Hi we are going to build in South Tasmania soon and we will have a septic system, we know nothing about them but I used to live in a house as a kid and I seem to remember we used to have a grease trap, Do we need one, are they standard on systems?
Cheers
Grease trap?
(5 posts) (3 voices)-
lorri
MemberPosted Thursday 22 Sep 2016 @ 7:14:42 pm from IP # -
I've not had one, or seen the need for one, in the 8 years I'ved lived in my owner-builder house. I have a greywater system with a box with media for bacteria to live in to break down food particles etc, it empties into an absorption trench, and a separate Clivus Multrum composting toilet, and small amounts of oil go into that sometimes in the compost we put in there.
Just dont pour oil/fat down the sink, and there is no need for one. Maybe that's what people used to do, as I remember one in the house we lived in when I was growing up.Posted Friday 23 Sep 2016 @ 2:40:12 am from IP # -
dax
MemberGrease traps have been around for centuries in one form or another, they used to be mandatory in septic and sewered installations so grease and junk could be collected before entering the sewer, septic or, grey water system. At one time most grey water went out into the street gutters, not very hygienic.
Not sure whether they are mandatory in most places, we still install them so grey water can be easily directed to gardens or recycling and most of the solid crap is taken out first. Personally they are a must if you want a clean effective recycled waste water system.
The problem today is the foods the majority eat are heavily saturated with chemicals and antibiotics, which are extremely detrimental to gardens and the environment. Most people don't realise the majority of antibiotics used on the planet are used in the meat and diary industries, to try to control the many diseases and viral breeding conditions these industries provide for bacterial growth and sick cows and sheep. So septics and sewers are where all these chemicals and antibiotics end up, then finally into our coastal waters.
It all depends on what you want to achieve, if you don't want to use your waste water and the local council don't mandate grease traps, don't put one in. If you want to use your waste water, then you do need one. Building in Sth Tas and depending on your location, should determine whether you need one or not.
I'm in sth Tas and have 3 grease traps on my home, all our waste water is reused, showers and sinks goes through the septic after their grease traps. Clothes and cleanup washing water goes into a grease trap and then through a filtering cleansing system before being used on the garden, it's important to collect all the hair and soaps. Our septic water doesn't go into pits or lines, run off is collected in an open tank then fertilises the gardens. We don't use any chemicals in our homes or lives and don't eat processed or meat foods, so our waster water and septic outfalls are very clean and safe for us and the environment. We have never cleaned out our septic tank, and it's been in use for getting close to 30 years. If you lift the methane digester and look inside, all you see is liquid and it provides excellent gas, as does our compost heaps.
Moving slightly off subject, there are 3 houses in Tas I know of, that heat themselves from compost and silage pits. Silage pits provide 2-5 years of heat, compost pits 1-2 years. If you have 3 pits, 1 for heating, 1 for using and one being filled, you get usable gas, loads of heat and excellent garden compost.. These places are all farms and the amount of heat and gas they get is amazing, they heat their dairies and homes. One is generating their power with the extra gas they have, all have a number of grease traps and if you care for your environment, I'd be using one.
Posted Friday 23 Sep 2016 @ 8:18:52 am from IP # -
dax
MemberActually people lived much more sustainable and energy efficient lives in the past. They've been using heating from composts for thousands of years and they also used their animals for heating, by having them live underneath their homes and their body heat warmed the upper levels. Pretty smelly I'd say, but very practical and it's the same with building materials. It was the same with having the kitchen on the lowest level of a home, the heat kept upper levels warm.
You can see buildings built thousands of years ago using rammed earth and mud brick worldwide, still lived in and they have withstood untold years of natures assault. But modern building collapse and blow away like confetti and when subject to fire, strong winds or really heavy rain, they fail in all ways.
Posted Sunday 25 Sep 2016 @ 10:46:36 pm from IP #
