How & When to Jet Your Septic System

Jetting lines-Septic lines will often get a build-up of sludge comprised mainly of lint and grease that will partially or totally obstruct the pipe.  Pipes can also get plugged when people flush cigarette butts, feminine hygiene products, paper towels, etc. into the system and these items get flushed out of the tank into the lines.  Contractors can use a jetter to remove this debris.  A line jetter is essentially a rotary pressure washer with a head that spins at high rpm and shoots powerful streams of water forward and back at an angle.  The contractor starts to jet your septic system by feeding the jetter line into the pipes through the distribution box.  As it walks down the line it breaks up the solids and because it is spinning it will negotiate turns in the pipes.  When the contractor pulls the line back out it flushes the solids back into the distribution box.  The best time to jet your septic system is when the tank is being pumped because the contractor will have the pump truck there to suck this debris out of the distribution box.   Another benefit to having your lines jetted is the contractor can get a fairly accurate measure of how long and the depth your drainfield lines are.  With this information the contractor can give you an idea if the system meets today’s codes per the size and depth (better to find this out now than to get hit with it by surprise when you go to sell the house).    Some contractors will charge an exorbitant amount to jet your septic system while others are more realistic and bill on the time it actually takes to do the job so it pays to call around.  The most expensive part of this process is the time it takes the contractor to locate and dig up the distribution box. If you are a hearty soul that enjoys manual labor you can find and expose the distribution box yourself.  For more information on septic tank maintenance, go to http://www.laundry-alternative.com/septic_system_maintenance.htm