Waste elimination. It’s an inexorable fact of daily life, but no one wants to talk about it.

When it comes to your home, though, waste elimination is a topic that simply can’t be ignored. Maintaining or upgrading an existing septic system, or installing a new one, is one of the most important tasks faced by homeowners.

But getting the right person or company to do that work can be a challenge. It requires some research and homework about the type of septic system you have, along with learning the requirements of general maintenance and what’s involved in installing a new system.

The first step in the research is to know your own system.

There are several basic types:

Sand filter system. This is the most common septic system in most homes. It’s normally used in yards with very shallow soil, with a layer of sand between the pump tank and the drainage field treating the waste water before it enters the system. The sand makes up for lack of soil normally used to treat waste.
Mound system. This type of system is also used when yard soil isn’t deep enough for a traditional system. A sand-filled mound is raised over the natural soil, with waste water treated as it travels through sand into natural soil.o Gravity-based system. In this type of system, gravity is used to drain waste water into a series of trenches. The drainage field for the waste water must be below the level of the septic tank, and the bottom of trenches must be 3-4 feet below the water table. The soil above the water table is used to treat waste water before it returns to the environment.
Pressure distribution system. This system is normally used [...]