All About Grinder Pumps
Being hooked up to a municipal sewer system is one of the great things about living in society. No society has ever thrived without a strict and safe system to deal with the waste that humans produce. Disposing waste so easily in every home is a necessary facet of public health. For some, a sewer may not be an option. For others, their homes may be too low to gravity-feed sewage to municipal systems. Certain things have to be done to accommodate those that don’t fit the norms.
One of the non-traditional pieces of equipment found in off-grid homes or below-grade is called a grinder pump. Grinder pumps are often installed in homes with septic systems. They can also be found in homes with basements or lower elevations than city sewer systems. Since grinder pumps are non-traditional, most people know little about them. Here is a guide to orient homeowners to their grinder pumps.
What Is a Grinder Pump, and Why Do Some Homes Need Them?
“Grinder pump” is an appropriate name because it describes exactly what they do. When sewage needs to be pumped to a higher elevation, it must be macerated into a slurry. A grinder pump grinds sewage and solid waste and pumps it to a septic tank or city sewer line. Some situations where homeowners may find their homes needing one can include:
- Homes with bathrooms or appliances in the basement
- Homes built in areas with major elevation changes
- Build sites with septic leach fields that are uphill from the home
- Cities with shallow sewer lines due to high water tables or shallow bedrock
Without grinder pumps, living in certain areas would simply be impossible. By having a home served by a grinder pump, builders have virtually limitless options when it comes to building sites or designs.
Signs That Grinder Pump Repair is Needed
The decision to install a grinder pump is made during the construction phase. For homeowners who move into a home with a grinder pump already installed, they need to know the signs that grinder pump repair is needed so they can avoid some upsetting situations. Some of the signs that a grinder pump needs repairs are:
- Flashing lights or audible alarms on the control box
- Leaks in or around the unit
- Sewage backups or floods
- Old age
- Clotting or blockages
Maintaining Grinder Pumps
The best way to ensure that a grinder pump continues to operate reliably is to take some initiative. As with a sewer system, everyone can follow simple rules to make their plumbing last longer. It all starts with only sending the right stuff down the drain. For example, people in the home should only flush toilet paper and waste. They should only discard food scraps in the trash. This ensures fewer solids flow through the system, making the grinder pump’s job easier.
The second most important thing homeowners can do to eliminate grinder pump problems is to schedule professional grinder pump maintenance. Professionals will remove the clotting and check the oil. They can make quick repairs to minimize downtime if they find leaks or other insufficiency.
About Capital City Septic Services
Capital City Septic Services are the local grinder pump maintenance and repair experts. Their teams work all week and weekends to ensure their customers stay problem-free. Call today for grinder pump service in Tallahassee, FL.
