But what if you don’t maintain your septic system regularly, such as by pumping and inspecting it? This can lead to costly repairs and even worse, the failure of your septic system completely. Let me explain.
How Does A Septic Tank Work?
Your septic system is really an amazing piece of science. Sewage leaves your house from all kinds of water sources in your house – your toilets, showers, sinks, dishwashers, washing machines, etc etc. All of that water goes directly into your septic tank.
The septic tank is most commonly a large, 2-compartment tank with a baffle (wall) between the two tanks that has a slit in the middle, about halfway up from the bottom. When the sewage goes into the first chamber through your inlet T (opening in the front of the tank), the solids in that water sink to the bottom and are held back by the lower part of the baffle, the fats and grease float to the top and are held back by the top part of the baffle, and the effluent – the water without solids, fats, oils and grease can go through the slit in the middle of the baffle and fill the second chamber.
As the second chamber fills with effluent, it rises to the level of the outlet T (opening in the back of the tank), and it exits into your drain field – the buried lines on your property that allow the effluent to seep into the ground and become purified before it enters the water table underground.
Regular maintenance, like pumping and inspections, removes the solids, effluent, and fats, oils, and grease to make sure it doesn’t overflow and make it into your drain field. If those items do, they can clog the perforated lines that make up your drain field, or, worse, cover the ground in your drain lines and prevent effluent from entering the ground, creating clogs and ultimately the failure of your drain system.
Our Routine Septic Maintenance
When Guardian Septic Services does a routine maintenance service for our clients, we go through a series of steps to ensure your system is working properly:
- We locate and uncover your tank.
- We review the contents (We always take pictures to show our clients the layers of scum or solids to determine how your system is functioning)
- We inspect the inlet and outlet Ts to ensure everything is functioning properly.
- We pump out both sides of your septic tank.
- We change your filter (Where needed)
- We replace the covers and cover the tank.
A report is given to the homeowner on the condition and function of the system, recommendations for pumping cadence, and any repairs that need to be made.
When you do not participate in regular maintenance of your septic system, you run the risk of tank or system failure, clogs, and other costly inconveniences to your home.
If you would like to have a maintenance service done, or would like to discuss any questions you have about your septic system, please feel free to call Guardian Septic Services at 706-247-6500 today.