Last Updated on December 7, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford
Your septic system works hard to properly process waste, but without proper maintenance it could stop working as intended. Below are a few common issues that could hinder its performance and ultimately halt it completely.
Whenever you detect strange noises coming from your drains or see wet, bright green grass near or over your leach field, it’s wise to have a professional inspect your septic system.
Clogs
An overflowing septic tank can bring unsanitary conditions directly into your home, due to improper or no routine maintenance being completed on it.
Your septic tank should be pumped approximately every three to four years or as necessary depending on its size and amount of waste entering its confines. Companies like ASAP POOP Company can handle both this routine maintenance and emergency calls. You can check a company’s website for a list of their services.
- ASAP POOP Company LLC
- 55811 S Elder Rd, Mishawaka, IN 46544, United States
- 574-255-7667
- https://254-poop.com
Fats, oils and greases that enter your drains can quickly clog both inlet and outlet tees of a septic tank as well as any pipes leading there. Though grease may appear liquid at first, as soon as it cools it solidifies into hard chunks that stick together, forming an impenetrable blockage in its path.
To prevent common clogs, the best approach is to use an all-natural and septic-safe clog dissolving product while also limiting household water use. In addition, don’t flush non-biodegradable waste such as wet wipes, tampons, dental floss or menstrual hygiene products down your toilet.
Overflows
If your toilets are taking too long to flush, the inlet baffle could have become blocked due to hair, body oil or soap scum accumulations that solidify in drains and get washed into your tank. To avoid this issue use only human waste, toilet paper and garbage as flushable material in your tanks.
Overflows can be a serious septic tank issue as this indicates too much waste has accumulated in the drainage field and poses a health risk when coupled with heavy rainstorms.
To address this problem, the best strategy is to be mindful of when to empty out your septic tank and to maintain a record.
Furthermore, keep trees and shrubs from compacting the soil around your tank or drainage fields, as their roots can obstruct drainage. Furthermore, refrain from over-irrigating these areas.
Invasive Roots
Tree roots have an incredible knack for sensing water and can spot even small cracks in a sewer line pipe, which could allow waste to build up inside and cause backups into your home.
Root systems can be particularly invasive, which is one of the reasons it is wise to consult your local zoning department prior to planting anything near a drain or sewer line. Their aggressive roots spread in search of moisture and can destroy structures, foundations, pools, sidewalks, driveways and landscaping that lies nearby.
Root intrusion in a septic tank or sewer line can be disastrous, leading to clogged drains, backups of wastewater, and other serious symptoms. You can protect both your home and yard by planting only trees with non-invasive root systems; Yucca, eucalyptus and spruce trees have low potential for root intrusion. You can click the link: https://plants.usda.gov/ to learn more about these plant species.
Unsuitable Ground
Septic tanks connect to an underground drainfield via perforated pipes and connect wastewater from homes to an effluent layer, while providing drainage from their respective homes to an underground drainfield, or leach field.
As wastewater enters the septic tank, microorganisms break down solid waste and floatable scum layers using bacteria before being distributed through underground perforated pipes where gravel and soil act as biological filters to purify it before it returns home.
If a homeowner experiences sewage backup in their home or puddles around it, this may indicate a drainfield issue resulting in wet areas around their septic tank and strong odors near it.
Avoid drainfield problems by limiting water use, using your garbage disposal sparingly for food scraps only, and flushing only toilet paper. Furthermore, take caution when planting trees and shrubs near septic systems – their roots have the ability to penetrate drainfields and damage them.
Furthermore, before closing on a property that already has an established septic system installed, make sure the installer conducts a proper percolation test of the site prior to purchasing it.