If you have a septic system, keeping it clean is essential. This will help to prevent sewage from backing up into your home, and it can also increase the value of your property.
Getting your septic tank pumped on a regular basis can help to prevent problems and keep it running efficiently. Signs that it’s time to have your septic tank cleaned include unpleasant odors, slow drains, and puddles in the backyard. Contact Septic Tank Cleaning Perth now!
Many of the same things that can clog your home’s drain lines can also clog your septic system. These include non-biodegradable waste, such as wet wipes and sanitary products, paper towels, coffee grounds and diapers. Pouring greasy food down the drain and using chemical cleaning products can also restrict flow and lead to clogs.
If you notice sluggish toilets, gurgling sounds from basement drains or other problems, it’s time to call your local septic tank service. These issues are a sign that your septic tank is full or a line to it has become blocked. It is important to keep in mind that a clogged septic tank cannot be repaired with commercial drain cleaners, as these can kill the bacteria in the septic system that break down the waste.
A septic tank can clog for multiple reasons, including the inlet baffle to the tank, the outlet pipe to the drain field or a broken effluent filter. A clogged inlet baffle to the tank is often due to flushing non-biodegradable materials into the septic system. Avoiding items listed as ‘flushable’, such as Handi-Wipes, and having a yearly septic system inspection can help reduce the likelihood of this problem.
The inlet and outlet baffles to a septic tank are usually built with concrete, which makes them susceptible to damage from large objects. These can break the baffles or cause them to become overloaded, leading to a clog. The outlet pipe to the drain field may be clogged from solids that have accumulated in the septic tank itself or from the inlet baffle becoming overloaded.
To fix this issue, you can try to use a plumbing snake and a plunger. If these methods don’t work, you’ll need to hire a pro to remove the clog from inside the septic tank. They’ll need to uncover the lid to the septic tank, and then dig out the clogged line from the inlet or outlet baffle. They’ll usually need to drill through the clog, which is a hardened layer of sludge that has collected at the bottom of the tank.
Foul Odors
A foul odor from the yard is one of the telltale signs that something is amiss with your septic tank. The stench is caused by an accumulation of gases that are too acidic for microorganisms to digest, and it can also indicate that the septic tank is full. Both of these issues can lead to expensive repairs and pose health hazards for your family.
If septic tank odors are making their way into the home, you may have a clogged drain or blocked vent. A professional plumbing service can help you clear a clogged drain or reroute septic system venting to prevent the septic tank odor from entering the house.
Foul odors from the toilet are another sign of a septic tank problem. A wax seal in the base of the toilet keeps sewage and waste from leaking back up into the drains, but if this seal becomes dry or cracks, it can let these noxious gases escape. You can help keep the septic tank odor at bay by running water in sink and tub drains that don’t get much use, using only toilet paper and human waste, and having your septic tank pumped every three to five years.
Insufficient bacteria in the septic system can also cause bad odors. Bacteria in septic tanks helps break down and decompose waste, but when the amount of bacteria isn’t enough, the process will take longer and produce more odors. You can improve the number of bacteria in your septic tank by having it pumped, using septic-safe cleaners, and adding organic waste products like coffee grounds or fruit peels.
The septic tank’s vent stack is designed to send odor-causing gases outside of your home, but this system can become clogged with untreatable solid wastes, rodents and other animals, frost, and outdoor plants. The best way to prevent septic system odors from getting into the home is to have your vents cleaned and properly routed, as well as by installing carbon filters in all of the plumbing drains.
If your septic system is located in an area that lacks proper wind direction, the odors could build up inside the house and not get out through the vent stack. A plumber can extend the plumbing venting and install a carbon filter to help reduce these septic tank odors.
Sewage Backups
Septic systems have limits to the amount of waste they can process and drain. When a tank gets full, the wastewater and toilet paper don’t properly disperse into the drainage system, creating the potential for a clog and sewage backups. Having your septic tank pumped regularly prevents this issue.
If you’ve noticed slow drainage in your sinks and tubs, gurgling noises or foul odors around your home, you likely have a septic tank problem. Additionally, pools of water or lush lawn growth near the septic tank are additional signs of trouble.
A septic tank that isn’t pumped in the recommended intervals can also cause problems by not allowing the separation of scum and sludge layers. This can lead to clogged lines, soil and distribution boxes. Keeping non-flushable solids out of your septic tank can help avoid this issue, including cooking oil, grease and fat.
Adding new plumbing to your home or having guests stay with you for a few days can stress your septic system’s ability to handle the increased flow of water. The best way to prevent this is to reduce water usage in your home ahead of the extra load and to have your septic tank pumped before you have guests arrive.
Another common cause of a septic tank overflow is excess rainfall. Rainy weather can oversaturate the soil in your septic system’s drain field, making it hard for it to absorb and drain the wastewater. If you have an onsite septic tank, check on the status of your drain field and see if the ground is oversaturated before calling professionals.
Some homeowners think septic tank clogs are caused by simple hair or debris. While these issues can certainly contribute to septic system blockages, they are rarely the root of the problem. The vast majority of septic tank clogs are actually caused by non-flushable solids like waste, feces and toilet paper. In addition to causing septic tank clogs, these materials can cause significant damage to leach fields and distribution boxes. These problems require the services of a plumber to address.
Health Hazards
Viruses, bacteria and other pathogens that thrive in sewage can contaminate nearby waterways. These toxins can make people sick. Some examples include viral gastroenteritis, polio and hepatitis A. Because viruses cannot multiply outside a host, they must remain in contact with a living tissue to spread. Raw sewage also contains parasites that live in human waste. Parasites can cause diarrheal illnesses that kill about 2 million children a year and lead to 90 million episodes of illness worldwide.
Failing septic systems also contaminate drinking water. This is especially dangerous in coastal areas where runoff from septic tank effluent can reach bayous and rivers. Nitrogen from septic system wastewater encourages algae blooms that choke out fish and poison local waters. The excess nitrogen can also enter the groundwater supply and threaten public health.
Cleaning septic tanks is a hazardous job. It’s important to work with a qualified and experienced contractor who has the proper equipment to do the job safely. Tank components are corrosive, and workers must be careful not to come into contact with them. A professional septic tank cleaning service uses a specialized pump and vacuum system to remove the sludge layer from the septic tank. The septic tank is then cleaned and inspected. It is also a good time to have the baffles checked and replaced if necessary.
Septic systems need to be cleaned regularly to prevent clogged pipes and the buildup of sludge that blocks leach field lines. Unhealthy bacterial activity that cannot break down solid waste leads to septic system failure, and that can require costly repairs or even replacement of the entire leach field.
Many factors influence the frequency of septic tank cleaning. For example, garbage disposals add a tremendous amount of solid waste to the septic system. In addition, more people in a home than the tank was designed for can fill it faster.
While there are products on the market that claim to add healthy bacteria to septic systems, it is best to avoid them. Harsh drain cleaners and bleaches kill the bacteria that help the septic system to break down sewage. A better way to maintain a healthy septic system is to flush a packet of brewer’s yeast down one toilet once a month.