A lot of households rely on septic tanks to get rid of their wastewater. Often, such homes do not have access to the municipal sewer. If that describes you, this article is for you.
You need to do regular maintenance on your septic tank. If not, you may end up spending more in repairs and doctor visits due to health issues.
One such maintenance routine is cleaning and pumping out your septic tank. So, how often should you pump your septic tank? Here’s a complete guide you on pumping your septic tank.
Table of Contents
What is a septic tank?
A septic tank is a fiberglass or concrete watertight container placed underground nearby close to your house. It has a piping system that consists of inlet pipes that direct waste away from homesteads and outlet pipes that direct waste to the drain field.
How a septic tank system works
Septic construction is frequently referred to as onsite wastewater management constructions to distinguish them from municipal or pubic waste systems.
That term site is key because a home’s septic computing device and a municipal system do the same thing in actuality.
Both structures deal with the liquid waste or sewage known as effluent and render it innocent by killing its pathogens.
The water from the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry are flashed. Then transported through the sewer system. It is in residence. The sewer pipe moves the substances underground to the septic tank.
The waste starts in the first compartment of the septic tank. Here the heavy waste material and lighter material such as oils and grease move upwards to form, making a layer of scum.
Effluent moves via baffles and screens to the returned compartments. Effluent moves via an effluent filter and into the leached line, where it drains into the ground.
How often should you pump your septic tank?
• A septic tank should take an average of three to five years to get emptied according to
EPA requirements. However, the system that is under heavy use can undergo an additional annual pumping.
Some have automated systems such as mechanical parts and electrical components that will require additional annual servicing.
This will allow the efficient working of your septic tank.
Other factors that influence how often you should flush your septic tank include:
- Size of your septic tank: the smaller the septic tank, the lesser sludge it can hold this
will require you to perform more pumping frequently - Size of the household: smaller families are less likely to fill up their septic tanks faster than large families
- Solid waste present: a family that uses the garbage disposer in their house tends to fill the septic tank quicker every time it’s in use.
- Overall generated waste: the average waste flowing to a septic tank can determine how fast the septic tank will fill up.
Signs that you need to pump your septic tank
- Bad smell: one of the most evident and disgusting signs of septic requires pumping the terrible smell that comes out when the septic piping has blocked.
The smell may be caused when the waste passage is blocked and creates a mess. Under such conditions, you should um you’re septic immediately.
- Slow flushing: when the flashing is suddenly slower than usual, it’s evident that there is a problem with your drainage system. This may be seen when the toilets, sinks, and drainage are slower.
You should immediately contact an expert for help.
- When it is time: you know it time to pump your septic pump when it has reached the average period you should conduct it. It is best to keep in mind further damages will result in extra costs.
- Spillage: when there is spillage occurrence of septic water or waste. Then it is time to conduct pumping to your septic. Spillage allow causes bad small and may cause further damages if not placed under control in time.
- Gurgling sounds: there are gurgling sounds when the waste is flushed away. It shows a clogged.
- Stagnant water: the presence of stagnant water around the septic indicates leakage of the septic waste. The presence of overgrown grass may accompany the stagnant water.
Factors that may lead to your septic tank filling up than usual
When there is the proper usage of the septic tank, it may last you up to four to five years.
However, due to misuse and mismanagement of the tank, you may end up flashing yearly. Here are some of the most common factors that may lead to this:
Improper use of the toilet
This is the most common misuse of the septic tank. Many people end up throwing in waste materials that are not safe to do so in the toilets. It leads to blockage or upset of the bacteria that will help in the breaking down of waste.
Here are some of the products that you hold. Avoid throwing them into the toilet. They include unsafe toilet papers, baby wipes, feminine products, and baby diapers.
It is also important to note that you should avoid flashing cats feces even when labeled flushable this is due to the parasites that they introduce into the septic tank that are harmful.
misuse of your draining field
The draining field is important in ensuring that waste is well disposed of from your home. After waste is traded, it enters the draining field, where it is filtered into the soil. And when you don’t use your draining field properly, it may lead to backflow.
When the draining field cannot filter property, the waste ends up flowing back to the pipes and finally into the house. The best way to avoid this is an annual inspection from an expert to avoid loading the waste field with unnecessary waste.
mishandling of garbage disposal
As effective as that garbage disposal is in tacking out the trash, it will cause an imbalance in the septic tank when overused. Their waste inside the tank is naturally broken down by the presence of bacteria in the tank.
However, with the garbage disposal, the balance is overstretched, and the breakdown of waste isn’t as effective anymore. It will cause your septic to overflow and fail. It is advisable to use the garbage disposal whenever necessary.
How to pump the septic tank
A septic tank can consist of one or two tanks that are connected by a single pipe. It is designed to accommodate many households, which may amount up to 10 homes. All septic tanks have a set of drainage receptacles, also known as lead wells or soak wells.
When your septic tank fails to drain efficiently, this means that the drainage receptacles may be the cause since a majority of the tank’s part can be located underground. The best way Is to engage a professional.
However, the septic tank’s pumping out is done by professionals who come and inspect your tank at regular intervals.
When the time is right to pump the sludge outcomes, they will let you know.
They will look out for the scum floating in between the floating water, and the sludge is edging the outlet pipe that is directing to the drain field by 6inches.
Precautions to take while pumping your septic tank
Various dangers may come when you’re pupping your septic tank. These range from diseases, injuries, or even death in the worst case. Here are some of the accidents that you may face.
- infection
Every septic tank is full of dangerous microorganisms that may get into your bloodstream via the mouth, skin, or even open wound. They may cause terrible infections that, when not treated, may cause death.
However, the best way to prevent this from occurring is by wearing protective equipment such as gloves and gumboots, among others.
- collapsing of the tank
Over time, the septic tanks’ walls are likely to collapse due to weakened walls that lose their strength f attachments over time. Other causes may be heavy machinery that causes vibration and eventually aid in caving in the septic tank.
The best thing is to always lookout for signs that your structure is weakening. The most obvious sign is the formation of cracks.
- explosions
Septic tanks can easily exceed since they contain highly flammable gasses such as methane. These gasses are generated by the treatment process that is taking place inside there.
The farmable gasses can burn down your homes, injure you or even kill anyone around it.
It is highly advisable to avoid taking separates in with anything that may cause ignitions.
- electrocution
Whenever you dig around the septic tank, you will most likely encounter an electrical power line that may shock you or lead to the ignition of fire that may lead to an explosion.
If you are not sure of the power connections around your home, it best to leave the professional to do it for you.
- lack of oxygen
When your body doesn’t get sufficient oxygen, it may lead to asphyxiation. This condition is common when someone is around the tank or inside it without sufficient oxygen. It may lead to death if you don’t get help as soon as possible.
Many gasses are present in the septic tank that may deprive of oxygen and may lead to death.
Another possibility is that you may get badly injured when you fall unconsciously to the ground and land ant a sharp object.
The best way to avoid such incidents is to hire experts and let them handle the pumping for you if you lack the right kind of safety equipment.
Maintenance of the septic tank
Ensuring that your septic tank is fully functioning to its full capacity is important. Proper maintenance is one way to ensure that you’re septic is fully functioning.
Here are some of the maintained that can ensure just that:
Monitor your solid waste disposal: reducing the number of solid waste being disposed of is one of the best maintenance to be conducted on your septic.
Avoiding garbage disposal that will add more unnecessary solid waste to your septic tank will make a huge difference. However, you can choose the use of the trash as your disposal method.
Avoid contaminating the drain with chemicals: this will reduce bacteria action on solid wastes.
Avoid the overuse of water: the restriction of overuse of water that goes to the septic tank will ensure that the tank does not seem faster. This can be achieved by plumbing with high-efficiency water-saving pipes to reduce the amount of water in use.
Pumping responsibly: The households regular servicing for their septic tanks to prevent solid waste accumulation and accumulation.
Installation and replacement of filter: the effluent filter sieves slid particles and prevent them from getting into the drain fields.
However, it requires constant cleaning and replacements whenever you’re servicing the system.
The addition of bacteria additive: the use of living bacteria that will help break down chemical substances such as soaps and detergents that prevent the natural occurrence of bacterial substances that permit the proper functioning of your septic.
Use of high-pressure jets: every septic regales of its plumbing may have an occurrence of sediment and other solid substances in its system. However, it is advisable to apply high-pressure jets to run water through it to keep this under control.
factor that may lead to the effective performance of your septic tank
Ensuring that your septic tank is functioning to its topmost capabilities is important. Here are some of the factors to look out for to ensure that your septic doesn’t fail to function:
Regular maintenance
Ensuring that your septic is running as effectively as possible is important. It would be best if you had your septic inspected annually by an expert.
You would also ensure that it is pumped three to five years as per EPA rules. However, you’re professional will tell you the right time to pump after proper inspection of your septic.
maintenance of the draining field
Avoid the cultivation of a plant with hedge roots to prevent the destruction of the septic system by the root of the pants. Also, avoid packing on or around the drain fields. It’s best to ensure that the drain field remains dare to ensure it functions effectively.
proper management of the garbage disposer and the toilet
More junk that enters your disposer means that it will easily get damage the septic tank. Using the septic tank only when relevant may help reduce any garbage that may occur due to the very use.
The use of the toilet properly will help increase the time that the septic all need flashing.
Avoiding to place substances such as diapers and wipes, among other things, will reduce the effect caused to the bacteria.
hire qualified experts
It may be cheaper to hire a local maintenance specialist; however, it may lead to future damages since they are unfit to handle and care for septic tanks. We advise you to search for a certified technician who can care for your septic tank effectively.
avoid pouring too much water
Avoid spillage of water into the septic tank. This includes washing water. They reduce the time required for flashing. Machines such as washing machines that consume 40 gallons per day are excess water for the septic tank. Using alternative means may be effective.
It is important to note that directing rainwater away from the septic tank will help increase efficiency.
conclusion
Septic tanks help drain waste from our homes. However, as it helps eliminate all the nasty waste, it’s important that it also gets flashed frequently after the time given by experts.
It is also important that you can read the signs of the unhealthy septic tank.
Also, ensuring that we avoid taking in unnecessary waste will help improve its lifespan.
Ensuring that an expert takes care of it is of utmost importance.
