Septic System Installation in Philadelphia, PA
Whether you are building a new home in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia and Camden, Palmyra, Rockledge will explain the process from site evaluation to final inspection.
From soil test to final inspection
A soil evaluation decides almost everything else. It tells the designer what type of system and how large a field the lot needs. Once plans are approved, installation itself often takes a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the system and the site.
Choosing the right system
The best system is the one your soil and lot can support. Good, deep soil often allows a conventional system. Clay, high groundwater or shallow bedrock may call for a mound, pressure distribution or an aerobic unit. Each has different costs and maintenance needs, so ask your installer to explain them.
Approvals you will need
Plan on a permit for any new or replacement system. Regulators typically want a site evaluation, a design that meets local code and an inspection before the system is covered. Your installer or designer often handles the paperwork, but the permit is tied to your property, so keep copies.
Why installation prices vary
Installation price depends on the system type the soil allows, the size of the house, the distance from the house to the field, how easy the site is to reach with equipment, and design and permit fees. Engineered systems such as mounds and aerobic units cost more to build and maintain.
The first years with a new system
Keep the design drawing and the final inspection report somewhere safe. Pump on the schedule your installer recommends, use water steadily rather than all at once, and keep vehicles and new structures off the tank and field. Let grass establish over the field before heavy use of the yard.
Questions to ask an installer
Ask who performs the soil evaluation and design, whether they handle permits, what system types they recommend and why, and how long the project will take. Ask about warranty terms and what maintenance the system will need.
How long the whole project takes
The digging and installation often take days, but the full project in Philadelphia can take several weeks once testing, design and permit review are included. Ask your installer for a realistic timeline for your county and what could change it, such as wet weather or a busy review office.
Mistakes to avoid on a Philadelphia installation
The most expensive mistakes happen before the digging starts. Skipping the soil evaluation, choosing a system on price alone, or placing the drain field where future driveways, pools or additions will go all lead to trouble later. Undersizing the tank for the number of bedrooms is another common one. Ask your Philadelphia installer to walk you through the site plan and explain why each part sits where it does.
Building a system near Philadelphia
Homes around Philadelphia that are not on public sewer need a septic system sized to the house and the soil. The site evaluation shapes everything that follows, from the tank size to where the field goes. Plan the layout before other outdoor projects so nothing ends up on top of the field.
What Philadelphia's soil means for a new system
The USDA soil survey rates most mapped soils near Philadelphia 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 48 inches of precipitation a year, designers here account for high water tables and runoff when sizing and placing a system. About 1 months below freezing mean pipes and components must sit deep enough or be insulated, and installation is usually easiest outside winter.
Local conditions in Philadelphia that affect septic installation
Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Philadelphia, the USDA soil survey rates 88% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 12% 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.
Philadelphia averages about 48 inches of precipitation a year, and June is usually the wettest month. Average temperatures stay below freezing for about 1 month a year, with January averaging 30°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 Philadelphia means for septic installation
By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Philadelphia as 73% well drained, 17% moderately well drained, 10% 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 Philadelphia
These are the septic companies in our directory closest to Philadelphia, with straight-line distance. Call any of them directly, or send one request and we will pass it to the best match.
- Dimeglio Septic, Hammonton, NJ, 18.5 mi
- George C Allen & Son Inc, Chalfont, PA, 19.0 mi
- B Martin Wastewater Service, Garnet Valley, PA, 21.2 mi
- Joseph Walls Septic Service, Upper Chichester, PA, 21.3 mi
- Decker Septic, Southampton, NJ, 21.9 mi
- South Jersey Septic, Atco, NJ, 21.9 mi
Septic Installation in nearby towns
We also cover septic installation in these towns near Philadelphia:
- Camden, 5.2 mi
- Palmyra, 5.2 mi
- Rockledge, 5.5 mi
- Merchantville, 6 mi
- Jenkintown, 6 mi
- Riverton, 6.3 mi
About Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia is in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. About 1,550,542 people live there, across 134.4 square miles of land (about 11,541 per square mile).
Septic Installation questions in Philadelphia
- Can I install a septic system myself?
- Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Philadelphia 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.
- Is SepticTank.com the installer?
- No. SepticTank.com connects you with an independent local septic company that serves Philadelphia. That company designs, installs and prices the system.