How To Reduce Septic Tank Odor
Septic tanks provide your home with an essential service, but over time can become worn or damaged. A septic tank system that has a drainage or mechanical issue can sometimes give off a heavy and unpleasant odor, which can be extremely disruptive to you and your household. A lot of the time, this odor can also sometimes point to an impending repair or maintenance job that will need to be done on your septic system. Thankfully, there are a few things that you can do to reduce septic tank odors and diagnose the problems that may be causing them.
Odors Inside the House
The most common, and also thankfully easiest to fix, reasons for septic tank odors to manifest themselves within your home is associated with leaks in your home's plumbing. This can take the form of a small hole or a damaged seal between pipes under your sink or in your basement, which can be easily patched or replaced by most plumbing contractors. Another common source of septic tank odors is a damaged toilet seal: the wax ring at the bottom of your toilet keeps gases from seeping out into your bathroom. These wax rings can be purchased at most hardware stores and installed yourself by unscrewing and lifting the toilet up from the drain, but professional installation is what will guarantee the best results.
Alternatively, septic odors within your home can also point to a clogged plumbing vent, which is a vent on the roof that equalizes the pressure in your septic system's pipes. You'll have to climb up onto the roof and remove any and all debris which may be blocking proper air flow, which in turn allows the smell of septic waste to linger within your home.
Odors in the Yard
Any sort of septic odor in your yard points to either damage to your septic tank's seal or a broken and leaking septic tank pipe underground. To check the seal, inspect the septic tank manhole covers in your yard: any signs of damage, or if the smell becomes particularly pungent around them, usually points to a damaged or worn out seal that will need to be replaced by a professional contractor.
A broken pipe, on the other hand, can be harder to pinpoint. Leaks will usually manifest themselves through soggy areas in your yard, especially in small valleys or low-lying areas. Further, patches of grass and plants that seem particularly green and that grow at a faster rate than the surrounding area are usually being exposed to leaking waste, which acts as a sort of fertilizer. Broken pipes will have to be dug up and completely replaced, which is something that again requires professional contractors to accomplish. Companies like Parrish Portable & Septic can help.