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Certified Cesspool Inspector

Septic System Care & Maintenance

Far too often, homeowners take an "out of sight, out of mind" approach to their septic system. We help you stay ahead of problems before they become expensive emergencies.

Why It Matters

Why You Should Maintain Your Septic System

Save Money

Failing systems are expensive to repair or replace — regular care is far cheaper than emergency work.

Protect Your Investment

As a homeowner, you're responsible for maintaining your system and protecting your home's value.

Protect Groundwater

A failing system can contaminate groundwater that may be a source of drinking water.

Prevent Disease

Poorly treated sewage can cause groundwater contamination and contaminate drinking water wells.

Good to know: a well-maintained, properly used septic system will not necessarily need a regular pump-out. If your system requires constant visits from a pump-out contractor, it's likely overloaded or has another serious problem.
Real Repairs, Real Results

We Diagnose the Problem Before We Dig

A neglected system doesn't just back up a drain field — it can mean a fully corroded or broken water line, like the one pictured here. Catching issues early with routine inspection saves you from emergency excavation and repair costs.

Broken residential water service line exposed during a repair
Common Problems

Common Septic System Problems & How They Occur

Your septic system works by allowing waste to flow from the septic tank — where solids separate from liquid — through the leach field, where it seeps into the soil. Most problems involve either a backed-up drain field or a clogged septic tank.

Sludge & Scum Build-Up

Sludge builds up in all septic tanks as the incomplete decomposition of human waste and other matter. In a well-maintained system, anaerobic enzymes break this down into compounds bacteria can digest. Without that process, scum and sludge layers build up and clog the tank's drain line, causing sewage to back up into the home.

Clogged Leach or Drain Lines

The system depends on free-flowing liquid moving to the drain lines for absorption by the soil. When sludge, scum or non-organic solids are forced into the drain lines or leach field, they build up and clog the lines — plugging drain pipe holes or sealing the soil around them, causing the system to fail.

An Overloaded System

Septic tanks are designed to handle a specific amount of waste over time. Excessive water from toilets, dishwashers and washing machines can flood a system faster than the leach field and soil can absorb it — backing up drains and toilets, and even stirring up untreated sludge into the drain lines.

Garbage & Non-Biological Waste

Materials that can't be decomposed by tank microbes should never enter the system. Caustic chemicals and excessive anti-bacterial cleaners can stall the biological process; cigarette butts, feminine products, grease and oils accumulate or clog drain lines. A common-sense approach to what goes down the drain extends the life of your system and prevents costly repairs.

Warning signs to watch for:
  • Foul odors around drains inside or outside the home
  • Murky pooling water, soggy soil, or grey/black mud around the system
  • Slow draining or backed-up drains in the house
Be Proactive

Certified, Trusted, and Ready to Help

No matter if you're a single residential home or a community with 5–100 homes, we treat everyone with the respect and honesty they deserve.

Certified Cesspool Inspector CAI — Community Associations Institute NAWT — National Association of Wastewater Technicians Peconic Green Growth LILWA — Long Island Liquid Waste Association

A&A Sewer and Drain Maintenance Inc. is part of Suffolk County's pilot program introducing wastewater treatment systems for residential and commercial properties that reduce the nitrogen leached into the ground from septic systems.

Don't wait for a nightmare.

Give us a call before a small issue becomes a costly emergency — we'll set you up with the proper maintenance program.