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Septic tanks are common in rural areas wherein a property may not be connected to a sewerage system. They are simple wastewater removal systems that require regular attention to avoid system failure. Keeping up with your septic tank maintenance will help you avoid costly repairs and ensure a smooth operation.

How it Works

Your property’s septic tank works to move wastewater from the household to be treated and disposed of, commonly in a septic drain field (also known as a leech field). Prior to designating land to be a drain field, a percolation test measures the water absorption rate of soil to determine if the area is suited for the job. Wastewater enters the septic tank chamber where solids settle and scum floats. The solids are then digested by bacteria while liquids pass through a dividing wall to a second chamber for another round of settling. The excess liquid then moves on the septic field for further processing in the soil. The process is a simple one, but it can run amok if septic tank maintenance is not a regular practice.

Your septic tank moves a lot of waste for treatment, and unfortunately, sludge accumulates faster than the rate of decomposition. The build-up must be removed, which is often done with a vacuum truck. If the build-up is not taken care of, the septic tank fills and undecomposed material spills into the septic field, wreaking havoc on the environment. The sludge can also clog leach field piping and negatively impact the soil – this translates to a big price tag for repairs. Regular septic tank maintenance will prevent backed-up septic systems and save you from costly repairs.

Maintenance and Prevention

Poorly maintained septic tanks are susceptible to costly system failure. Regular septic tank maintenance is vital to an efficient wastewater system on any property, whether a single home with one septic tank or an industrial park with multiple. It is recommended septic tanks are checked at least once a year to avoid build-up and overflow. Professional septic tank services will help you maintain your septic tank and safely dispose of waste material.

Septic tank maintenance falls on the shoulders of the home or property owner. While professional services are often needed for cleaning and emptying, there are measures you can take to avoid costly repairs.

1. Avoid dumping cooking oil down the drain. A better alternative is storing cooking oil and grease in a container and dispose of once hardened. Cooking pans with excess oil should be washed with hot water and soap in the sink to help greasy material get through the drain smoothly.

2. Take care of what you flush. Using toilets for the disposal of other materials such as cigarette butts, menstrual hygiene products, cotton buds, and food waste can overload the system.

3. Watch out for chemicals down the drain. Pesticides and herbicides can kill the bacteria in your septic system responsible for the waste breakdown.

Properly designed and maintained septic systems are odor-free with a multi-decade life expectancy. If your septic tank is starting to stink up your property, it is likely overdue for a check-up. Check your septic tank regularly and be on the lookout for surfacing sewage, wet spots, gurgling sounds in the plumbing system, and slow drainage. Staying on top of septic tank maintenance will keep your property running smoothly and odor-free.

You never really think of your septic system until something goes wrong. It is just sitting out there under your lawn, just working to deal with your household waste, but what happens when it starts to fail? There are several warning signs you can look for if you suspect that something is wrong with your septic tank, but of course, you should have regular maintenance performed every few years from a company that specializes in septic tank cleaning in Alvin, TX anyhow. But, if these following warning signs start appearing, you should contact a septic tank cleaning service immediately.

Slow Drains

When you first see signs of slow drains, most people may think their pipes are the cause of the problem. However, if all your drains, toilets, bathtubs, etc. are draining noticeably slower, that may be a warning sign of a much bigger problem, with the culprit being the septic tank. So, if you notice all your drains slowing down, then it might be time to call in for a septic tank cleaning in Alvin, TX. NOTE: If you have a septic tank, avoid any industrial or commercial drain cleaners, and if you use any type of cleaner, ensure it is labeled as being septic tank safe so that they do not kill the microbes working in your septic tank.

Gurgling Water

Just like slow drains, if you notice a gurgling sound every time you flush your toilet, or when you run your faucets, it could either be a sign of a clogged vent pipe, or it could mean your septic tank is full, or that the drain field is full. That means you need septic tank cleaning in Alvin, TX.

Soggy Grass and Water Pools

Your septic tank, if properly installed, is going to be placed under a large section of the lawn. But what it shouldn’t be causing is a buildup of water on the surface. Septic tanks slowly drain water out of them into a drainage area, but if your septic tank is no longer functioning properly and needs septic tank cleaning in Alvin, TX, it may be draining too much water, saturating the soil, and causing your lawn to turn into a swamp, or a pool.

Ultra-Green Lawn

If you know the location of your septic tank (or even if you don’t), and you start noticing grass growing very well in a certain spot on your lawn, that could be a sign that your septic tank is starting to fail. Since the septic system drains excess water into a drain field (while keeping solids inside the tank), extra green grass could be a sign of something more than just water getting into the drain field—it could mean it is time to call for a septic tank cleaning in Alvin, TX.

Pipes Backing Up

Once your septic tank gets full or is starting to fail, it could start back draining into your home, especially when you are draining a large quantity of water at once. If your septic system can’t handle the influx of water and you don’t look into septic tank cleaning in Alvin, TX, it’ll just start backing up into your home, back where it came from and out of any available drains.

Odors and Sewage

Probably one of the most obvious signs that you need a septic tank cleaning in Alvin, TX is if you are starting to smell odors coming from your drains, or even while you are outside near the septic tank. You need to call in an expert immediately before more damage is done.

If you are seeing the warning signs of needing a septic tank cleaning in Alvin, TX, then contact Drane Ranger immediately to get your system cleaned out and brought back into working order. You can even set up a regular maintenance schedule with them to ensure problems don’t come back in the future.

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 gasses. 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.

If you have a septic tank, it’s important to maintain it through regular cleaning by trained and experienced septic tank cleaning companies. And because septic tanks deal with sewage, it’s especially important to hire the experts to do the “dirty work.” Drane Ranger provides a number of services that deal specifically with septic tanks. From regular septic tank cleaning to pumping, to maintenance services for both residential and industrial properties, call us when searching for septic tank cleaning companies.

What is a septic tank?

Essentially, a septic tank works to store and break down sewage to allow for the safe disposal of wastewater through the process of biological decomposition and drainage. According to the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality, approximately 20 percent of new homes in Texas use a septic tank system to store and break down sewage. A residential septic system has a fairly simple design, consisting of an underground watertight container that is composed of fiberglass, plastic, or concrete. Septic tanks are mostly used in rural areas. Septic tank cleaning companies like Drane Ranger can help save you money through regular cleaning.

Why Clean a Septic Tank?

As septic tanks work to break down sewage, regular cleaning is necessary to avoid septic system failure, which can see the system backing up, causing a huge, stinky mess! Septic tanks can accumulate toxins and develop anti-bacterial substances, which kill all the vital bacteria that break down the waste. A system failure would result in the build-up of sludge and solid waste, potentially causing waterborne diseases from developing. Septic tank cleaning companies can help to avoid these “smelly” problems before they occur. Septic tank cleaning companies recommend following a regular septic tank cleaning routine of at least once a year.

What Happens if You Don’t Clean the Septic Tank?

By not cleaning your septic tank regularly, the process of decomposition in your tank will slow down, leading to the build-up of soil, sludge, excrement, and solid waste. Wait too long and the septic tank system will fail altogether, causing the system to back up and create a huge mess. Cleaning up this huge mess is very labor-intensive, and it costs a lot of money. Don’t make this mistake; contact Drane Ranger to help maintain your septic tank system, and to save you money!

What is the Process of Cleaning a Septic Tank?

First, sludge is cleared out and removed through a basic pumping process. Sludge is the result of inorganic solids produced by bacteria inside the tank, which builds up along the bottom of the septic tank. Cleaning out the sludge is important to ensure there is enough ample space in the tank to handle and collect more waste. The next step involves clearing out the drain field lines, which allow sludge and other compounds to flow properly. And last but not least, the septic tank filters need to be cleaned out and replaced, if they are worn down. Septic tank cleaning companies recommended cleaning every one-to-three years, depending on the size of your tank and the number of people living in your home.

Septic tanks need professional attention from trained septic tank cleaning experts. Poorly maintained septic tanks will lead to costly repairs, so hiring a septic tank cleaning company like Drane Ranger will help avoid system failure and costly repairs. Whether you have a small septic tank just outside of Houston or a large-scale array of septic tanks at an industrial park in Houston, Pearland, Alvin, or Sugar Land, Drane Ranger will help you properly maintain them and provide safe disposal of the sewage.

Nearly one-fifth of U.S. households are not connected to the main sewage network, which equates to more than 21 million households depending on septic systems. Septic tanks are un-derground watertight chambers that, commonly made of fiberglass, plastic, or concrete, collect and treat basic wastewater. While these types of onsite sewage facilities are quite simple, they work around the clock to collect and dispose of excreta, laundry discharge, and wastewater from your toilet and bath. This is why Septic Tank Maintenance is so important! When wastewater separates, the solid particles that cannot be broken down settle to the bottom of the tank, where they form a layer of sludge. If left for too long, this sludge not only releases toxins and pathogens, but it will also cause a very expensive and dangerous mess. In addition to regular cleanings, here are four secrets to maintaining your septic tank.

1. Washing Machine Filters

Does your washing machine have a filter? Because that is the first secret to septic tank mainte-nance. Not using a filter is one of the leading causes of septic system failure; lint, due to its size and weight, does not settle into the septic tank but rather is flushed out, where it clogs the soil in drain fields. While the lint generated from one wash might not seem substantial, the average family’s laundry generates enough lint every year to carpet an entire living room floor! To make matters even worse, the majority of our clothing and carpeting is manufactured from synthetic materials, such as polyester and nylon. These substances, which are comprised of plastics, are not biodegradable and, therefore, will not break down in a septic system. They also cannot be removed once they enter the soil!

2. Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Not only are eco-friendly cleaning products better for the planet, hence the name, but they are also a secret weapon in septic tank maintenance. While it may take an excessive amount of laundry detergents, bleaches, and fabric softeners to kill the useful bacteria in your septic sys-tem, which causes it to fail ultimately, this is expedited if you use the drain, toilet bowl, and floor cleaner. We also recommend you avoid dumping solvents, oils, paints, thinners, disinfect-ants, pesticides, or poisons down the drain; these will not only disrupt the treatment process, but they will also contaminate your groundwater.

3. Reduce Your Water Consumption

Increased water flow to your septic tank overloads the system, resulting in a flood. You can avoid overloading your septic system and leach-field by using high-efficiency fixtures, toilets, washers and dryers, and dishwashers. But a more affordable septic tank maintenance secret is simply to spread out your water use.

4. Ditch the Garbage Disposal

If you can’t completely break your garbage disposal habit, we recommend only using it when absolutely necessary. Garbage disposal counts as an extra bath because it requires water to op-erate, and as mentioned above, reducing water consumption is one of the secrets to septic tank maintenance. In addition to using water, garbage disposal also breaks food solids to a size that is small enough to flow from the septic tank into the field, sometimes without being fully di-gested.