We recommend asking an inspector to make a rough recommendation for how often your tank should be pumped. Be careful and avoid these, so you will only have to perform routine maintenance on your septic tank! Avoid flushing cigarette butts, diapers, and coffee grounds down the drains. Avoid using garbage disposals heavily as they can send too much solid waste into the system.
Do not put too much wastewater down the drain over a short period of time because it flushes out of the tank too rapidly. Be mindful of how much sludge there is in the tank. Avoid compacting soil and gravel as this will block the seepage of effluent and deprive bacteria of oxygen. Is it possible to pump your septic system yourself, or do you need assistance from a professional? To do it yourself, you can get a device online called The Sludge Judge.
While this contractor is out there, you should ask that they install an effluent filter on the outflow pipe on your tank. This device helps prevent solids from entering the drain field, and it will need to be cleaned out occasionally by a contractor.
Just know that regular inspections and pumping are critical, so whether you or a professional does this task, it needs to get done! DO check with a local regulatory agency or inspector before installing a garbage disposal unit. DO check with your local health department before using additives.
Additives can be harmful to the system and do not eliminate the need for periodic pumping. DO be sure to repair any leaky faucet or toilets. DO use high-efficiency fixtures. DO avoid overloading the septic system. DO plant only grass over and near your septic system as roots from nearby trees or shrubs might clog and damage the drain field.
DO keep records of repairs, pumpings, inspections, permits issued, and other system maintenance activities, so there is a record to help troubleshooting problems and future home sales. DO use commercial bathroom cleaners and laundry detergents in moderation. You may find that you prefer to clean your toilet, sinks, shower, tubs, etc. DO learn the location of your septic system and keep a sketch of it for service visits and maintenance. This can cause the soil to become compacted or the pipes, tank, or other system components to become damaged.
When septic systems are properly designed, constructed, and maintained, then they will effectively reduce and eliminate most human health or environmental threats posed by the pollutants in household water. With that, however, regular maintenance must be done so that your septic system can continue to function properly. Septic systems require attention and maintenance to keep running smoothly. The good news is that maintaining a septic system is rather simple.
When placing an offer on a home, that offer is almost always contingent on the results of a full inspection of the property—including the septic system. If there are hidden problems, the homeowner might not be aware of them.
A general home inspection will evaluate the home itself, the systems within the home such as plumbing and electrical , the condition of the roof, and possibly some of the exterior areas. A thorough look at the septic system often requires training that a general home inspector might not have. Therefore, always go to a septic system professional to get the inspection.
Your neighbors and your realtor may be able to offer a few good leads. Call each potential inspector and ask questions about how they handle the job; for instance, some might use cameras to look at the distribution box and drainfield , while others might dig to do their inspection. Once the inspection begins, the professional will search out pumping and maintenance records, look for signs of leakage or backup, measure the sludge and scum levels, establish the age of the tank, and more.
The inspector will also assess the condition of the drainfield, tank, and all associated parts and confirm that the tank is properly sized for the home. If the home has additions that were created after the septic tank was initially installed, an inspector may make recommendations to accommodate.
Sandy soils that drain too quickly may not treat the effluent well enough. In those situations, mound systems are built, where engineered fill is placed on the native ground and the septic field goes into the top of the mound. The mound is covered with topsoil and seeded with grass, and more of the water escapes through transpiration and evaporation.
Most septic systems rely on gravity to move the liquid from the house to the tank to the field. Sometimes though, the slope of the lot requires the tank or the field to be higher than the house. For that to work, a pump is needed, or sometimes two pumps. If a pump is needed between the tank and the field, it will be in an underground pit accessed through a manhole on the lawn. Sewage pumps are essentially heavy-duty sump pumps. When the effluent in the pit rises to a certain level, a float triggers a switch that turns on the pump and drains the pit.
As a general rule, you should never flush household items like cooking oil, non-flushable wipes such as baby or makeup removal wipes , diapers, feminine hygiene products, cat litter, cigarettes, pharmaceuticals, or paint and paint thinners down the drain. According to the Environmental Protection Agency , pouring toxins down the drain can kill the organisms in your septic system that digest and treat household waste.
Septic systems are underground wastewater treatment structures, commonly used in rural areas without centralized sewer systems. They use a combination of nature and proven technology to treat wastewater from household plumbing produced by bathrooms, kitchen drains, and laundry. The septic tank digests organic matter and separates floatable matter e. Soil-based systems discharge the liquid known as effluent from the septic tank into a series of perforated pipes buried in a leach field, chambers, or other special units designed to slowly release the effluent into the soil.
Alternative systems use pumps or gravity to help septic tank effluent trickle through sand, organic matter e. Some alternative systems are designed to evaporate wastewater or disinfect it before it is discharged to the soil. View an animated, interactive model of how a household septic system works created by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. You may already know you have a septic system. If you do not know, here are tell-tale signs that you probably do:.
A foul odor is not always the first sign of a malfunctioning septic system. Call a septic professional if you notice any of the following:.
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