How to Get Rid of Septic Tank Problems

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Keep it Functional

Septic tanks perform an important function, as they store and break down sewage so that it can be disposed of safely and sanitarily. It’s important to practice septic tank maintenance in order to prevent back-ups, leakages, and other nasty environmental problems. If you own a septic tank, ensure that you have a trained professional on call so that you can keep your septic tank functional and safe.

Avoid Expensive Repairs

One of the main reasons to make sure your septic tank receives regular maintenance is to avoid costly repairs in the future. Poorly-maintained septic tanks will lead to disruptions or failures in the system, and can cost you thousands of dollars to fix or replace. Whether you use your septic tank in an industrial or residential setting, septic tank maintenance will help you avoid expensive costs that will inevitably arise if your septic tank is not maintained or altogether neglected.

Fortunately, you don’t have to deal with the ‘ick’ of maintaining a septic tank on your own, and we wouldn’t recommend it! There are trained professionals and specialists that offer a number of services for septic tanks. A professional will ensure your septic tanks are regularly cleaned, drained and properly inspected to avoid any future problems.

Safe Disposal

Not only does sewage stink, but it can also carry a number of pathogens and diseases, so it’s imperative that your septic tank maintenance program involves the safe disposal of the sewage. Most people don’t want to get their hands dirty, so to speak, with disposing of sewage, which is why trained professionals will do it for you. Whether your septic tank is small or large, whether you own one or many, septic tank maintenance experts will ensure your sewage is safely and sanitarily disposed.

Inspect and Pump Your Septic Tank Frequently

The average residential septic system should be inspected at least every three years by a septic tank maintenance professional. They should also be pumped every three to five years, depending on the volume of use. That said, it’s important to consult with a septic service professional to determine how often your septic tank should be inspected and pumped. Depending on the household size, the total wastewater generated, the septic tank size, and the volume of solids in wastewater, your septic tank may require more frequent service.

When in Doubt, Don’t Flush

One of the main causes of septic tank issues has to do with what goes down the drain. Everything you flush down the toilet, grind in the garbage disposal, or pour down any faucet, will end up in your septic system. It’s important to remember that septic systems aren’t trash cans, and that nothing besides human waste and toilet paper should end up in your septic system. Items such as flushable wipes, feminine hygiene products, diapers, condoms, cigarette butts, pharmaceuticals, coffee grounds and household chemicals should be disposed of in a trash can, not flushed down the drain. These products can cause serious disruptions and clogs to your septic tank, and will require you seek immediate septic tank maintenance.

Wastewater Lift Station in Houston – The Benefits of Using a Lift Station

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Are you looking for a wastewater lift station in Houston? If you are, we have some tips for finding a company to help keep your plumbing and sewage disposal system working around the clock. It can become a nightmare quickly when a lift station is down. If it’s a bad situation it can even make it to the evening news; and no commercial or industrial business wants to take responsibility for such a mess.

Hiring an experienced wastewater lift station in Houston to support you can greatly reduce the chances of a catastrophic failure. For those of you who don’t know how they work, we’ll begin with a brief description:

Sewer systems go into a central collection point (lift station). The basin is usually made of fiberglass or concrete and is kept in a hole in the ground. The second part of a lift station is the wet-well controls. The sewage flow is discharged into the basin where the wet-well is.

The wet-well has one or two pumps and its function is to pump the fluids into a downstream point which is either another lift station or a treatment plant. A company that maintains a wastewater lift station in Houston must be an expert at what they do.

Knowing this information and the benefits of a lift station will help you find the best wastewater lift station in Houston.

Tips to Finding a Wastewater Station in Houston

The main benefit of a lift station is that it’s easy to take care of, thus there are less opportunities for something to go wrong. There are three main roles of a company that cleans and keeps it running smoothly.

Wet-Wells Inside Maintenance – Wastewater Lift Station in Houston

When a wet-well isn’t kept properly a number of problems can ensue, such as sewer infrastructure damage, backups or environmental spills. It’s important that they are checked and cleaned regularly.

Lift Station Repair – Wastewater Lift Station in Houston

When a lift station breaks the consequences range from standing water, to unpleasant odors and serious health or environmental issues. Help from an expert is crucial if the plumbing relies on the sewage lift station.

Safe Disposal of Sewage Materials – Wastewater Lift Station in Houston

When sewage materials are sent to a disposal site via a pump, it’s important that the pump is working properly at all times. This is another job of a maintenance company.

Each wastewater lift station in Houston has unique features that must be accounted for. Some aspects will affect the operation, others may affect required safety procedures. A wet-well hazard assessment should be done before installation. Proper planning ties into the water, timing, safety, and disposal aspects to make sure the maintenance and cleaning are done as safely and efficiently as possible.

If you’re looking for a wastewater lift station in Houston, we can help. You can call us to make scheduled visits to your property to inspect and maintain your sewage system. For more information you can visit our website.

Grease Trap Cleaning: Unclogging Restaurant Profits

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Everyone knows that restaurants, no matter what kind of food they serve or what prices they are charging, operate on razor-thin margins. In fact, some restaurants have items that simply lose them money once you factor in the labor and time, but it makes sense just to get people in the door. No matter the restaurant, however, there are simple practices they can employ to ensure that they keep their bottom line low, and their profits high, including restaurant grease trap cleaning. Here are a few ways regular grease trap cleanings can help your profits soar.

1. Efficiency

Many new restaurant owners can be simply astounded by the amount of money they spend per month on things like water, gas and electricity. Some of these costs are simply unavoidable but others can be cut with proper care, like keeping on top of grease traps and other parts of the kitchen. Without regular restaurant grease trap cleaning, your kitchen can end up costing you more money on everything from water to electricity.

It’s important to note that regular restaurant grease trap cleaning keeps your pipes and appliances, like dishwashers, running smoothly. Grease traps can actually slow down your dishwasher’s draining cycle, cause it to back up, or even instigate a flood. This means more power to run a clean cycle, more time and possibly costly clean ups. Inconveniences like this can add up quite quickly.

2. Avoid Health Code Issues

Grease traps usually require regular restaurant grease trap cleaning, not simply because it’s a good idea but because it is required by regulations. This depends on the city, county and state, but almost everywhere requires regular grease trap cleanings. Unfortunately, many health codes do not require the frequency that they should, but you will need proof that your grease traps have been cleaned when the inspector comes around.

3. Preventative Maintenance

At the end of the day, the real savings in regular restaurant grease trap cleaning is in the mess that you can avoid when your traps get clogged or grease becomes an issue in your kitchen. It is no secret that excess grease can be dangerous and completely clog up a kitchen, causing everything from delays to safety issues to potential damage to expensive kitchen equipment. Without regular cleanings by professionals, you could find yourself with very high repair bills, having to close your restaurant for repairs or being faced with a lawsuit, all of which cut into your profits. Rather than risk your restaurant and livelihood, it makes much more sense to practice preventative maintenance with regular cleanings.

If you own a restaurant and require regular restaurant grease trap cleaning, then be sure to contact Drane Ranger. Our efficient and professional grease trap services will help your kitchen run at its best, all while saving you the money and effort of trying to do the cleaning yourself. With Drane Ranger’s professional services, you can help your bottom line and ensure that every dollar of profit is the most it can be, and help you deliver a better experience for your guests.

Septic Tank Cleaning – What to Look for in a Septic Tank Maintenance Company

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When you have a septic tank, you know you can’t take care of it by yourself. All septic systems, whether they’re attached to a personal residence or a business need professional septic system care to avoid messy mistakes. Thus, there are several things you need to look for when you’re searching for a company to entrust with your septic tank cleaning in Houston, Texas.

5 Septic Tank Cleaning Tips for Texans Who Want the Best

1. Experience: You’d be surprised how many companies offer septic tank cleaning in Houston, Texas that popup and stick around for only one or two years. Then they’re suddenly gone and your hung out to dry. You want your septic pumping service to be like your physician – experienced, knowledgeable, and with intentions to be in business for the long-haul. Hiring an experienced septic cleaning service will give you peace of mind knowing they’ll be there if problems arise.

2. Knowledgeable: If you live in Texas you can’t just hire anyone for such an important job. When you want expertise you want a reliable expert, am I right? You don’t just want anyone supplying septic tank cleaning services in Houston, Texas. Whoever you hire must know about proper pumping techniques to avoid tank damage, contaminated ground water, and unsafe practices. They should also be able to evaluate your system and make recommendations based on what they find.

3. Environmentally Friendly: Any company your hire for septic tank cleaning in Houston, Texas should be aware of Texas environmental rules. If there’s anything about your septic tank that doesn’t follow State rules your cleaning service should be able to spot it right away.

4. Emergency Response Time: If you have a septic tank emergency, you want septic tank cleaning in Houston, Texas, fast! If your septic cleaning services provider doesn’t come the minute you need them, you won’t be happy. Due to Murphy’s Law you’ll probably be stuck with the task of trying to find a new service in the middle of the night.

5. Regular Maintenance: The last thing you want is to not have your septic tank drained regularly. No matter how efficient your system is, it won’t work at its peak performance if this important task is neglected. If improper care leads to system failure it can set you back thousands of dollars. If you’re paying for septic tank cleaning in Houston, Texas make sure the company you hire knows when to drain it.

6. Hassle Free Service: You don’t have time to mess around. You want your service experience to be hassle free. When you schedule your maintenance, your provider should be able to come that day or the next. You also want the best customer service you can get. If there’s ever any issue you want to know that it can be addressed promptly. That’s how Texans like to do business.

If you’re looking for septic tank cleaning in Houston, Texas, we can help. At Drane Ranger we offer several septic tank services, including regular services for industrial and residential properties. For more information you can visit our website.

Tips to Choose the Right Septic Tank Cleaning Company

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How important is your septic tank to the smooth performance of everything in your home? Very important. Septic tanks need regular cleaning when they get too full, or blocked up. Of course, any problems with the tank’s operation could make your home unlivable in a very short period of time, and so working with a septic tank cleaning company is a must. When you think about what could happen when things go wrong, the right company is very important. Here are some tips to help you choose the right company to keep your septic tank clean and functioning properly.

Know the difference

Of course you want to hire a septic cleaning company that will do a good job, but what is the difference between the right and the wrong company? The company you hire should be able to knowledgably discuss the operations and maintenance of the septic system and how it should be cared for. You will need to have the system cleaned out regularly — that is, about every three to five years, if it is properly maintained and inspected in between. Choose a cleaning company with a clear knowledge of how the system should be working.

When you talk to the professional septic tank cleaning companies listen to their advice. If you are having problems with your drains, remember that just because it says ‘flushable’ on the package, it doesn’t mean that it is. Newer toilets and dishwashers may be able to deal with more and more solid waste, but that doesn’t mean that the rest of the plumbing can. During a regular inspection, a good cleaning company will be familiar with problems and can advise you on the proper way to take care of the system so that it will not have problems in the future, and the time between cleanings can be lengthened.

Check referrals from those you trust

Since this service is something that everyone on a septic system needs, but nobody really talks about (unless something goes wrong of course) then it is likely that your friends or family can recommend septic tank cleaning companies they have used in the past. There are a lot of options for companies out there, so asking for recommendations and meeting the workers will give you an idea. You can also read reviews and articles to find out how others feel about the company.

Be sure the company is insured

Cleaning septic systems is a dirty job, but somebody has to do it! It can be dangerous as well. Accidents happen at even the best septic tank cleaning companies. You don’t want to shoulder that cost, so hire a company with insurance for the good of your property and all people involved in the cleaning.

Since the septic tank is underground and away from view, it is easy to forget about the importance of maintaining it and it is also easy to take it for granted when everything is going well. Septic tank cleaning companies keep your home clean and your family healthy. When you are looking for a septic tank cleaning company close to your home, and with years of experience talk to the people at Drane Ranger about how they can help you keep your home clean and healthy.

Why You Need Grease Trap Cleaning?

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A grease trap acts as a reservoir for the wastewater and food solids that drain from your restaurant’s dishwashers and sinks. As the wastewater cools the grease, oils, and fats harden and become solid in the trap. Wastewater is forced through the grease trap and out into a sanitary sewer, separating from the grease. The grease and food solids remain and accumulate in the trap daily. The main purpose of grease traps is to keep debris out of the sewer systems and prevent pipes from clogging. As an essential part of a restaurant’s plumbing system, grease traps require frequent cleaning services to continue working efficiently. Here are the benefits of regular grease trap cleaning services:

1. Unpleasant Odors

If there is a substantial amount of time between when you scheduled grease trap cleaning services, then the debris and grease that have built up in the trap will start to emit a foul odor. If this mess is left to rot, then the stench can become so pungent that it can foul the air throughout your kitchen. You will begin to notice it even if the grease trap is outside or underground. This smell will negatively impact staff and deter customers from coming to your business.

2. Avoiding Costly Damage

Prolonged storage can cause costly damage to your grease traps and establishment. The food scraps and liquids that are stored inside of your restaurant’s grease trap contain chemical compounds. When these compounds break down, they form hydrogen Sulphur gas which leads to the release of sulfuric acid, which is highly toxic and corrosive. Sulfuric acid can potentially damage the steel and concrete walls of your grease trap. Avoid wasting time and money on future repairs by ensuring you invest in frequent grease trap cleaning services.

3. Legal Requirements

Legal codes require random or regularly scheduled tests to analyze the outflow of your restaurant’s drain and grease trap system. When grease traps are allowed to overflow between cleaning services, high levels of grease are permitted to pass through the municipal sewer. Your restaurant can be penalized for not using regularly scheduled grease trap cleaning services. The penalty can range from fines to suspension of operation.

4. Reduce Clogging and Drain Problems

Keeping your restaurant’s grease trap clean and free of obstructions will allow the whole drain to flow smoothly. As part of the system that takes water from your kitchen sinks and dishwashers, out to the main sewer drainage, the grease trap impacts the flow of drains if it is overfull or plugged. If the drains do become plugged, they will overflow and spill back into your kitchen. This can cause a lot of damage to your restaurant, which is why grease trap cleaning services are critical to the overall function of your business.

5. Make Cleaning Easier

It only takes a few uses before you can notice food sediments beginning to pile up at the bottom of your grease trap. If you ignore this, a thick hard mass of food waste and solid grease will form. This is not easy to remove, but can easily become a barrier that will cause your trap to become smelly and inefficient. Avoid dealing with this altogether with frequent grease trap cleaning services.

The Importance of Proper Septic Tank Cleaning and Pumping

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Have you ever wondered what happens to all the food scraps and other debris that makes their way down your drains? Eventually, it all ends up in a septic tank or sewer. Septic tanks are a type of simple onsite sewage facility. Typically they are stored underground, and their main function is to collect sewage and allow it to decompose through bacterial activity before draining via a leaching field. However, the accumulation of debris is usually faster than the rate of decomposition, so regular cleaning is required. The importance of septic tank maintenance is vastly underestimated and often overlooked by homeowners. Here are five benefits of hiring a septic tank pumping company to properly clean your home’s septic tank.

1. Catch Problems Early on

Septic professionals know what small problems to be on the lookout for when they are pumping your septic tank. If these problems are left unattended, they can rapidly progress into much larger issues. Cracks in the tank and growing blockages in your pipes can cause overflow and other costly damage. That’s why regular inspections from certified septic tank companies are so important to ensure your home’s plumbing is working correctly.

2. Change Bad Habits

Caring for a septic tank requires you to change some bad habits. Flushing feminine hygiene products and wet wipes, overusing your garbage disposal, and rinsing paints or pesticides down the drain can severely impact your septic tank. When you hire a team of professionals from a septic tank company, they will help you understand which lifestyle habits you need to change in order to better care of your septic tank.

3. Worry Less About Sewage Backups

Have you ever had a sewage backup in your home or yard? If you have, than you know what happens when you allow your septic tank to become too full. Raw sewage is full of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can do a lot of harm to people and release noxious odors in the air. Sewage exposure can lead to serious illnesses like Hepatitis A, and minor reactions involve nausea, vomiting, fever and diarrhea. If you haven’t recently had your septic tank pumped, you should look into septic tank pumping companies.

4. Free Flowing Drains

Not only can a full septic tank cause sewage backup, but it can also impact the speed of your drains. While waiting for a slow drain won’t make you sick like a sewage backup will, it is definitely an inconvenience. Who wants to stand in a pool of water while they shower? Or wait a half hour for their kitchen sink to drain? Why make things harder than they should be when you could have your tank pumped regularly by a professional from a septic tank pumping company.

5. Manage Costs

When you delay septic tank maintenance, you might think you are saving some cash but you are actually prolonging a necessary task that can lead to problems which cost thousands of dollars to repair. If you ignore cracks and leaks in your tank, you won’t have time to budget for repairs, because a sewage backup can happen quickly and replacing your tank is not cheap. With regular pumping and tank cleaning, Septic Tank Pumping Companies can help you avoid wasting your precious time and money.

Do’s and Don’ts of Grease Trap Cleaning

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When working in the food service industry you will inevitably have to deal with grease traps for your business. The issue with not maintaining your grease traps is it can lead to a disaster, resulting in drains backing up, sewer blockages, and the resulting fines from such occurrences. Avoiding issues is easy though, as grease trap cleaning in regular intervals can solve most potential problems, and hiring a professional makes sure the process is completed properly.

Do: Train Staff to Remove Solids and Debris

A major cause of clogs is solid food waste and large debris getting into your grease traps. You should train your staff to remove those things before any grease it poured down your kitchen’s traps, otherwise they can cause a blockage and you will have to schedule a professional cleaning (ahead of schedule) to clear your grease trap.

Don’t: Use Chemicals and Other Enzymes to Clean Your Grease Trap

Grease traps already contain enzymes required for breaking down fats, oils and greases that are deposited into them. If you pour in other chemicals or enzymes in an attempt to clear your own grease trap, you may damage the existing enzymes which will ruin the trap and potentially harm the environment in the process. Many products will not actually break down grease, resulting in it being separated from the water and then traveling into the wastewater systems to cause clogs further down the line.

Do: Install Your Grease Trap Properly

It’s important to make sure you have a properly installed and appropriately sized grease trap for it to function properly. If your grease trap is too slow to drain, or you find little to no fats, oils and grease in your grease trap when you check it, immediately contact your installer to assess the situation.

Don’t: Pour Boiling Water into the Grease Trap

Never pour boiling water into your grease trap as a replacement for great trap cleaning, or for any other reason, as it will liquefy the fats, oils and grease within your grease trap and release them into the sewers where they will congeal again and cause blockages over time.

Do: Schedule Regular Maintenance

The best method for keeping your grease trap in tip-top shape it to schedule regular maintenances for it. In addition to that, you should regularly inspect your grease trap to ensure it doesn’t need more frequent cleaning and that it is properly functioning. You should also keep a clear written record of all maintenance done on your grease traps, including cleanings.

Don’t: Link Grease Trap to Garbage Disposal

Do not link your grease trap to any garbage disposal as garbage disposals are not designed to handle grease in large volumes. Not only that, grease traps are not designed to handle garbage in general, even if it has been pulverized and shredded. If any garbage has made its way into the grease trap, schedule a grease trap cleaning as soon as possible.

Do: Hire Professionals for Grease Trap Cleaning

To avoid any issues that could arise when you attempt to clean your own grease traps and to ensure proper safe disposal of your grease, you should hire professionals for your grease trap cleaning needs. For efficient and clean grease trap cleaning services contact Drane Ranger today.