When it comes to a septic system, inspection, design, and installation are the terms that first pop into our mind but, did anyone else mentioned anything about planning before?
In Septic Installations, Planning is critical, it amplifies through each stage of the process whatever it is fed as input and for that reason, we will complement our ideas with some of those concepts to give you a better outlook of what it takes to accomplish an efficient septic system installation.
We will learn that efficiency and planning come together and that is important especially if we are talking about large-capacity or commercial septic systems.
In this article, we will show you what our installation process looks like and help you identify critical information that can serve to better assess your installation journey.
Here you will find serious recommendations, examples, and actionable resources that will take you on the right path towards one of the most important aspects of your building.
Before jumping right into it, we will do a quick review of how a commercial septic system is different from a residential one as it will help us all better appreciate what is that we are getting into. More importantly, we will be able to illustrate the benefits of choosing a professional septic system installer.
Although we highly recommend you to go through the entire post, we know that it might be the case that you may have a specific query that you may want to consolidate before moving forward.
If our assumption is accurate, please feel free to use the interactive table of content and navigate the blog post according to your priorities. For any further inquiries and/or recommendations, do not hesitate to reach out to us and comment below in this post.
- In The Septic Game, Size Matters
- Oversized is overrated and pricy
- Choose the appropriate Septic Tank Installer
- The most common complexities of installing a commercial septic system
- Anticipate challenges with effective design
- Settle for no less than an efficient septic system installation
- Overview of the Installation Process
- Stage one: Gather details about your septic requirements
- Stage two: Schedule a Business Meeting
- Stage Three: Choose equipment and support systems
- Stage Four: Septic System Design – Septic Layout
- Stage Five: Installation of primary septic systems
- Stage Six: Installation of auxiliary septic systems
- Examples of Efficient Design in commercial facilities
- Choose the adequate tank: A brief introduction
- The future of Septic Technology – most advanced technology
- Commercial Septic Installers in the U.S – Royal Flush Septics from Collin to Dallas and even Ochiltree Texas
Picking right where we left, every septic system is designed for the same purpose, and that is to treat wastewater rigorously, respectfully, and according to environmental requirements.
Despite their size, components, and disposition, all septic systems work towards providing safe, responsible, and uninterrupted water treatment. All of which, besides being your responsibility, will get the state and stakeholders to avoid a possible difficulty down the line.
Traditionally, bigger is better and so it is normal to think that bigger tanks are more efficient or robust, but here we will show you the real beauty of an efficient septic system installation and let you realize what your best or optimal system looks like, which may have little to do with how big it gets to be in the end.
In this industry, nothing beats optimal and although we are here to guide you, we also understand that your curiosity and attentiveness may appreciate some details about how we do what we do best.
And hey, who would not enjoy a supportive and better-prepared customer?
In the septic game, size matters
Although the size of your septic tank or septic system is not a synonym of a more efficient system, the size of the operations and that of the land available are two relatively obvious and essential aspects of the septic design stage.
As you may already be aware of, those are the initial aspects that will influence the choices competent to the septic system design company and essential to the septic installer, in this case, and any other of your choice, us.
But, enough talk-talk. Let’s get started with our quick comparison and unveil what further complexities a commercial septic installation represents.
More importantly, how you can get rid of those complexities from the very beginning by working with an experienced septic professional.
For our purposes, an overlook of these differences is enough to address the technicity of commercial septic services but if you want to dive deeper into it, we encourage you to visit our post on Residential vs Commercial Septics and find out how much more it takes to accomplish an efficient commercial system service, from design to installation.
Annex 1: List of differences
Land limitations: The nature of a commercial facility may require a more capable system at reduced land disposal which may lead us to pick an advanced treatment system.
Standard of treatment: It may also be the case that a better primary treatment is required due to the large volume of operations. Also, that may result in accelerated mineralization and require additional components or functions to ensure optimal working conditions for the system.
One thing is evident so far, and it is that the most critical factor to efficient system design and installation mostly depends on the level of assessment that you can get from the septic installer that you choose which highly depends on their own experience.
Oversized is overrated and pricy
All that being said, you may be interested in picking a septic professional with wide experience in the field and able to provide you with an efficient, robust, and adequately tailored system.
In our experience, this is how a professional and very capable septic installer looks like:
Choose the appropriate Septic Tank Installer
Annex 2: Insert a Checklist of distribution agreements, similar projects, licenses, and other virtues that a good prospect should have. (Choosing us is the best choice you have not made yet).
Even after such an extensive list, this may sound too self-serving but we are likely the best choice you have not just made yet. If you are not convinced, would it be a ridiculous idea to talk to one of our septic professionals now?
The most common complexities of installing a commercial septic system
This rather generous introduction might have been more than we needed to get started on the right foot but again, who are we to guess, right?
The point is that we are already here and that nothing will stop us from discussing in a detailed fashion how these aspects result in a more technical septic installation.
If you are unsure about where the recommendations given above came from, be extra attentive to the following sections and the answer will naturally come to you.
Let’s proceed by having the most frequent complexities of commercial septic services organized on a list. We will then discuss how these complexities could manifest themself as risks or even worse, malfunction.
Finally, we will discuss how a proactive septic design approach would have treated those challenges to your advantage and make those risks disappear.
Insert list of complexities of commercial septics
Anticipate challenges with effective design
The theory is already out there and the ideas sound logical, but how can these complexities pose a risk for the installation? After all, a challenge does not have to be more than just that, right?
Well, it isn’t, at least not in most cases and here we are going to do some reverse engineering to explain how these issues could have been anticipated on the design stage:
This is precisely how each of those challenges will become risks to the overall operation if addressed inadequately.
Buildup risks due to the volume of residues generated daily, etc.
Insert a list of solutions to each of the problems given in the prior list and invite further discussion on another blog post.
Settle for no less than an efficient septic system installation
Now that you clearly understand how a proper septic design and installation will benefit you, why don’t we discuss how do these installations look like?
And what a better way to discover it than through the unique perspective of an experienced installer.
Overview of the Installation Process
Although there are many different types of residential septic systems, most of them are based on a septic tank and a media filter or absorption field. More sophisticated variations of those conventional tanks allow a more advanced treatment (Aerobic septic system), but the principle is the same.
In both cases, the treatment is carried out primarily in the tank and subsequently in the land (or basin), whose porosity and composition not only account for the majority of the treatment process but also provide a more refined treatment.
A commercial septic system is not too different from the residential equivalents described above, but as you are about to see, these use different materials, geometries, moving components, and techniques that drastically improve the level of treatment carried out inside of the tank.
The reason why a commercial septic system is different from a residential one is primarily that the requirements for large-wastewater treatment are more demanding than those of residential purposes.
There could be other motivations as well, like increasing the life expectancy of the media bed or optimizing the space of land required to treat the water properly or it could be another reason.
That is precisely why we have dedicated a section of this post to speak about different commercial septic needs and solutions suitable for each of them.
Stage one: Gather details about your septic requirements
It can be given for granted, but who can explain your requirement better than you? For that reason, we dedicate our first stage of the process exclusively to gathering as much information as possible.
Those details will help us accurately depict your situation, organize it, and discuss it with our professionals to make sure that our recommendations are an optimal solution for your commercial needs.
Stage two: Schedule a Business Meeting
A diagnose cannot be complete without a follow-up meeting or better yet, an on-site inspection that can help us make a more educated choice on the propositions that we have gathered for you so far.
Beyond presenting that information and discussing the benefits of using those precise components and approaching your septic needs in that way, we will make sure to collect more information and incorporate your feedback for fine-tuning and necessary adjustments.
Stage Three: Choose equipment and support systems
After a thorough inspection and close evaluation of your case, we will proceed to develop the proposal by choosing the equipment, instruments, components, and support systems relevant to the installation process.
At this point, you may be tempted to continue learning about the components of a <septic system> and better appreciate the difference between both systems but that is just one of the many aspects yet to be explored.
Stage Four: Septic System Design – Septic Layout
From building puzzles as a child to assembling parts to decorate the spaces of your home, we have common ground on how important layouts are to achieving to putting the big picture together.
The big picture is only possible to create with the bigger picture as a guide, and that is precisely what our partners from Nortex Septic Designs will help us accomplish.
We will feed our partners with all the information we have gathered so far and in exchange, they will provide us with an appropriate septic system design with their respective layouts.
Those layouts hat will guide our engineers, septic installers, and technicians to accomplish the goal we’ve set for this project.
Stage Five: Installation of primary septic systems
We’ve finally come to the part that the whole team from Royal Flush Septics enjoy the most, and certainly one of the most gratifying parts of our job.
All of those previous stages that we’ve taken along the way have done nothing but help us pave the way for a smooth, straightforward, and efficient installation. And what could be better than that? It saves you money upfront and recurrently with prompt and costly maintenance activities being anticipated with such an organized and well-structured installation.
This first stage of the installation normally begins with some earth movement and terrain preparation and ends by putting the septic tank and affiliate components in place.
So, this is what we do to accomplish all that, we carve the trenches and geometries required for the components, the piping, and other systems required for installation and finally place them respectively. All of which we do by keeping both eyes on our septic layout.
It is not the main objective of this post to speak about the functioning of commercially purposed septic tanks, but it is important to mention that most of the tanks that we get to install in these cases are ATU’s or advanced treatment units Linking to free page.
An ATU is an aerobic septic system that uses oxygen among other moving parts and agents to accelerate the bacterial principles used to treat the wastewater entering the system.
In these systems, in particular, the water that leaves the unit is virtually clean. They require much less space than a traditional or conventional septic tank but as said before, it’s just a matter of what is optimal for your specific case. Going above that is good, but not necessary.
At this point, you may be tempted to continue learning about the components of a <septic system> and better appreciate the difference between both systems but that is just as thrilling as what is about to come and we would not want you to miss it. So, maybe save that for later.
Stage Six: Installation of auxiliary septic systems
All septic systems gravitate around a septic tank, but that is not the only component that we need to install to have an active system running.
It just happens to be the most famous component of them all, the rock star of the band, in our own words, the Royal flush of the traditional Texan poker, but actually, there is much more to do.
The septic tank relies on auxiliary systems and other equipment such as distributors, dosing tanks, and instrumentation to do its job accordingly.
In this final stage, we are going to make sure that the media filter, drain field, dripping systems and other auxiliary or support systems are set and finally, we will give instructions on when to start the system and test proof its functioning to make sure that everything single task on that checklist is hit by an energetic green check.
Examples of Efficient Design in commercial facilities
In a more specific environment, this is how it all looks like. Are you ready to see it all in action? take your notes and beware of the septic quiz.
Insert Table with Institution; Description; System; Tank Type
Schools; Morning Activity; SBR system;
Hospitals; Strict Sanitary Conditions;
Hotels; Large activity with green areas and entertainment areas (pool, spa, etc); ATU’s.
Hostels; Day-to-night operation with space restrictions; other materials (no electricity consumption).
Shopping Malls; Vast Activity Level, ATU’s with advanced treatment, two fields, and smart dosing.
As you can see, there are different examples of how septic systems and best practices could be combined to provide an optimal solution for each case, and that is why commercial septic design is so relevant to secure an efficient installation. They should not be treated separately and working with a septic specialist with a large experience in both residential and commercial services will more likely secure the optimal solution for your case.
On the list presented before, we have only sorted out the systems we would recommend but if you would like to read more about the motivation behind each of those systems, you may want to know more about commercial Septic Design.
In the case of a school, for example, the workload, and therefore the volume of water entering the septic system is high during morning time and minimal during the evenings, that makes an SBR system look like a potential recommendation. A time-paced configuration such as this one may require adjustments in the programming to ensure that the decant phase would only be initiated when there is an HWL signal (high-level water).
This is just an example to illustrate how other skills may be required to ensure optimal functioning in the systems that are required from us as contractors.
Choose the adequate tank: A brief introduction
As we’ve discussed in the past, a very significant aspect of the septic installation is the septic tank itself, our Royal Flush if we may. That begs the question, how do you know what is the tank material, geometry, and type that best addresses your needs at the lowest possible investment?
That’s a great question, even to septic professionals like us, but with a closer inspection, some of these questions are answered by inertia.
Let’s take one of the systems from the list as an example. Imagine that we have a hostel with a rather challenging placement and architecture. In this case, the material itself could result as efficient and drive fewer complications and installation costs.
You may be wondering, but how is that relevant to the cost? Well, a compound septic tank weighs less than a concrete tank and besides requiring no heavy machinery at all, it also makes it easier for us to install them in cases when the placement is truly challenging.
Concerning the number of chambers, compartments, and geometries, it highly depends on what you need and that is highly influenced by what is required from you. Certain systems regarded as Advanced Treatment Units, can result in higher-quality treatment, less land requirement ( Up to 50% in space-savings), and reduced consumption.
All of which happen to look valuable especially for a hostel that does not have much space to spare.
Something very important to fix in mind is that all of these examples are set to better illustrate the concepts being discussed in this article and to shed some light on the solutions that a creative and resourceful professional installer may get to.
Although this could be a definite answer, it is not definitive, and that is something you will notice after joining our discussion on the current septic landscape, where we bring in-depth topics on materials, geometries, and technologies that we can integrate to fit every septic service scenario.
There, you will be able to appreciate the current septic landscape and look at all the alternatives that we know of and identify potential ideas for you, which will serve you to get to know your installer better. Remember, always ask the questions first.
The future of Septic Technology – most advanced technology
Would you believe that developing septic tank technology could be positive for the development of Off-grid alternatives, sustainable practices, and society at large?
If you said no, these ideas are about to challenge your current perception of septic tanks and all that we know about septic systems.
Also, we don’t generally center our discussions around that topic, septic systems require different resources to operate, in some cases, they even consume a discrete amount of power to keep those dynamic parts rotating and the system pumping.
These are some of the current alternatives that we can find in the market, some of which require no electricity or power at all, and others that are compact or that are designed in a way to harness the minerals contained in the sludges trapped in the tank.
Not only these manufacturers are changing the septic panorama, but there are also many professionals in the field and research engineers working to optimize those systems.
It may not be common or easy to do today, but those systems gather biomass that could be used to produce methanol and provide gas, heating, generate electricity, and allow off-grid living.
Additionally, here is a list of facts that we’ve collected from our experience and that can contribute to a greener and sustainable off-grid alternatives.
Commercial Septic Installers in the U.S – Royal Flush Septics from Collin to Dallas and even Ochiltree Texas
You may be curious about where to find an installer. Royal Flush Septics is a specialized septic company based in Texas with over 30 years of combined experience in the industry.
If you are located in one of the following seven counties, you can count on us.
In the case that you are reading us from another city or county, you can get in touch with us to treat your case especially.
You can also read our list of the most professional commercial septic installers near me and pick one of your preferences according to your locations.
