A septic system can last for decades with regular maintenance. A septic tank is a buried, watertight container made of concrete, fiberglass or polyethylene. Solid waste settles to form sludge while oils and grease float to the top.
Bacteria break down the solid waste, and a liquid effluent is discharged into the drain field. Avoid dumping hazardous materials like chemicals, paints, solvents or medicines into the tank or septic system. Read on Septic Tank Services Near Me for more details.
Many homeowners don’t give a second thought to their septic systems until something goes wrong. Foul backups indoors and soggy messes in the yard alert them to an issue with this underground wastewater processing workhorse, and the problems are usually expensive and time-consuming to repair. Avoiding these issues takes a combination of understanding how septic systems work, practicing basic maintenance and keeping on top of routine pumping services.
Septic tank systems rely on specific material separation and bacterial processes to treat household wastewater. Regular pumping keeps septic tanks from becoming too full and restores the delicate balance necessary for optimal waste treatment. Increasingly stringent environmental regulations also dictate septic tank pumping frequency to comply with local health codes.
Ideally, the septic tank should hold enough solid waste to last three to eight years without needing service. However, the septic tank is never completely empty as solids settle at the bottom forming sludge and oils float to the top forming scum. When the sludge and scum level reaches one-third of the liquid depth of the tank, it’s time for a professional pumping service.
When the septic tank is pumped, all of the solid waste and sludge is removed, leaving only liquid effluent. This wastewater moves through a network of perforated pipes buried in the leach field (or drain field). The soil in the drain field acts as a natural filter, removing contaminants before the water seeps into groundwater.
A septic system that’s overloaded with solid waste can clog and strain the drain field, leading to expensive repairs. Regular septic tank pumping keeps sludge from building up in the drain field and extending the lifespan of the septic tank.
Homeowners can help prevent septic system overflow and reduce the need for routine septic tank pumping by refusing to flush non-organic waste, such as paper towels, diapers, pet poop, or oil down the drain. They can also conserve water by installing water-saving appliances and fixtures, using a front-loading washer, shower heads and low-flow faucets and washing clothes and dishes only when full.
Cleaning
A septic tank is an underground, watertight container made of concrete, polymer or fiberglass. The tank provides primary wastewater treatment with the help of natural forces and helpful bacterial colonies. It pipes partially purified effluent into a septic drain field for final dispersal. Solid waste settles on the top of the tank in a layer known as scum while organic material drops to the bottom and forms a thick sludge. Liquid wastewater flows between these layers, exiting the tank through a pipe to your septic system drain field.
When a septic tank becomes overloaded with solid waste, it can clog or damage the drain field and household plumbing. That’s why routine cleaning and pumping services are key. The frequency of these services depends on how much solid waste enters the septic tank. In general, professional septic tank cleaners recommend a regular schedule of every 2-3 years for residential properties.
Cleaning services go a step further than septic tank pumping, which typically involves the use of high-pressure water jets and vacuum trucks to break up and remove solid waste from the walls of the tank and surrounding septic system components. Septic tank cleaners also inspect the tank for signs of structural wear and leakage.
To ensure the septic tank stays clean, a septic company will periodically flush out the tank, removing all of the solid waste and liquid from the interior of the tank. It will then refill the tank with fresh liquid wastewater to restore its full volume.
Regular septic tank cleaning services are a great way to extend the life of your septic system and prevent costly repairs in the future. It’s a far better choice than trying to perform a septic tank pumping and cleaning at home, which is both messy and dangerous.
The best way to extend the longevity of your septic system is by reducing the amount of waste that enters it. Avoid flushing items that can clog or cause blockages, including coffee grounds, cigarette butts, paper towels, tissues, feminine hygiene products and cooking oils. You should also restrict the amount of water you consume, install water-conserving appliances, fix leaking faucets and toilets and purchase a garbage disposal.
Inspection
A septic tank inspection is an important part of a homeowner’s maintenance routine. It examines the septic tank to see that the floor is intact, that the inlet and outlet are clear, and that the baffles are intact and not deteriorated. It also ensures that the septic system is working properly and that it has no leaks. It’s best done right after the tank is pumped, since the floors of the tank are then visible. In addition, it’s often a requirement of insurers and banks before transferring ownership of a property to a new owner.
Getting a septic tank inspected regularly can help you avoid costly repairs and ensure that your septic system is operating efficiently. Some warning signs of problems include bad odors around the house, wastewater backing up into sinks or toilets, and unexplained puddles or soggy spots in your yard, especially near the septic tank area.
Septic tanks are designed to remove solid waste from the wastewater and hold it for sludge and scum layers to settle and decompose, allowing only liquid waste to flow out the inlet and outlet pipes. Solids that can’t be broken down or digested enter the soil absorption field (also called the drainfield), where bacteria and other microorganisms break them down further, ensuring that no contaminants enter groundwater.
A septic system’s drainage fields are a network of perforated pipes buried in trenches filled with gravel or other materials, which seep the effluent into the soil for further treatment and disposal. This process removes the remaining contaminants from wastewater, and the soil acts as a natural filter to prevent polluted wastewater from entering lakes, streams, and groundwater sources.
A septic tank’s baffles restrain the movement of incoming and outgoing wastewater to prevent scum from clogging up both the inlet and outlet pipes. Proper baffle care can help your septic system operate efficiently and reduce the need for pumping. If you notice that your septic tank baffles are missing, broken, or deteriorated, call your septic service provider to check for damage. They may be able to replace them with sanitary tees, which will help prevent septic tank clogs and backups.
Repairs
Regular septic tank cleaning helps prevent clogs in your drains and extends the life of your septic system. While you can do some aspects of septic maintenance on your own, some tasks require the expertise of an experienced professional. These tasks include pumping, cleaning and inspection of the septic tank.
Your septic tank is a buried, watertight container made of concrete, fiberglass or polyethylene. Wastewater enters the septic tank, where solid waste settles down to form sludge and oil and grease floats to the top as scum. Compartments and a T-shaped outlet in the tank prevent these materials from leaving the septic tank and traveling into the drain field area. There, the sludge and scum are decomposed by micro-organisms in the soil before reaching lakes, streams or groundwater.
Septic tanks need to be pumped regularly to remove the excess sludge. Going too long between septic tank pumping can cause your absorption field to fail and need to be replaced, which is an expensive renovation project. Keeping your septic tank pumped and having regular inspections will help you avoid these costly repairs.
Aside from regular septic tank cleaning, there are other important tasks that you can do to extend the life of your septic tank and septic system. Aside from avoiding flushing paper towels and diapers, you should also have your septic system inspected annually to identify potential problems before they become serious.
In addition to routine septic tank cleaning and inspection, you can also improve the longevity of your septic system by installing an effluent filter in your drain field. This prevents the septic tank sludge and scum from entering the absorption field, extending its life.
Another proactive step you can take to improve the performance of your septic tank and system is by having risers installed on the central manhole and baffle inspection ports. This makes it easier to access the tank for cleaning and inspection. By having these risers installed, you can reduce the cost associated with these tasks by eliminating the need for digging to gain access.