Diagnose the Problem
If you’re having an issue with your septic air pump you probably have an alarm on. That’s likely what led you here.
Depending on the type of system you have, your alarm light could be red or amber (yellow), steady or flashing.
Your septic system control panel has an air sensor that will trigger an alarm when it no longer senses air flow.
There are other reasons that could cause the alarm but worn diaphragms are the most common culprit.
To start, let’s eliminate a few other suspects.
First, verify all the hoses or lines on the aerator are attached. There could be one, two or three; depending on your system. There will be one or two lines going into the ground from one end with a small 1/8″ tubing possibly coming off the other end.
You want to make sure all these are hooked up without any leaks or breaks in the line. The 1/8″ tubing is the most likely culprit for accidental damage.
Finally, is the pump running? You should be able to hear it and/or feel it vibrating. If it’s not running your problem is probably a torn diaphragm. If it is running, contact Cyclone Septics at (405) 373-1540 to further diagnose and repair your issue.
A Good Diaphragm Going Bad
The air pump will stop working when the diaphragm tears but you may notice warning signs prior to that point. These signs can include:
- the aerator making more noise than normal
- less airflow going to your tank
- if you have sprinklers, you may notice more odor than usual
- intermittent alarms
We typically see more problems occuring in the summer.
Is It Getting Hot In Here?
Heat is one of the worst things for your aerator. Based on our experience, it can cut the air pump’s life expectancy in half!
So how can you protect your aerator and extend it’s life? Keep it cool!
- Clean the air filter every 6 mos and replace it annually. You can purchase air filters for Hiblow and Thomas from Cyclone Septics or buy Hiblow air filters on Amazon.
- Shade it. If your air pump is on the south side of your house it is getting a lot of afternoon sun. Giving it some shade (without reducing its airflow) will help tremendously. This trash can fence works well since it can get airflow between the slats.
- Keep leaves and grass away from the pump. That includes cleaning out the enclosure.
- Speaking of enclosures, make sure its enclosure is well vented so heat doesn’t buildup. In fact, we just added 2 additional vents to our aerator enclosure. It now comes comes with 6 vents for good airflow while filtering grass.
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- aerobic septic air pump surrounded by leaves
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- aerobic septic air pump surrounded by grass
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- aerobic septic air pump with a dirty filter
If you want to learn more about living with a septic system, check out Living with an Onsite Wastewater System on Amazon
