Can I install a septic system myself?

Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Los Angeles County health department before planning any work yourself.

How big does my septic tank need to be?

Tank size is usually based on the number of bedrooms and local code. Your designer will size the tank and field for your home.

Do I need a soil test for a new septic system?

Yes, in nearly all cases. The soil evaluation decides what type of system and how large a field your lot can support.

Who approves septic installations in Pasadena?

Septic permits are usually handled at the county or state level. Contact the Los Angeles County health department to confirm the requirements for your property.

New Septic Systems for Pasadena Properties

Whether you are building a new home in Pasadena or replacing a system that has reached the end of its life, septic installation is a project that starts with the soil. The right system depends on your lot, your soil and the size of your household.

Request a call and a local septic company that installs systems in Pasadena and San Marino, South Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge will explain the process from site evaluation to final inspection.

From soil test to finished system

A septic installation starts with a soil and site evaluation, which decides what kind of system the lot can support. A designer then sizes the system for the number of bedrooms, the plan goes to the Los Angeles County health department for a permit, and the installer digs, sets the tank and builds the drain field before a final inspection.

Types of septic systems

Conventional systems use a tank and a gravity drain field and suit lots with good soil. Where soil is poor, shallow or wet, options include pressure distribution, mound systems, chamber systems, sand filters and aerobic treatment units. Your soil test and local rules decide which types are allowed on your lot.

Permits and approvals

New and replacement systems almost always need a permit. Expect a soil evaluation, a design that meets local code, plan review and at least one inspection during installation. the Los Angeles County health department or your state agency sets the requirements, and many installers handle the application for you.

Understanding installation quotes

A complete quote should cover design, permits, excavation, the tank, the dispersal system, inspections and site restoration. Ask what is excluded, such as tree removal, electrical work for pumps or driveway repair. Compare quotes for the same system type.

Caring for a new septic system

Keep a copy of the design and as-built drawing, schedule your first pumping as recommended, and keep vehicles and structures off the tank and field. Plant only grass over the dispersal area and direct roof and yard runoff away from it. Systems with pumps or treatment units need regular service to stay under warranty.

Before you sign

Make sure the contract lists the system type, the scope of work, permit responsibilities, the timeline, cleanup and warranty. Ask how weather or unexpected site conditions will be handled.

Getting ready for installation day

Clear access for equipment, mark wells, underground utilities and sprinkler lines, and plan where soil and materials will be staged. Your Pasadena installer will call in utility locates before digging. Expect some disturbance to the yard, which is regraded and seeded or restored as part of the job.

What to avoid on a new system near Pasadena

Avoid choosing an installer on price alone, starting before the permit is approved, or placing the field in a low spot that stays wet. Think about future plans for the yard, since a pool, addition or outbuilding cannot go over the field later.

Replacing an old system in Pasadena

When a system near Pasadena fails, replacement often means a new drain field in a fresh part of the yard. The old tank may be pumped, crushed and filled, or reused if it is sound. Los Angeles County usually requires a permit and a final inspection. Ask for the as-built drawing once the work is done.

What Pasadena's soil means for a new system

The USDA soil survey rates most mapped soils near Pasadena as very limited for septic absorption fields. New systems here often need a mound, pressure distribution or another engineered design, which your soil test will confirm. Pasadena gets about 13 inches of precipitation a year, so water table limits are less common, though your soil test still decides the design.

Local conditions in Pasadena that affect septic installation

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Pasadena, the USDA soil survey rates 94% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 6% as somewhat limited and 0% as not limited. The most common drainage class is well drained. Soils like these often call for careful system design, such as a larger drain field, a mound or another engineered system, and a site evaluation before any new installation or replacement.

Pasadena averages about 13 inches of precipitation a year, and February is usually the wettest month. December is the coldest month at about 53°F on average, so freezing is rarely the main concern here. Heavy rain and saturated ground are the bigger factors for drain fields.

Sources: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO), Soil Data Access; NASA POWER long-term climatology. Soil ratings describe mapped soil types near the city center and do not replace a site evaluation of your property.

What the soil around Pasadena means for septic installation

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Pasadena as 52% well drained, 27% somewhat excessively drained, 20% excessively drained. Most of the soil here drains reasonably well, so a conventional trench field is often possible where the lot allows, but the soil test still decides.

Source: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO), Soil Data Access

Septic companies near Pasadena

These are the septic companies in our directory closest to Pasadena, with straight-line distance. Call any of them directly, or send one request and we will pass it to the best match.

Devries Diversified, Tujunga, CA, 10.7 mi
Robert's Liquid Disposal Inc, Santa Fe Springs, CA, 18.5 mi
Clear View Sewer Inspection, San Fernando, CA, 19.7 mi
Jim's Sanitation, Palmdale, CA, 26.3 mi
Septic Works, Palmdale, CA, 26.6 mi
D P Inspection Inc, Anaheim, CA, 27.3 mi

Septic Installation in nearby towns

We also cover septic installation in these towns near Pasadena:

About Pasadena, CA

Pasadena is in Los Angeles County, California. About 133,560 people live there, across 23.0 square miles of land (about 5,817 per square mile).

Septic Installation questions in Pasadena

Can I install a septic system myself?: Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Los Angeles County health department before planning any work yourself.
How big does my septic tank need to be?: Tank size is usually based on the number of bedrooms and local code. Your designer will size the tank and field for your home.
Do I need a soil test for a new septic system?: Yes, in nearly all cases. The soil evaluation decides what type of system and how large a field your lot can support.
Who approves septic installations in Pasadena?: Septic permits are usually handled at the county or state level. Contact the Los Angeles County health department to confirm the requirements for your property.