Septic tank owners will often tell us “I’ve never had to pump my tank” assuming this means their septic system is working properly. However, without proper maintenance of your septic system, failure could be right around the corner.
Here’s What Can Happen:
After years of use, buildup of sludge and floating waste reduces the effective capacity of your septic tank. This causes waste to pass through the tank too quickly. Two things can happen at this point:
Waste will begin to clog the pipes within your septic system rendering it ineffective. Once this happens, it’s only a matter of time before you begin to have awful smelling wastewater backing up into your home. Imagine how terrible it would be to have this waste backup into your basement, tubs and toilets. Not only is the damage caused filthy and expensive to cleanup, but the experience itself can be traumatic.
Perhaps more troubling, the waste could begin to plug pipes in the drain field. When this happens the microorganisms in the drain field no longer have the aerobic environment necessary to perform their cleansing action. Soon, untreated liquid waste begins surfacing on the ground. Now, the system has failed and you need a new drain field. In addition to having some very angry neighbors, replacing the drain field is an expensive proposition. Depending on the size of your leach field, you could spend between $5000 – $20,000!
Don’t be fooled. Just because your septic system is working properly today, without proper maintenance, a septic failure and a stinky mess could be right around the corner. Septic tank maintenance is easy and inexpensive, especially when compared to the costs associated with a backup of failure. Begin maintaining your septic system today and never worry about your septic system again.
How To Maintain Your Septic System:
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Proper Water Usage: Overwhelming your septic system with water can lead to failure. The septic system needs time to separate solids and liquids, pushing the liquids to the drain field. This is an important concept to keep in mind. As an example, if you have a large amount of laundry to do, try spacing it out. Instead of doing six loads in a day, space it out do a couple loads each day.
- Watch what you flush: This one is simple, you should only be flushing toilet tissue down your toilet. With the rise in popularity of disposable wet wipes, its important to keep in mind that these can be a problem for your septic system. Stick to toilet paper and avoid issues.
- Use Septic Tank Maintenance: By using Septic Tank Maintenance you will never have a septic backup again. Septic Tank Maintenance works to rapidly digest organic waste, keeping your septic system running efficiently.