Septic System Installation in Allentown, PA
A new septic system is a long-term investment. Getting it right means a proper site evaluation, a design that fits your property and a permit approved before any digging starts.
Septic companies that work across Lehigh County can guide you through each step and handle much of the paperwork.
How septic installation works
Most projects follow the same steps. First comes a site evaluation and soil test, then a system design sized for the home and a permit application. After that the tank and drain field are installed, followed by a final inspection before the system is covered. Your installer coordinates much of this, but timelines depend on local review and weather.
Conventional and alternative systems
A conventional system is the simplest and usually the least expensive to maintain. Alternative systems add pumps, controls or treatment steps so they can work in difficult soil. Around Allentown, the soil on your specific lot is what decides which category you fall into.
The permit process for a new system
Installing or replacing a septic system almost always needs approval from the Lehigh County health department or the state agency that oversees septic systems. The usual steps are a soil evaluation, a stamped design, plan review and one or more inspections during construction. Starting without a permit can mean digging it all up again.
What affects installation cost
The biggest factors are system type, soil conditions, lot access, tank size and local permit requirements. Conventional systems in good soil generally cost the least. Mounds, aerobic units and other engineered systems cost more to build and maintain. Removing an old system and restoring landscaping add to replacement projects.
Protecting your investment
A new system can last decades with basic care. Know where every part is, avoid planting trees near the field, send roof water away from it, and keep grease, wipes and chemicals out of the drains. Schedule the first inspection and pumping so you have a baseline for later visits.
Choosing an installation company
Look for experience with the soils and systems common around Allentown and Emmaus, Catasauqua, Fountain Hill, clear written quotes and a plan for permits and inspections. A good installer explains tradeoffs between system types rather than pushing one option.
How long a new system takes near Allentown
Soil testing, design and permit review usually take longer than construction. In Lehigh County, wet seasons and frozen ground can delay soil evaluations, and review times vary through the year. Once the permit is in hand, most installations take a few days to a couple of weeks.
What to avoid on a new system near Allentown
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.
Before the digging starts in Allentown
Installing a septic system in Allentown touches the whole yard, so plan access for the excavator and the tank delivery. Mark wells, water lines and property corners first. Ask the installer how they will restore the lawn afterward. A clear plan now avoids moving a driveway, a shed or a fence later.
What Allentown's soil means for a new system
The USDA soil survey rates most mapped soils near Allentown 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. With about 49 inches of precipitation a year, designers here account for high water tables and runoff when sizing and placing a system. About 2 months below freezing mean pipes and components must sit deep enough or be insulated, and installation is usually easiest outside winter.
Local conditions in Allentown that affect septic installation
Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Allentown, the USDA soil survey rates 76% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 19% as somewhat limited and 5% 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.
Allentown averages about 49 inches of precipitation a year, and June is usually the wettest month. Average temperatures stay below freezing for about 2 months a year, with January averaging 27°F, so tank lids and shallow lines benefit from a layer of snow or mulch rather than being cleared bare.
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 Allentown means for septic installation
By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Allentown as 74% well drained, 11% moderately well drained, 10% poorly drained, 4% excessively drained, 2% somewhat poorly 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 Allentown
These are the septic companies in our directory closest to Allentown, with straight-line distance. Call any of them directly, or send one request and we will pass it to the best match.
- Schmick Richard R Inc Septic, Coopersburg, PA, 4.5 mi
- Lauman's Septic Pumping, Macungie, PA, 10.7 mi
- Dotter's Septic Service LLC, Northampton, PA, 10.8 mi
- Winding Creek Septic Service LLC, Quakertown, PA, 10.9 mi
- Christman's Septic Service, Kutztown, PA, 12.0 mi
- Yeska Henry Inc Sewerage Service, Nazareth, PA, 12.1 mi
Septic Installation in nearby towns
We also cover septic installation in these towns near Allentown:
- Emmaus, 4.2 mi
- Catasauqua, 4.3 mi
- Fountain Hill, 4.4 mi
- North Catasauqua, 4.8 mi
- Coplay, 5.4 mi
- Bethlehem, 6.2 mi
About Allentown, PA
Allentown is in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. About 124,880 people live there, across 17.6 square miles of land (about 7,110 per square mile).
Septic Installation questions in Allentown
- Can I install a septic system myself?
- Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Lehigh County health department before planning any work yourself.
- What is a mound system?
- A mound system raises the drain field above the natural soil using sand and fill. It is used where the soil is too shallow, too wet or too slow draining for a conventional field.
- 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.
- Is SepticTank.com the installer?
- No. SepticTank.com connects you with an independent local septic company that serves Allentown. That company designs, installs and prices the system.