A Day in the Life of a Service Engineer
- 10 February, 2023
The Daily Checklist
- Give vehicle a general inspection ahead of driving .
- Load Simpro, a business management software made especially for those working in field service and trade contracting industries, and start travelling to their first job.
- Arrive at site, load Simpro and select start work.
- Introduce themselves to the customer.
- Start service.
- If any parts require replacement, call the office for a price and seek authority from the client ahead of replacement.
- Alert client upon completion; advise whether it needs desludging/any further recommendations.
- Complete and sign off on the job.
- Load Simpro and repeat for subsequent service jobs.
- Answer the phone from the office throughout the day, answer any questions and attend any additional breakdowns.
- At the end of the day, head back to the yard to restock/clean the van.
- Repeat steps for the following day.
A day in the life of an Allerton sewage treatment plant service engineer brings fulfilment each day as there is always something new they are up against. Their day starts just as the sun is rising. The first thing to do is to check they have a van full of stock including pumps, blowers, spare parts etc. Once fully stocked they head out to their first job with the use of a mobile app called Simpro. This software provides them the location of the job, the job type, any site specific instructions, and specific parts required for a job etc.
Once they arrive at the site they greet the customer. Sometimes the customer isn’t present and they have to make a call to make sure they are happy for us to crack on. Not one service is the same; the sites are scenic and often deep into the countryside where you are being greeted by farm animals. Sometimes a service isn’t as simple as it sounds, they might incur problems such as no power at the unit, pumps/blowers tipped/beacons flashing, or overflowing systems meaning they have to manually pump the water down to a working level. All of these issues are unexpected, meaning the engineers have to improvise. There are often times they cannot find the location of the unit, so they call head office with the hope that there is some paperwork on the history to help point them in the right direction.
Local Sewage Servicing
The Allerton service engineer covers a large proportion of England serving our customers for their off mains drainage needs, providing local sewage maintenance where we’re needed. Our service area includes, but is not limited to, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and More.
The engineers often attend sites where there is a vast amount of wipes present within the unit and blocking the impellor of the submersible pumps. Drain unblocking services are provided, and If the customer is lucky the engineer can remove the wipes and leave them with a fully working pump. However some customers are not so lucky, it is very likely that the pump has failed meaning a new unit is required. Before changing the pump the engineer takes a snapshot of the wipes and alerts the customer that a new unit is required.
The engineers’ day is never the same; they could go from having 5-6 servicing jobs to having a day full of breakdowns and problem solving. Often calls are made by the office to the engineer when on route to the last job of the day. ‘I need you to divert 30 minutes south to fix a single raw sewage pump station which is hours away from overfilling’. Short notice emergency sewage servicing call-outs like this can be a challenge, but we’re up for it! We are very aware of how distressed our customers will be in such an emergency, and how important it is to attend to get them through the weekend.
Our servicing engineers often attend a service to find there repairs required to it, they do what they can on the day and then follow up with a list to put right. It will often be the same engineer who goes back and carries out said repairs. Repairs can last all day, or some only 2-3 hours; this is dependent on what work is required. Repairs can include fixing pipework, installing a unique pump which is ordered in specifically. They are often required to attend alongside another engineer with the use of confined space equipment (2 engineers are qualified) to enter a treatment plant, pump station or septic tank to carry out any internal remedial works.
By the end of a busy working week we will head into the yard to restock/clean their van ready for the following week.
What We can service
The servicing engineer plays a very important role in the maintenance of your ConSept or Sewage Treatment Plant. They have to go through a number of checks and fix anything that is not working. Some sewage treatment plant are 15 to 30 years old and we are still keeping them in good order, although we don’t install those types anymore. Some more examples of what we service are Klargester, Condor, Entec, Mantair, Mono Pump, Waterwise, Clearwater, Marsh and many others.
Allerton Biofilter service:
- Check structural integrity of tank
- Take visual sample
- Check final effluent zone
- Remove media and outlet pump.
- Remove any debris and check the impellor is clear and free of any blockages.
- Check pumps on the surface an underload
- Check distributor pipework from pump to head
- Check for sign of fails, oils and greases
- Check distributor spray coverage
- Check condition of media
- Check outlet pump pipework
- Check control panel operation
- Check timer settings are correct for media pump
- Check the bacteria growth and record findings on job card
- Check and clean distributor pipework
- Check condition of junction box
6 Person Bio Filter
The other day one of our servicing engineers serviced a 6 person bio filter. Here is an information handbook for a Mini Biofilter, which will show you how to care for the Mini Biofilter, and above is a diagram extracted from the handbook.
The irrigation pump on the right side sprays effluent over the media. Adding oxygen to the water in the process. We need oxygen to give the oxygenated bacteria all they need to digest the organic material in the water. If the irrigation pump fails, we have no treatment and so dirty water is sent to the ditch. So not so immediate of a problem.
In the image here we see that it has been removed and cleaned.
The outlet pump from the left hand side, outlet pipe and distributor head (grey plastic disk) have been removed for servicing. Often the outlet pipe is below the level of ditch or river levels. So we have a lift pump to lift the final effluent out. If the outlet pump fails, water backs up into the house so the occupants cannot run any water.
This is the view from the top. The media bed (black pieces) are home to the aerobic bacteria.
The parts were removed to check and clean them and make a note of any advisories then replaced and checked again to ensure everything is in working order. The following explains how a servicing engineer will check and perform maintenance on another piece of sewage treatment equipment… an Allerton ConSept.
- Check condition of septic tank lid and structure
- Observe overall unit performance
- Check presence of any odours
- Take visual sample from sample chamber and record result on job card
- Check rate of aeration turbulence
- Remove syphon pipework clean and flush through with hose
- Flush through outlet pipework
- Remove any wipes/rags if present.
- Check condition of brass needle valve and adjust where necessary
- Check condition/structure of blower housing
- Replace air blower filter
- Replace air blower diaphragms
- Check condition of air blower magnet
- Check condition of air blower drive unit
Septic tank conversion units also need to be serviced regularly. For each item on the check-list the engineer will give it a pass or fail. He or she will then correct anything they can or provide advisories. The first thing they check is if the lid is secure. They then observe the overall performance of the unit. Next they check the odour to see if it is healthy.
The engineer will take a sample of the effluent, however, they will note if there is no flow meaning they can’t take the sample. They will check the condition of the sample chamber. It is a pass if there is no water present. The engineer checks the turbulence of the aeration, the liquid colour and condition, and they will remove rags or fats if there is a little bit present and they feel it will help with the flow. If there is flooding caused by too many wet wipes or grease and fat, for example, then an external company needs to come to the property to remove it using a sewage system de-sludger.
The syphon pipework is removed, cleaned and flushed. The outlet pipework gets flushed with a hose if it needs it. The uni-directional needle valve controls the air flow to the ConSept. The servicing engineer checks the condition and will add an advisory if need be, for example if there is some corrosion. The unit is then reassembled and the engineer checks that everything is working as it should.
Blower
When it comes to the blower, the engineer will need to check and replace various elements such as the air filter, diaphragms and magnets if need be. The blower’s diaphragms and filter come free of charge when servicing the ConSept.
Pump station:
- Check structural integrity of tank
- Check for signs of fats, oils and greases
- Clean and test control floats
- Check control panel operation
- Confirm tank superstructure is and sound watertight
- Check condition of pipework
- Test high level alarm
- Check condition of control panel
- Remove pump(s), check the impellor is clear and free. Remove any debris where required.
- Check condition of non-return valve
- Check condition of gate valve
- Check condition of junction box
- Reassemble all fittings and test the unit under load.
How to Learn More
Be sure to contact us to set up a servicing contract.
Here is where you can find more information about the types of things Allerton can service.
Sewage servicing and Maintenance
Pump Station Servicing and Maintenance
Septic Tank Conversion Unit Servicing and Maintenance
We will be pleased to service any other manufacturer’s Sewage Treatment Plant! We have 50 years of servicing units of all makes. And all sizes too – not just households but large housing estates, factory units as well as hotels and schools. No job is too big for Allerton!
Summary
Our super engineers at Allerton are equipped to deal with any challenge. With over 50 years of knowledge, they can service any sewage treatment plant, or transform your old septic tank into a fully functioning STP with the Allerton ConSept!
give us a call at 0800 328 5492 to see how Allerton can help you!
Sewage Sorted.
FAQ
Q: How often does a septic tank need emptying?
A: As a rule, once a year for the average household. It depends on the size of the septic tank and how many people are using it. Two years is possible, depending on the size of the septic tank. If the frequency is more than once a year, it is usually because of a failed soakaway, and that shouldn’t be happening. Check out this table about the pros and cons of septic tanks. Frequent emptying can be quite expensive. Read the section about septic tank emptying on our Septic Tank and Soakaway Problems page for more information.
Q: Are there septic tanks that don’t need emptying?
A. No. All septic tanks should be emptied to protect the soakaway! Read the section about septic tank emptying on our Septic Tank and Soakaway Problems page for more information.
Q: How do I know when my septic tank is full?
A: It’s difficult to gauge, so have it emptied every year. This will help lengthen the life of a soakaway. See our page on Septic Tank Problems for more details.
Q: Does shower water go into a septic tank?
A: Yes. All lavatory, showers, wash basins, sinks etc are classed as foul. These must go to the septic tank. Rain water must NOT go into the septic tank.
Q: Which type of septic tank is best?
A: The best ones are made from GRP, glass reinforced plastic. Or Polyethene. Concrete ring septic tanks are good but need two chambers.
Q: How long do plastic septic tanks last?
A: Polyethene and GRP septic tanks should last 20 years at least, providing they are emptied every year to protect the soakaway and the baffle.
Q: What is the alternative to a septic tank?
A: A sewage treatment plant, a cesspool, or a reed bed. If there is no room for a soakaway then a cesspool is used. These are huge tanks and expensive to install and expensive to have emptied.
Q: How do I know when my septic tank is full?
A: It’s difficult to gauge, so have it emptied every year. This will help lengthen the life of a soakaway. See our page on Septic Tank Problems for more details.
Q: How do I clean my septic tank naturally?
A: It should emptied regularly by a registered waste contractor. The mess inside the walls of the septic tank is actually full of bacteria and should be left alone. Do not hose it down!