Recommendations to Help You Take Great Care of Your Home Septic System

Taking care of your home's septic system starts with installing the right-sized tank and installing the drain field in the proper place, then being sure you use the system right with what you put into the tank from your home. But when it comes time to pump your septic tank to keep it working right, there are some important details that can help you better understand your septic tank system so you can maintain it properly. 

Understand How Your Tank and System Work

Your septic tank sits just outside of your home and downhill slightly from your home's main plumbing line. When waste from your home flows from sink drains, toilets, and showers, it enters the tank where the solids separate from the liquids. The solids sink to the bottom of the tank from the opening and wastewater flows freely through to the exit opening of the tank. From there, the wastewater goes through the perforated drain field pipes where it saturates the surrounding soil.

However, if your tank gets too full of solids and it accumulates deeper and deeper on the bottom of the tank, it will eventually reach the top of the tank's interior and start flowing out the exit opening. You don't want solid waste to get into your drain field lines because they will clog up and potentially leach into the surrounding soil. This is not only a smelly problem but it is an environmental hazard. Be sure you understand how much your tank can hold so you can have it pumped before it becomes too full.

Recognize Signs of Trouble

Understanding how your tank works and being able to recognize when your tank is nearing capacity or full are essential for caring for your septic system. You can keep an eye on your interior drains and toilets to watch for signs that your tank is full, such as your toilet getting clogged easily and repeatedly. This occurs when your tank is nearing capacity and is having a hard time draining wastewater into its interior. If you notice bad sewage odors inside your home, this also is a sign of a full tank.

Some septic tanks are equipped with an alarm system that will indicate when the tank is reaching its limit with solid waste. You can rely on this signal to arrange for professional septic pumping to clean it out. Otherwise, another sign the tank is full is that there is wastewater pooling around the opening to your tank because it is overflowing.

If you don't have an alert system on your tank, it is easy to have one installed. When your septic professional comes to pump your tank, let them know you are interested in an alert system and they'll take care of it. For more information, visit websites like http://www.southernsanitarysystems.com.

Share