What you flush or pour down drains has a huge impact on your septic system. Avoid dumping fats, oils, greases, bacterial additives and excessive cleaning products.
Get your septic tank pumped every one to three years. It’s more cost effective to do so than dealing with a broken septic system.
Pumping
A Septic Tank Maintenance collects wastewater from your home and separates the solids from the liquids. The septic tank uses natural bacteria to break down organic material and floatable oils and greases while sludge settles out of the wastewater. This process takes time, so the septic tank needs to be pumped regularly. The frequency depends on how many people live in your home and the size of your septic tank. A single person might be able to go ten years without having their septic tank pumped, but a family of seven will need to have the tank pumped every two years.
A home that is not properly pumped can have sewage back up into their drains and toilets, which is very dangerous to everyone in the house. In the worst cases, septic system overflow can carry pathogenic bacteria into nearby waterways. This can lead to disease in humans and animals, or it can cause algae to bloom in local waterways and use up the oxygen that fish and other aquatic life need to survive.
Occasionally, the septic tank can get clogged with waste that doesn’t break down, such as plastics, foam, non-biodegradable cleaning supplies, septic tank additives, and more. These clogs are dangerous because they can block the flow of wastewater and force it to overflow into your home.
It’s a good idea to have your septic tank inspected by a professional before having it pumped. They can check the sludge and scum levels to ensure that it’s safe for pumping. Some homeowners choose to purchase products that claim to prolong the period between septic tank pumping, but these additives can throw the primordial ecosystem that’s developed in your septic tank out of balance. They also may contain chemicals that can damage the septic tank or the septic tank drain field.
If you want to make sure your septic tank gets pumped when it’s necessary, have a professional inspect it frequently and keep records of your usage. In addition, avoid putting too much water into the system and have downspouts and other drains pointing away from the septic tank and septic tank drain field.
Baffles and Filters
Baffles are one of the most important components in a septic tank system. They help keep solid waste particles and scum from flowing through the drainage field. The baffles, which are often made of concrete or plastic, create obstacles and slow down the flow of waste. This allows the heavier solids to settle to the bottom of the tank and allows the lighter scum to rise to the top, improving the effectiveness of the treatment process.
The intake baffle directs incoming waste from the building sewer downward into the tank and prevents the scum layer from clogging the pipe leading into the tank. It also keeps the septic tank inlet from being agitated, which can float the scum layer to the point where it flows out of the tank and plugs the drain field.
Most modern septic tanks use a plate-type baffle for the inlet, although some have a sanitary tee instead. The sanitary tee does the same thing as the plate baffle, but it’s usually more expensive because of the extra labor involved in installing and maintaining it.
It’s a good idea to have your inlet baffle inspected periodically by your onsite wastewater technician, because the condition of the baffle affects the quality of your effluent. A defective inlet baffle can result in a septic tank leak and sewage backup inside your home. The inlet baffle must be inspected and cleaned regularly to avoid this problem.
Your septic tank also has an outlet baffle, which blocks floatable solid waste from leaving the tank and flowing into your drainage field. The outlet baffle is usually a vertical tee that extends down into the tank to a point 40% of the liquid level in the tank. The tee may be fitted with a filter to increase its ability to keep solids from moving out of the tank into your leach field.
Your onsite wastewater technician will inspect the condition of your baffles on a regular basis, and he or she may recommend a filter be installed on your outlet baffle if it doesn’t already have one. This will ensure that floatable solids and sludge don’t move from your tank into the drain field, where they can clog the soil treatment system.
Pump Chamber
A septic tank is usually a large dual-chambered buried container made of concrete, fiberglass or polyethylene. Wastewater flows into the septic tank and the heavy solids settle to the bottom where bacterial action partially decomposes them. The lighter solids float to the top, including grease and oils. The liquid layer that forms between the solids layers is called effluent. Eventually the effluent leaves the septic tank and moves to the pump chamber where it is pumped into your drain field for final wastewater treatment.
The pump chamber is a concrete, fiberglass or polyethylene container that contains a pump, control floats and a high water alarm float. The pump is activated when the floats reach predetermined levels, either by timer controls or by the control float switch itself. When the floats are working properly, the pump will activate at the appropriate times to disperse the effluent. The pump will shut off when the floats are below their predetermined levels.
If your septic tank has a pump, it’s important to inspect the pump chamber regularly. Make sure the floats are secure in their holders, and that their electrical connections to the pump and switch are clear of debris. A septic system produces high levels of corrosive gas, which can quickly attack exposed wiring and connections.
Checking the pump and floats will help you avoid costly repairs due to a damaged or malfunctioning pump or float switches. Also inspect the float switch power cord, holder and lift rope to ensure they are free of tangles.
Uncover both the inlet and outlet access covers to inspect the sludge and scum layers. Use a stick to measure the thickness of each layer and determine if the septic tank needs to be pumped. Avoid excessive pumping; it is expensive and hard on the ecosystem in the septic tank.
Avoid using septic tank additives; they are not necessary to keep the septic tank working properly and don’t reduce or eliminate the need for routine septic tank pumping. Moreover, some chemical and biological septic tank additives may actually damage your septic system and/or pollute groundwater.
Drain Field
The drain field removes a wide range of contaminants from the wastewater that’s treated by the septic system. It’s especially important that the drain field stay free of solids, which could clog or damage the inlet and exit pipes. It’s also important to have a good flow of water entering the drain field, which keeps it from becoming saturated with too much waste.
If the soil in your septic tank and absorption field becomes too saturated with wastewater, it can cause failure of the system. A professional can perform a drainfield rejuvenation to help the drainfield return to full function.
Many people are unaware that what they flush, pour or put down the drain has a direct impact on how well the septic system works. It’s crucial to not put down chemical drain openers, grease, cooking fats, solvents, waste oil, photographic solutions or pesticides as these can disrupt the bacterial digestion in the septic tank and pollute groundwater.
It’s important to have a professional inspect your septic tank and drainfield on an annual basis. The inspector will ensure the septic tank is large enough to accommodate your household’s wastewater volume, and the drainfield is properly sized and oriented to your home. He or she will check the condition of all pipes and the electrical components in the pump chamber.
The inlet and exit pipes should be made from durable materials, such as acid-resistant concrete or cast iron. They should be fitted with baffles or sanitary tees and have 6-inch diameter inspection pipes that extend above the baffles or tees to the top of the ground surface. These inspection pipes should be capped when not in use.
A septic tank that’s too full or a faulty drain field can cause wastewater to back up into the house, which is dangerous and potentially toxic. Regular septic tank pumping and proper maintenance of the tank, distribution box and drain field can help prevent these problems.
To keep from damaging your septic tank and drain field, never drive or park on the septic tank or drain field area. It’s also important to not plant trees or shrubs within 10 feet of the septic tank and drain field, as they may become rootbound to sewage lines or grow into the tank and absorption field. Also, avoid building structures over the septic tank or drain field, such as tool sheds, gardens, playgrounds or patios, which can also impair its ability to absorb and treat wastewater.