Answering Common Questions About Septic Tank Care
A functioning septic system can be essential for your home, but if you have only recently purchased a home with a septic system, you may not be very experienced with the maintenance needs for these systems. If this is the case, you may benefit from learning the answers to the following couple of septic system questions.
Can Rain Impact The Performance Of Your Septic System?
Rain can be extremely beneficial to the plants in your yard, but you may notice that your drains start to slow following periods of heavy rain. This occurs because the septic tank uses a branching network of pipes to drain, and if the soil around these pipes is waterlogged, it can be difficult for the tank to drain.
Slow drains can be an inconvenience and annoyance, but there are steps that you can take to help minimize these effects. Depending on the severity of the problem, it might be necessary to excavate the soil under the drain field and to replace it with a gravel and sand mixture. You may be able to further improve drainage by installing French drains to divert rainwater away from the septic system.
Why Do You Need To Have The Septic Tank Pumped?
One of the more common maintenance tasks that your septic system will need to have done is to be pumped. While your septic system will normally be extremely effective at decomposing the solid matter that enters it, some of these materials will fail to break down, and they will collect at the bottom of the tank. Eventually, it will be possible for these materials to come loose. If this happens, they can enter the drain field and cause a clog. Sadly, a clogged pipe in the drain field will likely require major excavations to repair, and it can lead to major backups in the home.
When the septic system is pumped, a vacuum truck will be connected to it. These trucks can remove all of the water and solid waste from the tank. After this has been completed, the tank will be partially filled with water and new bacteria colonies will be added to it. The frequency of pumping will vary based on the size of your tank and the number of people in your home. However, it is often recommended to have this done every few years, but if your home experiences chronic slow or clogged drains, it may be necessary to have this work done sooner.
For more information, contact Southern Sanitary Systems Inc or a similar company.
