Why Must Septic Tanks Be Maintained?  

Septic tanks must be pumped every 3 to 5 years. It will depend on the tank’s size and the number of home occupants. Although routine maintenance guarantees that all solids will be extracted from the septic tank, you can also ask the technician to inspect some of the tank’s parts and components for possible issues.  

Almost all septic tanks were installed underground. The best time to check is when it’s pumped out. Regular tank maintenance plans may help prevent system problems. Here are the parts that the technician should check:   

1. Inlets and outlets   

Make sure they are clear and aren’t clogged. Broken or missing or broken tees or baffles can cause major system problems to your septic tank.   

2. Roots  

Tree and plant roots may penetrate the tanks from several locations, such as tank’s entry lids, through the baffles, and tank seams. Roots that come through the septic tank lid, which means it must be cut when pumping. This failure leads to backups and blockages.  

3. Dividing wall   

The dividing wall separates the tank to make two compartments. It holds the sludge in one compartment while keeping the solids from leaving the tank and getting into the absorption compartment. A dividing wall is sturdy because it’s concrete. Plastic walls, however, are not tough and may get loose, lean, and fall into the septic tank. A collapsed, leaning or falling dividing wall traps the solids inside the tank, which prevents their elimination when pumping. Therefore, you must pump the septic tank more frequently.  

4. Leaks  

If the tank is leaking, then the liquid level must be low. Most septic tanks come with a top section and a bottom section. The leak is usually found on the seams. Sometimes, when the technician arrives, the level of the liquid isn’t too low. But as he starts to pump, soil-saturated water gets inside the septic tank through the small holes in the seams, which is an indication of leakage.  

5. Liquid level  

A septic tank’s usual operating level starts at the pipe’s outlet, which is less than two feet from the tank’s topmost part. In case the liquid is over the pipe’s outlet, it indicates that the drain field isn’t accepting wastewater anymore or it accepts wastewater slower than usual.  

How to Check a Septic Tank  

Homeowners must hire a company that can legally dispose of your wastewater. Make sure that the technician checks all the septic tank parts every time he or she is pumping the tank of wastewater.  If you check the septic tank and see it’s full, you may think it needs pumping.   

However, in just four days of normal water usage, a family of five will easily fill the septic tank to its full capacity. A four-bedroom home uses 1,000 gallons of water daily. To know if the septic tank is full is to test the solids. The test is called a sludge judge and it’s done by a qualified service technician. Taking care of your septic system is necessary so you’ll continue to live comfortably in your home. You don’t want to experience septic tank backup or failures at all.