When living on a property that is outside the range of a municipal sewer system, or on a farm, one crucial piece of a functional system that is often overlooked is the septic system. Many people don’t even know where their septic system is located, or how to properly maintain and care for it. Most think they just need to call in a septic tank pump out service every few years and that’s it, but if you aren’t properly taking care of your septic tank system, it could break down and cause a lot of damage that would have been avoided with the proper preventative measures.
How A Septic System Works
Your septic tank system takes the wastewater from your home and ensures that the solid materials are properly held in the tank, all while still allowing water to be deposited into the ground through a drain field. Heavy solids will sink down to the bottom and get processed by bacteria, turning them into sludge and glasses. Lighter solids, like fats and greases, will float to the top as scum. Some of the solids are not able to be processed fully by the bacteria in the system, which is why a septic tank pump out service must be called every 3-5 years to pump out the septic system.
Maintenance Required for a Septic System
There are a few things that can be done to inspect and maintain your system, but most inspections should be done by a septic tank pump-out service yearly. Having this yearly inspection done by a professional means they can keep on record the status of your septic tank system, and they have been trained to properly deal with the possible dangers of inspecting a system (such as noxious gases.) One inspection you can safely do yourself is checking the area around the septic tank to ensure there are no leaks. Leaks can be indicated by extra soft dirt areas, or by extra fast growth of grass in a location around the drain field. Solids from a septic system getting into a drain field can irreparably damage it, so it is important to keep a regular inspection schedule.
How To Properly Care for Your Septic Systems
There are several things you can do to ensure your septic system stays healthy and well cared for.
Do’s:
● Regular yearly inspections, and a pump-out every 3-5 years by a professional from a septic tank pump-out service.
● Proper water conservation: too much water flooding a septic system can cause solids to get into the drain field, causing damage.
● Keep a diagram of where your septic tank and drain field are located so you know where to be checking for issues.
● Keep accurate pumping records.
Do Not’s:
● Avoid flushing anything other than wastewater and toilet paper into your drains.
● Drain chemicals and Bleach can kill the bacteria in your septic system, causing it to no longer break down many of the solids naturally. One tablespoon of drain chemicals and a few liters of bleach are enough to cause damage.
● Keep heavy vehicles, animals, and other things off your drain field to prevent compacting earth and damaging the system.
● Do not use a garbage disposal.
● Keep runoff away from your system, ensure roofs, patios, and driveways drain away from the drain field to avoid overwhelming it.
● Do not put concrete or other impermeable materials over the drain field or septic system; use grass. Oxygen needs to get into the system for the bacteria to break down sewage properly.
● NEVER enter the septic tank; the gasses and lack of oxygen can be fatal.
If you require a professional septic tank pump-out service to inspect and pump out your septic system in the Houston, Texas area, contact Drane Ranger today, either by phone at 281-489-1765, or visit their website.