanged for hard water minerals in the water. After some time, the resin beads need to be rinsed free of the minerals and “recharged” so they can continue attracting and collecting hard water minerals.
This is the water softener regeneration cycle, and it’s why people add salt to water softeners.
Here are the typical water softener regeneration steps:
A strong salt-water (brine) solution is created with the salt added to the softener.
The brine solution flows through the resin tank, rinsing the beads and exchanging new sodium for the hard water minerals that have collected. This is known as the water softener backwash cycle.
The brine solution and hard water minerals are flushed from the tank into a nearby drain.
The resin beads are renewed and ready to collect hard water minerals again.
Water softener regeneration cycle time is about two hours. It is not recommended to use water during a water softener regeneration, as hard water will fill the water heater, which could lead to buildup in the equipment.