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For more than 60 years, Antorino and Sons have been providing Suffolk County residents with exceptional septic tank service. Whether you’re in need of general maintenance, you need a new septic tank installation, or you are experiencing an emergency, you can count on our team of highly trained and experienced technicians to handle all of your septic service needs.
You probably don’t think much about flushing your toilets, taking a shower, washing the dishes, or running your washing machine. You go about your business and the wastewater just disappears, never to be seen again…
While it might seem magical, that water doesn’t just disappear into thin air, and you could certainly see it again. The wastewater you produce and flush down your toilets and drains runs through an intricate system of pipes that all connect to a septic tank located in your yard. Natural bacterium inside the tank breaks down the waste and passes it out into a drain field, where it’s absorbed into the ground.
As long as a septic system is properly maintained, it’s highly efficient, extremely durable, and should last for years to come without any issues. However, many Riverhead, NY homeowners don’t practice proper maintenance and eventually, the system fails and they have a massive, dangerous, and expensive problem on their hands: a septic system overflow.
To avoid the major headache and huge expense that septic tank woes can cause, Antorino and Sons, a leading Suffolk County septic company offers the following tips.
Cesspools are designed to process organic (biodegradable) waste only, they can’t breakdown inorganic waste. If you’re flushing anything that the system can’t process (coffee grounds, paper towels, motor oil, etc.), damage and an eventual backup is a guarantee.
Pay attention to what you’re flushing. Harmful chemicals can disrupt the balance of the healthy bacterium that breaks down waste. When waste doesn’t breakdown, it keeps building up and eventually, the septic tank will overflow. Plus, toxic matter can pass into the ground that surrounds your septic tank’s drain field and seep into the water supply. Additionally, you should never flush anything that could get trapped in the pipes, such as cotton swabs, cigarette butts, feminine hygiene products, bones, grease, or disposable diapers. Even thick toilet paper and wipes that are advertised as “flushable” should never be put down the toilets. These items can clog the pipes that connect to the septic tank, cause a massive backup, and do extensive and costly damage to your home.
Septic tanks are usually constructed of concrete, brick, or cement blocks. While these materials are durable, they can crack under the pressure of heavyweight. To that end, you should avoid driving over or parking on top of your septic tank. Additionally, you should never build anything on top of the tank (a patio or a deck, for example). The weight of these items can damage the walls and roof of the septic tank, and in the worst-case scenario, the tank could completely collapse. Septic tank collapses are extremely dangerous and potentially lethal, so it’s vital that you keep heavy items as far away from your cesspool as possible.
Be Water Wise
While septic tanks are designed to hold a large amount of water, they do have a capacity, and once it’s reached, you could have a big problem on your hands. Avoid inundating your septic tank with water. If you’re sending too much water into the tank at once, there’s a serious risk that the tank will overflow. Be smart about your water use. Don’t do several activities that require flushing water down drains at the same time, or use a lot of water over the course of a single day. For example, instead of washing all of your laundry on the same day, spread it out over multiple days, and avoid running showers, washing dishes, and flushing toilets at the same time.
Limiting the amount of water you flush down your drains can help you avoid a septic tank overflow; it’s good for the environment, too!
Clean and Pump Regularly
Septic tanks need to be properly maintained, and pumping and cleaning the tank is an integral part of keeping it in tip-top shape. Septic pumping removes excess water that collects in the tank, while septic cleaning removes the scum, dirt, debris, and other waste that’s accumulated on the walls. In addition to cleaning and pumping the tank, a reputable septic company will also inspect the system for any signs of wear and tear or other issues that may exist, such as tree root infiltration. If any problems are spotted, they can be corrected before they become a major issue.
Riverhead is a town within Suffolk County, New York, United States, on the north shore of Long Island. Since 1727, Riverhead has been the county seat of Suffolk County, though most county offices are in Hauppauge. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,902. The town rests on the mouth of the Peconic River, from which it derives its name. The smaller hamlet of Riverhead lies within it, and is the town’s principal economic center. The town is 166 miles (267 km) southwest of Boston via the Orient Point-New London Ferry, and is 76 miles (123 km) northeast of New York City.
European colonists purchased the “Southold land” from the local Algonquian-speaking Native Americans and Shinnecock Indian Nation in 1649. An additional portion was purchased from Col. William Smith and divided among settlers in 1742.
The town of Riverhead was created in 1792 as part of new jurisdictions after the American Revolution. The New York State Legislature divided it from the town of Southold, New York, which lies to the north and east. Riverhead was separated at the behest of its inhabitants, who “represented to the Legislature that their town is so long that it is very inconvenient for them [people of western regions of Southold] to attend at [sic] town meetings, and also to transact the other necessary business of the said town, and have prayed that the same may be divided into two towns”. The poor western sections of Southold, with no harbor and little commerce, were thus divided. On March 13, 1792, the Legislature passed a bill splitting off this section under the name River Head. The new enclave’s first town meeting was scheduled to be held April 3, 1792.
River Head was named the county seat of Suffolk County (called a “county town” at the time), and its name was later combined as Riverhead.
Learn more about Riverhead.
