Your property questions, answered.

Technical septic maintenance, inspections and troubleshooting: filters, pumps, floats, alarms, controls, camera inspections, locating and targeted system repairs. Larger field work is assessed and planned separately.

The initial offering focuses on technical servicing rather than vacuum-truck pumping. If a pump-out is needed for diagnosis or maintenance, a separate pumping contractor and scope must be arranged.

Start with an assessment. Targeted repairs and full replacement have different requirements. Larger work is subject to design, qualified practitioners, excavation access and a separate project quote.

Floats and controls are included in the troubleshooting discussion. Electrical testing, wiring and panel work require the appropriate electrical contractor and are separately scoped.

Your property area, symptoms, any deadline and available system records. Safe photos of a closed panel label or visible problem area help. Do not open a tank or electrical panel for a photo.

Call or text 604-200-0278 with your property area, symptoms and any deadline. Ask about availability and the required service scope. Your appointment is confirmed directly; a text alone is not a confirmed booking.

Sometimes. A faulty or obstructed float can cause a pump-control problem even when the pump itself is working. Diagnose the cause before replacing components.

Panel issues are assessed as part of the system troubleshooting scope. Electrical testing, wiring, alterations and panel replacement need the appropriate electrical contractor and any required permits. Confirm that separate scope before booking.

Settings should follow the system design and maintenance instructions. Changing a timer to silence an alarm can hide a capacity, pump or field problem.

Note the alarm message, when it began and any recent power interruption. Photograph only an accessible closed panel or label. Do not open a live panel, reach into a chamber or repeatedly reset a tripping breaker.

Not always. Pump operation, loading, distribution and pipe condition should be assessed before deciding whether targeted repair or replacement is appropriate.

A full replacement is a larger construction project. It can require site assessment, design, filings, machinery, materials and qualified practitioners. It is quoted and scheduled separately from a maintenance visit.

Depending on the findings and authorised scope, work may involve accessible distribution components, fittings or a damaged pipe section. Each repair must suit the existing system and site.

No. A camera can show accessible pipe conditions, but it cannot by itself establish soil treatment capacity or the performance of the entire field.

A small treatment system on your own property. Wastewater from the house flows into a tank, where solids settle and scum floats. The liquid in the middle flows on to a drain field, where the soil finishes the treatment.

A distribution box. It sits between the tank and the drain field and splits the flow evenly between the field lines. If it tilts or cracks, one part of the field gets overloaded.

A second tank with a pump in it. It is used when the drain field sits higher than the tank or far away. A float or level sensor turns the pump on, and an alarm sounds if the level gets too high.

A drain field fed by a pump that pushes effluent through small holes along each line, so the whole field gets an even dose. These systems need their lines checked on a schedule.

A well-maintained tank can last decades. Drain fields usually last 20 to 30 years or more, depending on soil, use and maintenance. Pumps and floats wear out sooner and are replaced as parts.

It depends on the tank size and how many people live in the house. Many households pump every 2 to 5 years. We measure the sludge and scum layers at each visit and tell you when the next pump-out is due.

No. A system that gets normal household waste already has the bacteria it needs. Additives do not replace pumping, and some can push solids into the drain field.

Wipes, even ones sold as flushable, grease and cooking oil, paint, solvents, medications, cat litter, coffee grounds, feminine products and large amounts of harsh cleaners.

No. Vehicles crush pipes and compact the soil, and buildings, sheds and paving stop the field from working. Keep the field as grass.

Keep trees and large shrubs well away from the tank and field. Roots find their way into pipes and lines. Grass is the best cover.

Yes. BC rules expect owners to maintain their system and keep records. A written report after each visit gives you that record and helps when you sell.

On a pumped system, the level in the pump chamber is high. The usual causes are a failed pump, a stuck float, a tripped breaker or heavy water use. Cut back on water, check the pump breaker and call us.

A full tank, a blocked line, roots in the pipe or a struggling drain field. If it affects the whole house, call before it turns into a backup.

Effluent may be reaching the surface. It can be a blocked line, an uneven D-box or a field that has stopped absorbing. Keep people and pets off it and have it checked.

A loose or cracked lid, a full tank, a broken line or effluent surfacing. A smell at the tank or field is worth checking soon.

Stop using water right away: no laundry, dishwasher or flushing. Do not open the tank. Call us and describe where it is backing up.

Check for a record with the health authority, then follow the sewer line from where it leaves the house. If you still cannot find it, we locate the tank, lids and D-box and mark them for you.

Yes. A pipe camera shows roots, cracks, sags and blockages in house drains, sewer lines, septic lines and drain field laterals without digging.

If your lids are buried, yes. Risers bring them to grass level so every pump-out and inspection is faster and cheaper.

It is strongly recommended. A standard home inspection usually does not cover the septic system in depth, and a failing system is a large cost.

We locate the tank, D-box and drain field, open and check the tank, walk the field, test any pump and alarm, and give you a written report with photos plus a buyer's guide to septic.

Request it from the health authority: Fraser Health covers most of the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Coastal Health covers Squamish. Our guide explains how.

Septic systems are regulated under the provincial Sewerage System Regulation. Installing, altering or repairing a system that needs a filing must be done by an Authorized Person, which means a registered practitioner or a professional engineer.

Minor repairs and maintenance usually do not need a filing. Alterations and replacements do. We tell you which applies before work starts.

It depends on tank size, access, distance and whether the lids need digging out. We give you the price in writing before any work. Our pumping cost guide explains what changes the price.

Any manufacturer or supplied-parts warranty and its labour exclusions are identified in the written quote. Ask for the terms for your specific part.