Most people will take a shower, flush the toilet or wash laundry without giving wastewater a thought on a daily basis. If you have a septic tank, you need to be proactive in making sure the system in properly maintained. When a sink backs up or a toilet overflows you need to know what to do. Here are 3 common causes for septic tank problems.
Roots – Trees and Bushes
The silent killer of septic tanks is often roots. As they search out water, they will penetrate tanks, and drain lines. If left unchecked, they can cause clogs when debris collects on the roots. You can help avoid septic tank problems with roots by not planting trees or bushes too close to the septic tank.
Clogs Can Sometimes Be Avoided
As we mentioned in a past article, your septic tank can back up if there is a clog in your system. You need to be careful in what you put down the toilet or drain. The only thing that should ever go into the septic is wastewater, human waste and toilet paper. Nothing else. No tampons, wet wipes, condoms or paper towels.
If your tank was recently serviced, pumped or inspected, then chances are you have a clog and not a full tank. Next you need to determine if the only one drain is blocked up, or others in your home. As a result you can determine if the clog is local to a particular toilet, or in the septic main lines. If you can’t figure it out, contact us. We can help you figure out if we can help with your septic, or if a plumber will need to come into your home to fix the problem.
Leaking Is A Septic Tank Problem
Finally, one common septic tank problem is a leaking septic tank. Usually you will not notice this in your home. Drains will work properly. However, when you go outside there are signs if you look for them. Is your yard green in a patch when everything else is brown? Is there a “sewer” odor in your yard? If you answer yes to either, it’s possible your septic tank is leaking. There are many reasons a tank may leak. In this case its best to give us a call and we will inspect your tank.
