Answers To Several New Homeowner Septic Care Questions
Septic systems are common features for many houses, but new homeowners often find these systems intimidating and mysterious. However, it is essential for homeowners to have strong understandings when it comes to these important parts of the home.
How Does A Septic Tank Process Your Home's Wastewater?
Septic systems have a large tank that will gradually break down the solid organic matter that goes into it. During this process, the solid matter will sink to the bottom of the tank, which will allow the water at the top to drain out of the system through the pipes in the drain field. Due to the fact that these systems function because the bacteria in the tank break down the solid matter, you should avoid pouring harsh cleaning solutions or putting inorganic materials in the system as this can be harmful to the bacteria. Additionally, commercially available septic additives should be avoided as they can cause an unsustainable population increase, which will lead to performance issues when it crashes.
Should You Wait Until Problems Start To Occur Before You Have Your Tank Pumped?
While the bacteria that are in the septic tank will be highly proficient at breaking down materials, there will be some materials that will not be fully decomposed by these bacteria. These substances will settle at the bottom of the tank. Over the years, these substances can gradually fill the septic tank. Unfortunately, some homeowners will wait until the septic system starts to experience problems to have it pumped. However, this can be a costly mistake as a clogged septic system can be very difficult to repair. By having the system pumped on a regular basis, you can remove these materials before they are able to cause problems for the system. The pumping schedule for your system will depend on the size of the tank and the amount of water produced by your home, but an experienced septic pumping service will be able to help you determine how frequently to do this work.
Why Is A Clogged Septic System So Difficult To Repair?
A clogged septic tank can actually be fairly simple to repair as the technician will be able to access this part of the system fairly easily. However, if the clog is able to move into the drain field, the only way to repair it may be necessary to excavate the yard so that the clogged pipes can be replaced. This problem can be further compounded if there are multiple clogs in the drain field as this will greatly increase the amount of excavation that will need to be done.