Your septic tank does more for you than you realize. Without it, and without a public sewer connection, you wouldn't really be able to have a toilet or running water in your home. So, what does your septic system ask from you in return? It asks that you are careful not to put too many harsh chemicals down your drains. It asks that you only flush septic-friendly toilet paper. And it asks to be pumped out every now and then. That's about it! Read more about septic services here, and you'll know all that you need to know to be a good septic system owner.
How To Tell When Your Septic Tank Need Attention
Homes located in areas that do not have town or city sewer service typically use a septic tank and drain field to manage wastewater from the house. A septic system in good working order is dependable and efficient, but when something goes wrong, it can lead to issues you will often notice in the house or yard. A septic tank repair service will need to inspect the system to determine what is causing your septic issues.
Drain Field Concerns
The drain field in any septic system serves one purpose. It takes the water coming from the septic tank and allows it to leach back into the ground after running sand and gravel to filter it. The drain field can start to fail if a lot of debris is getting through the system, and the perforated pipes that run into the field may back up, causing access water to come out in other areas and puddle on the surface.
If the drain field is backing up, you will need a septic tank repair service to inspect the system and determine why the drain field is not working. If the problem is in the drain field, digging it out, replacing the pipes, and installing new drainage media will often rectify the issues. However, if the problem is something else, you could be looking at a more significant repair.
Septic Tank Damage
The septic tank in your system is typically made from concrete, and while very strong, damage can occur in several ways. The tank design ensures things stay in the tank, but pressure on the outside can crack or damage the septic tank.
If the tank is cracked or damaged from the weight above it, it will need excavating and replacing. Cracks in the structure will cause the tank to leak, and over time the ground around and above the tank will begin to smell bad. Water can also saturate the ground, making it soft and unusable, and you may even see puddles of sewage forming on the surface because the soil can no longer absorb it.
The septic tank repair service can dig the tank up, pull it out and replace the tank for you. However, you may want to have the soil around it excavated and removed, then replaced with clean fill to remove the odor and any bacteria living in the sewage that seeped into the soil. The septic tank repair service may be able to remove the dirt when digging up the tank, so talk with the contractor before the work starts to determine if you need an excavating contractor or not for that part of the job.