Maintenance Plumbing: Reasons Your Septic Tank Is Dysfuncitonal
The main function of your septic system is to safely eliminate biological waste. However, you will find that these systems are not exclusively used for this purpose. Many a household will also expose their septic system to kitchen waste, greywater from showers, wastewater from washing machines and more. As such, your septic system becomes susceptible to problems since it is handling matter that it was not designed to deal with in the first place. Knowing what common issues may plague your system makes you better equipped at preventing them from occurring in the first place. Below are some of the common residential septic tank problems.
There is too much water in the septic tank
Water is necessary for the septic tank to function at optimum. Nevertheless, an excessive amount of water could lead to malfunctioning of the system. If there is too much water inside the septic tank, solid waste materials will not be broken down efficiently. As a result, they start to float above the water and this poses the risk of them seeping out of the tank's distribution tubes. This can lead to a septic leak on your property, potentially causing a health hazard.
To avoid this, ensure that there is minimal water being directed into your septic tank. For instance, instead of doing your laundry on a daily basis, you should consider skipping a few days so that the flow of water into the tank is spread throughout the week. Secondly, you could opt to upgrade your appliances in an attempt to conserve water. Popular devices include low-flow flush systems as well as low-flow showerheads that will promote the economic use of water in your household.
There are non-biodegradable materials in the septic tank
Another reason why your septic system may start to develop problem is when non-biodegradable materials make their way into the tank. Since these materials cannot be broken down, they simply sit inside the septic tank and take up space. Over time, their presence begins to gradually increase water levels in the septic tank, putting at risk of overflowing. You may also find that these non-biodegradable materials can start to clog the system, which would wreak havoc on your sewer lines.
Unfortunately, some items may be labelled as flushable but end up clogging your system since they take much longer to be broken down. To be on the safe side, you should stick to only throwing tissue paper down your toilet. For more information about maintenance plumbing, contact a local professional.
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