Things You Need To Know About Maintaining Your Septic System Correctly

Posted on: 7 July 2022

If your home uses a septic system to remove and deal with waste and sewage coming from your home, it is vital that you take the time to maintain it so that it works correctly over time. Septic system inspections, tank pumping, and tank cleaning can all play a vital role in how well your septic system works from day to day.

Inspections And Checkups

Septic system inspections should be part of the regular maintenance for any system, even if it is only a few years old. Inspections can be done every few years to ensure that the system is working correctly and that there are no leaks or concerns that need addressing. 

If you recently installed a new septic system, the contractor that did the work will recommend an inspection interval. Think of the inspection as a checkup for your septic tank, and being proactive can often head off problems with the system before they become expensive to fix. 

The inspection will not take long, and you do not have to do anything except have a septic pumping service clean the tank before the inspector arrives. The inspector will go over the entire system and ask about any problems you have had with the tank or drain field and then give you a report that indicates the system's health. The entire process typically takes less than a couple of hours and will ensure everything is in good condition, so you don't have to worry about your septic system.

Tank Pumping And Cleaning

Often people think there is something wrong with their septic system if the tank fills up and needs septic tank pumping. The reality is that the tank is going to require pumping at some point, and it is actually an indication that the system is working correctly. 

As waste flows into your septic tank, the solids will sink to the bottom, and the anaerobic process inside the healthy tank will break things down, causing sludge to form. The liquid in the tank can flow out through the system and be filtered through the drain field and then back into the ground, but that sludge will eventually fill up, and the only way to get it out of the tank is to have a septic pumping service remove it for you. 

The amount of time it takes for the tank to need pumping can change significantly with the size of the system, the amount of use it is getting, and if materials that should not be in the tank are flushed down drains in the home. A healthy tank can often go for several years without pumping, but if you are concerned, you can have the service open the cover and check the tank to determine if it needs pumping. 

Contact a local septic tank pumping service to learn more. 

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