Out in rural and unincorporated corners of Lake County, from Wauconda and Barrington Hills to Antioch and the Fox Lake chain, thousands of homes still run on their own septic systems instead of a municipal sewer. H.T. Strenger has been maintaining, pumping, and repairing those systems since 1911, and holds Illinois Septic License #049-033418 and Illinois Public Health License #058-135641 to do the work. Whether the property has a conventional gravity tank and drain field, an aerobic treatment unit, or a mound system built for tight soils, the goal is the same: keep effluent moving through the system instead of backing up into the basement or surfacing in the yard.
H.T. Strenger has been servicing septic systems in Lake County since 1911. Septic systems are designed to treat and dispose of wastewater from homes and businesses in areas where municipal sewer systems are not available. In Lake County, septic systems are regulated by the Lake County Health Department and requir annual inspections.
Maintaining Your Home Septic Drainfield
Your septic drain field is the final component of your septic system it removes contaminants from the water that comes from your septic tank, and it is a vital component of your household septic system.
Tips to make sure your septic is working properly.
- Have your septic tank pumped out regularly.
- Avoid flushing these items that can clog your system: paper towels, feminine hygiene products, and other non-biodegradable materials.
- Avoid overloading the system by spreading out laundry and dishwasher loads.
- Don’t park or drive heavy vehicles on the drain field or tank.
- Keeps trees and shrubs at least 30 feet away from the drain field to avoid root intrusion.
- Have your septic system inspected by a licensed professional regularly to identify any potential issues.
Types of Septic Systems
Drip System
Modified Mound Bed
Peat Filter
PeaType One Trencht Filter
How a Residential Septic System Actually Works
Household waste flows into a buried tank, typically 1,000, 1,250, or 1,500 gallons depending on bedroom count. Solids settle to the bottom, grease floats on top, and the clarified middle layer moves through the outlet tee into a distribution box, then out to the drain field where soil finishes the treatment. If the inlet or outlet baffles fail, the effluent filter clogs, or the D-box tips, the whole chain of treatment breaks down. The U.S. EPA has a good visual walk-through at How Your Septic System Works.
Pumping Intervals and Inspections
A typical Lake County household should have the tank pumped every 3 to 5 years, more often for larger families or homes with garbage disposals. During service, H.T. Strenger measures sludge and scum layers, checks tees and the effluent filter, and confirms the drain field is accepting flow. The Lake County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health both regulate private sewage in the region, and real-estate transactions almost always trigger a pre-sale septic inspection. H.T. Strenger performs those inspections and provides the documentation buyers, sellers, and lenders need.
Repairs, Sewer Laterals, and Full Replacements
Beyond routine service, H.T. Strenger repairs and replaces tanks, drain fields, distribution boxes, effluent filters, and inlet/outlet tees. Homes connected to municipal sewer instead of septic often need work on the sewer lateral, the private line running from the house to the main in the street. Root intrusion, offset joints in older clay lines, and bellies from settled soil are common in the region’s older housing stock. The crew handles both worlds and can advise on which repair route makes sense.
Pro Tip: Avoid paving, parking, or planting deep-rooted trees over the drain field. Compaction and root damage are two of the most common causes of premature field failure.
Signs the System Needs Attention
Slow drains throughout the house, gurgling toilets, sewage smell near the tank or field, or a suddenly lush, spongy patch of grass over the drain field are all early warnings. Spring melt in northern Illinois raises the water table, and a saturated field can push effluent back toward the house. Ignoring these signs risks a failed field, which is a five-figure repair.
Schedule Septic Service in Lake County
Family owned since 1911, licensed by the State of Illinois, and A+ rated with the Better Business Bureau. Call to schedule a pump-out, an inspection, or a repair estimate through the contact page.