If you have a home septic tank system, it's important to check the efficiency of your system regularly. Here are some of the steps to take when maintaining your septic tank plumbing system.
Check the Pipes and Connections
The frequency of your septic tank maintenance will depend on how much water you use in your household. More people equal more water usage, which will cause the tank to get full quickly. But having inefficient connections in your plumbing system can also cause the septic tank to become high maintenance. Your plumber should check the pipes of your sinks, showers and toilets to make sure there are no leaks. On the opposite side, a toilet or sink that's flowing lower than usual may indicate a clog in the system that should be repaired for good plumbing health.
Know When to Pump the Tank
It's also important to know when you should call someone in to pump the tank. Generally, a septic tank needs to be pumped when it is 1/3 full. But it may need to be pumped sooner than that if the tank contains higher levels of sludge and heavy solids. Your plumber can use a special camera to judge the sludge levels within your tank.
Pump the Tank Efficiently
A regular septic tank pumping is one key to keeping the tank sediment levels low; when there is too much built up sediment in the tank, it can cause the drain field to become clogged and potentially lead to a hazardous overflow. Some companies can use an industrial strength hydrovac system to pick up the heaviest sediments in your tank for a thorough and efficient clean. Weaker equipment may not pick up all of the sediments, leaving you in need of a repair much sooner.
Inspect the Septic Tank's Drain Field
A good septic tank inspector will also inspect your drain field to make sure there aren't any obstacles that could damage the field. Any objects that cut into the drain field, such as fallen tree debris or heavy objects on top of the soil, have the potential to compress a pipe and cause a leak.
As you can see, the health of your septic system depends on all of the parts moving efficiently together. By hiring an experienced professional (such as one from Gimli Septic Service) with heavy duty equipment, you can avoid any of the costly overflows and problems that a septic tank can present.
Share4 February 2016
My homes have always had either copper or PVC plumbing pipes. But when my plumbing system needed an overhaul last spring, I wanted a piping system for my home that I could work on myself when needed. There were a lot of good reasons to choose PEX piping, but my favorite thing about the PEX piping is that it's easy to work with, even if you're a beginner like me. Now I can make small repairs myself instead of calling the plumber every time I have a minor leak or other small problem. I still call the plumber for the big stuff, but it's more affordable now that I can take care of small issues myself. I started this blog to help others learn how they, too, can do DIY plumbing repairs at home.