Standing water in yard is a sign of a problem in the septic system.
Residential septic systems operate on the same principal as municipal sewer systems, just on a smaller scale. It is best to properly maintain your system to avoid any costly and potentially nasty repairs. Fortunately, when problems do develop, there are only a limited number of areas to check for repairs or corrections. Your system consists of three components: the septic tank, the distribution box and the field lines. When trouble arises, it will be in one of these components. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Pump out the septic tank. If you are getting sewage back-up into your home or have standing water in the area of the tank, it is most probably full of sludge. On average, a septic tank will need to be pumped out every three to five years and will cost between $350 and $500. If the tank interior is 30 percent or more filled with sludge, it will need to be emptied.
2. Check the distribution box. Standing water in the area of a single branch of the field line, or around the distribution box is an indication of a clog or other problem. This box has a single intake from the septic tank, and an outlet to each of the field lines. If the box is clogged or unlevel, the waste water will not be evenly distributed to all the field lines and will overwhelm a single line or stop working entirely. Clear any clogs and re-level the box if needed.
3. Clear the pipes of roots and/or clogs. Roots are the enemy of your septic system. Never plant or allow trees or shrubs to grow over any portion of your system. If roots infiltrate your piping, you will need to use a sewer router to remove them. This device has a set of blades attached to a long spinning cable. Open the access port in order to insert the cable into the piping. Slowly feed the router cable into the pipe and allow it to cut through the roots or clog.
4. Add an access port. If your system does not have an access port, you will need to dig down to the pipe and cut into the pipe itself. If this is the case, it is highly recommended you take this opportunity to install an access port for future needs. Install the access port so the 50-foot cable on the router can reach the entire system. For example, if you have a 100-foot stretch of pipe, the access should be at the 50-foot mark. If you have more than 100 feet of pipe, you will need multiple access ports.
5. Restart your system. If your septic system has stopped processing waste materials, it is possible the bacteria in the tank have died. A common cause of this is allowing chemicals such as gasoline, paint thinner or drain opener to enter the system. If this is the case, have the tank pumped out. The waste material entering the tank naturally contains the bacteria needed to break it down. These bacteria will flourish and grow in the low-oxygen environment of the septic tank once the chemicals are removed.
Tags: access port, septic tank, will need, your system, field lines
