McCullough Excavating
McCullough Excavating
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you charge?
The majority of our work is by bid. I have found that a set price is more comfortable for the customer. With an hourly rate it is harder to factor in transportation of equipment and other unforeseeable issues, leaving the customer wondering "Am I paying for this?"
-Septic Systems
-Septic Systems
Who can install septic systems?
- Property owners who have passed ADEC courses.
- Contractors whose work is documented by a registered engineer.
- ADEC-certified installers who have passed ADEC courses and are competent to perform soil assessments.
Can you Install a "crib" style septic system?
Being a ADEC certified installer it is illegal for us to install crib style systems. They work fine until the homeowner would like to sell or needs their house assessed by a bank. It is definitely cost effective to do it correctly the first time.
How does a septic tank work?
A typical septic tank has 2 compartments. By design the front chamber of a septic tank captures the solids and scum allowing the effluents to move into the rear chamber before flowing into the leachfield.
What kind of septic tank should I use Plastic, Steel or Concrete?
This is home owner preference, I install mostly steel, tar covered tanks. The draw back of steel is rust. Life expectancy has a lot of variables, but typically around 15-25 years. Some people swear by plastic or fiberglass tanks, but with our extreme freeze thaw cycles and bury depth I believe they are more susceptible to fracture and collapse. Concrete tanks are great, the only draw back is their excessive weight (10,000lbs+) so a crane is needed to set them, which also means you need a lot more area for a crane to set up.
What is a leach field?
Leach Field, also known as drainfield, consist of sewer rock and perforated piping. Gravity moves effluent from the septic tank to the leachfield where it slowly percolates into the soil becoming purified.
Where can I get more information?
Click link to view the EPA Homeowners Guide to Septic Systems . With every system install you will get this manual along with an as-built plan and a CD containing pictures during installation.
Contact Us
Contact Us
Please send us an email at mcculloughexcavating@hotmail.com or fill out the form below to ask a question or to leave a review.