Environmental Protection Agency estimates that around 20% of United States households have individual septic systems or are connected to a small community cluster system. Not relying on municipal wastewater system have its benefits but also certain obligations and tasks regarding the maintenance of the septic tank. In this article, the septic tank cleaning service provided tips on efficiently and effortlessly taking care of your septic system and obtaining its proper functioning.
For maintaining a septic tank, a primer is to comprehend the basis of a septic system and the way it works. Being familiar with septic system components and processes will help you complete the tasks and perceive potential issues.
A septic system is built from a series of pipes that leads wastewater from the home by a drainage line through a tank and out to the leach field. Proper maintenance can extend the lifespan of a septic tank for up to 40 years and the leach field usability to more than 50 years. Therefore, regular maintenance of the septic tank will provide you with a healthy septic system and expand its lifespan so your investment will pay out for longer, and you won’t be in a situation to get a new system before 40 years of usage.
- Regularly pump the septic tank.
A septic tank should be pumped out every two to five years. How often you will have to proceed septic tank pump, depends mainly on the size of your septic tank but also on the number of persons that live in a house, and the type of wastewater that interflows into a septic tank. For instance, if a septic tank also considers garbage disposal, this will increase the quantity of solid material in a tank and the requirements for pumping and will be more frequent. Solid waste greatly increases the need for pumping which increases the expenses of septic tank maintenance.
- Examine the septic system for potential leaks
As a septic system is placed underground, potential leaks in the septic system can be perceived by looking around the septic system area. If the leaking occurs, the grass around the system will probably be more lush and dense than in other ground areas. Increased grass growth is a consequence of leaking tank water that provides grass with ample nutrients. Another sign of a leaking system is the strong smell of sewage.
However, inspecting for leaks is usually difficult due to the system’s underground placement. For this reason, the most effective way for leaking examinations is when a thank is being plumped. Tank pumping is also a favored time to inspect baffles for deterioration and if any are missing or broken.
- Limit usage of water and reduce household waste
Certainly, the important step in maintenance is prevention. When it comes to a septic system, prevention considers the attention to waste we put down a drain. A septic system can be glutted with liquid and solid waste. Although liquid waste is easy to drain, the amount of wastewater can be excess and cause overfilling. To prevent excess liquid in a septic system we advise diverting house roof water from the leach field and separating lingerie and dishwasher loads. Additionally, you can install appliances that help save water.
Another effect of the type of wastewater reflects in the reduction of a bacteria culture that exists in a septic tank which promotes breaking down the waste. Strong cleaning solutions when poured down the drain with the water, reduce the number of bacteria that helps this process. For this reason, it is recommended to opt for house cleaners that are labeled as safe for septic systems.
When it comes to solid waste such as food leftovers and dumped fats efficiently piles down the septic tank creating a sludge.
- Apply bacteria additive
Waste that is pored in a septic tank contains bacteria that help in waste breakdown and donate to septic system health and functioning. However, just like everywhere else, bacteria in a septic tank are vulnerable to strong antibacterial substances contained in cleaning solutions, drain cleaners, antibacterial soups, and other powerful detergents. To obtain the number of bacteria that naturally occurs in a septic system, you can add solutions with bacterias composed of septic tanks to improve the disintegration of the material in a tank.
- Install filter
An effluent filter is an effective tool in preventing septic system clogs. This filter creates a barrier that restrains solid materials from the leach field dispersal system. An adequate time to install an effluent filter is when pumping the septic tank as it is placed on the outside of the tank and grease trap. An effluent filter is efficient for three to five years before it requires cleaning. Cleaning the filter and pumping the tank can be performed at the same time which will reduce maintenance expenses.
- Inspect the leach field for possible clogs
Even when applying all the measures for preventing clogging the leach field can still get clogged. This particularly occurs on days of heavy rainfalls and the melting of large snow amounts. In these cases, the excess water can flood the system and increase the amount of solid waste that gets into a leach field.
To inspect the possible leach field clogging look for a sewage smell, and grass lush, and examine if drains are slow-running or plumbing back-ups and mushrooms grow as these can also indicate clogging.
Final thoughts
Regular maintenance of the septic system will save you money in the long term. Additionally, if you decide to sell your house, having a record of septic system maintenance can give you an advantage and your house will be more appealing than those without maintenance history.