Septic System Locating

• Enables regular pumping without excavation
  
• Allows filter cleaning and inspection
  
• Prevents accidental damage during yard work
  
• Makes emergency access quick and straightforward
  
• Facilitates routine maintenance and monitoring

• Enables regular pumping without excavation
  
• Allows filter cleaning and inspection
  
• Prevents accidental damage during yard work
  
• Makes emergency access quick and straightforward
  
• Facilitates routine maintenance and monitoring

• Helps avoid driving over and damaging components
  
• Prevents parking on fragile drain fields
  
• Ensures snowplows don't damage shallow components
  
• Allows proper marking before excavation work
  
• Guides fence post or deck footer placement

• Provides important information for prospective buyers
  
• Satisfies disclosure requirements when selling
  
• Aids in property value assessment
  
• Helps with inspection requirements
  
• Facilitates proper system transfer to new owners

We begin by gathering available information:

• Reviewing any existing system records or permits
• Examining property maps and surveys
• Discussing system history with property owners
• Assessing property age and likely installation era
• Reviewing any maintenance records

Our technicians look for visible indicators:

• Depressions or mounds in the yard
• Changes in grass growth or color
• Existing cleanout pipes or vents
• Patterns in snow melt or frost
• Water flow during heavy rain
• Previous excavation evidence

When visual clues aren't sufficient, we employ specialized equipment:

• Electronic tank locators that detect metallic components
• Sewer cameras to trace pipe routes from the house
• Soil probes for non-invasive subsurface investigation
• Dye testing to confirm system connections
• Ground-penetrating radar for difficult locations
• Signal transmitters for tracing non-metallic pipes

Once located, we document your system's layout:

• Marking key access points
• Measuring distances from fixed reference points
• Documenting component depths
• Mapping drain field dimensions and orientation
• Recording pipe routes and junctions

For easier future access, we can add:

• Riser installation to bring access to surface level
• Access port installation for buried components
• Surface markers for drain field boundaries
• Distribution box access improvements
• GPS coordinates for digital record-keeping

• Septic tanks: The main treatment vessel for household waste
  
• Distribution boxes: Junction points that divide flow to drain field lines
  
• Drain fields: The soil absorption area for treated effluent
  
• Tank lids and access ports: Critical for maintenance access
  
• Inlet and outlet pipes: Connecting the house and tank components

• Pump tanks: Secondary tanks containing effluent pumps
  
• Dry wells: Older overflow systems sometimes present
  
• Diversion valves: For alternating drain fields
  
• Control panels: For systems with electrical components
  
• Cleanouts: Access points for pipe maintenance

Our team specializes in the unique challenges of mountain properties:

• Experience with diverse Western North Carolina properties
• Understanding of historical installation practices in our region
• Knowledge of local system types and configurations
• Familiarity with challenging mountain terrain
• Expertise with older, non-standard systems common in rural areas

We prioritize methods that minimize disruption:

• Using electronic location before physical probing
• Employing precision techniques to reduce excavation
• Careful hand digging when necessary
• Minimal impact to landscaping and property
• Clean restoration of any disturbed areas

We provide comprehensive information about your system:

• Detailed location measurements
• Component depth documentation
• Sketch maps of system layout
• Digital photos when helpful
• GPS coordinates when requested

As a full-service septic company, we offer:

• Immediate service after location (pumping, inspection, etc.)
• Professional assessment of located components
• Maintenance recommendations
• Repair options for any identified issues
• Ongoing care from the same company that knows your system

To make the location process more efficient:

1. Gather any existing documentation about your system
2. Note any visible components or prior maintenance access points
3. Consider recent areas of unusual grass growth or soil conditions
4. Prepare information about your home's plumbing exit points
5. Ensure reasonable access to your property

Our professional location service typically includes:

1. Brief consultation about your property and system history
2. Initial visual assessment of likely system locations
3. Methodical use of location equipment in targeted areas
4. Careful probing when necessary to confirm findings
5. Documentation of all located components
6. Explanation of the system layout and function
7. Discussion of any recommended follow-up services

Once your system is located, we can:

1. Proceed immediately with pumping or inspection if requested
2. Install risers for easier future access
3. Mark components for future reference
4. Provide documentation for your records
5. Schedule follow-up maintenance services

Most residential system locations can be completed in 1-2 hours. Complex systems, larger properties, or systems with unusual configurations may take longer.

In rare cases where conventional methods don't succeed, we can use additional techniques like dye testing or camera inspection from the house to trace the system. We have multiple methods available and are persistent in our approach.

While not absolutely required, it's helpful for you to be present so we can discuss findings and recommendations. If you can't be there, we can leave documentation of what we found.

Our methods typically pinpoint tanks and distribution boxes within inches of their actual location. Drain field mapping provides the general layout and boundaries of the absorption area.

Yes, we can locate most older systems, though it may require additional time and methods. Abandoned systems can be more challenging but are often identifiable with our specialized equipment.