Septic Advisor Covers 17 Towns From South Portland Base

Septic Advisor, a family-owned septic and sewer company based in South Portland and Gorham, said it has worked in Southern Maine since 1989. According to its website, the company's technicians are licensed and certified for septic repairs, pumping and installations, and its work covers septic system replacement, sewage pump replacement, sewer line replacement, distribution box replacement, drain field service and sewer jetting.

Drain Fields Tied to the Soil

Septic Advisor said a failing distribution box is often mistaken for a failing drain field, so it checks the tank, the box and the field together before recommending a replacement, since the field can seem fine when the real problem is a box that has tipped or a line that is clogged. Before any excavation, the company said a replacement plan goes to a state-licensed site evaluator and the town's own plumbing inspector for review.

The company said the soils across its territory range from fast-draining glacial sand, like the sand found near Freeport's Desert of Maine landmark, to slow-draining Presumpscot marine clay that covers much of the coastal lowland and keeps groundwater close to the surface for much of the year. In Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth, Septic Advisor said a new field sometimes has to sit higher than normal, built up to clear a high water table or a layer of ledge underneath, and that shoreland zoning sets the setbacks any new field must meet near the marshes, rivers and lakes that sit downstream of septic systems in its service area.

Emergency Calls Across the Region

The company said it offers free on-site inspections and a written price before work begins, along with fast response for backups, failed pumps and overflow alarms. Septic Advisor said it covers 17 towns in Cumberland and northern York County from its South Portland and Gorham bases: Scarborough, Saco, Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach along the coast; Westbrook, Gorham, Standish and Windham near Sebago Lake; and Portland, Cumberland, Yarmouth, Freeport, Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth, Gray and Buxton elsewhere in the county. The company said its website includes town-by-town pages describing local soils and sewer coverage, and it can be reached at (207) 747-1472.

More about the company at septicadvisor.com.