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How Do I Know When I Need a New Septic Tank?

Home Blog How Do I Know When I Need a New Septic Tank?

You rarely consider the septic tank for your home if everything is working fine. However, when things start to go south and the sewer starts to back up or pool in your yard, you quickly realize that it may be time to get your septic tank checked out. Having your septic tank maintenance done regularly can help prolong the life of it, ensure it doesn’t get too full of sewage, and that it properly outflows water and intakes sewage without backing up. Sometimes, though, damage is done, and it may be time for a new septic tank, so how do you do when that time comes?

Septic System Age

A lot of septic systems can last decades with proper septic tank maintenance, possibly even generations. However, everything breaks down eventually, and if you are having issues with your septic tank more and more often, and if you are needing to replace components far more often than recommended, it may be time for you to consider installing a whole new, more modern system. If you don’t know how old your system is, you can have a septic tank cleaning company inspect it, and they may be able to tell you an approximate age based on its design or model.

No Longer Large Enough For Your Needs

The size of a septic tank when installed is generally based on the size of a house, and how many household members it’s expected to deal with. Since septic tank cleaning is often done only every couple years, should the number of household members increase beyond its capacity, issues can arise with overflow. Anytime a home is enlarged, or the capacity of people within it increases, there should be some consideration made in the septic tank maintenance schedule, and in an investment in a larger septic tank to deal with the increased water usage.

Slow Household Drains

Sinks and bathtubs should all be draining at their normal rate at all times. If you are starting to have drains empty more slowly, and if you have checked your indoor pipes for clogs, then it is time to get your septic tank maintenance done to see if a component needs replacing, or if possibly the whole septic tank needs replacing.

Water Pooling In Your Yard

If there is water pooling in your backyard, it could be a sign of an issue with your septic tank. Septic tanks pump out excess clear water into what is called a drain field—that is generally an area of your backyard that can reabsorb the water into the ground. If too much water is being pumped into that drain field, that could be a sign of a malfunction in your septic tank. If that area of your lawn starts to grow more rapidly and becomes greener, it can also be a sign that sewage is being pumped into the drain field as well. No matter the cause, if you see water pooling, then you should call a company to do some septic tank maintenance to see if a component needs replacing, or in the worst case, the whole system.

Contaminated Water Nearby

The worst part of a failing septic tank system, other than sewage backing up into your system, is the fact that, if contaminated water is leaking into the drainage field or elsewhere from your septic tank, it can contaminate nearby water sources, including wells, and cause a lot of medical issues if that water is consumed. If you have a septic tank, you should consider getting local water sources tested for nitrate, nitrite, or coliform bacteria yearly to ensure your septic tank isn’t contaminating the area. Consider that aspect part of your yearly septic tank maintenance.

If you are in need of septic tank maintenance or cleaning in the Houston, Texas region, then click this link or contact Drane Ranger today to book an appointment.

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