Troubleshoot Septic Tank Problems
Homes that use a home septic system rather than a public sewer system empty solid and liquid waste into an underground septic tank. The liquid flows out of the tank into a septic leach field, while the solid material remains inside the tank. Occasional problems can cause the septic tank to malfunction, posing both a potential health risk and a large and often pungent inconvenience. Learn troubleshoot such problems to help resolve them safely and efficiently. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Reduce home water usage during rainy seasons or other situations where your drain field is already soaked with water. This may resolve problems with a frequently overflowing septic field. Cut back on showers, toilet flushing and running a dishwasher or laundry washing machine. In addition, sudden increases in septic tank usage, such as a large amount of visitors using your home for several days, can also cause flooding of the septic tank.
2. Pump the septic tank if it is an older tank or a small tank that cannot adequately handle your home's waste usage. A commercial company will visit your home and manually remove the waste sludge in the septic tank. Regular pumping every two to three years can proactively prevent future flooding.
3. Maintain your underground piping system. Rusted, broken or clogged pipes can reduce the efficiency of the septic tank and leach field. In addition, tree and deep shrub roots can damage pipes or crack the tank, resulting in water loss and wastewater leakage. All trees should be planted a minimum of 30 to 40 feet away from your leach field and septic system.
4. Keep the leach field dry. During rain seasons, watch where water flows. Consider diverting the water away from your leach field zone. This can help fix issues with surface wastewater or poor leach field drainage.
5. Check the septic tank's outlet baffles. These are the pipes that empty the wastewater from the tank into the leach field to prevent the tank from overflowing. These may become clogged or blocked over time, which may cause toilets and drains to backup in your home.
Tags: leach field, septic tank, your home, septic tank, away from
