If you think your septic tank might be failing, you need to determine whether that’s the case right away! If it is indeed failing or malfunctioning, it’s a risk to you, your family, and your pets. It’s even a risk for the environment, so it’s your job to make sure you respond quickly to the signs so you can prevent disease and a negative impact on the environment.
Signs of septic tank failure includes:
• Sewage and water from sinks, drains, and toilets are backing up into your property.
• Your sinks, showers and bathtubs are draining a lot slower than usual.
• Your plumbing is making gurgling sounds.
• You’ve found damp spots or standing water near your septic tank.
• There are stinky smells around your septic tank.
• There’s green, spongy grass over the septic tank even if the weather’s dry.
• There are algal blooms in nearby lakes and ponds.
• Water wells are presenting high levels of coliform bacteria or nitrates.
If you’ve spotted any of these signs around your home, you should call a professional to help you handle the problem. Septic tank failure can be avoided if you keep up with your home’s routine maintenance, and it will also last you longer. Remember that septic tank failures are not only a health and environmental hazard, they’re also expensive and dangerous.
When your septic tank starts failing or malfunctioning, untreated sewage will be released and it will get places where it shouldn’t be. Sewage will come to the surface or it will back up the pipes at home. What’s more, sewage could also find its way into surface water, marine water, and groundwater, carrying contaminants and pathogens to these water sources.
This is how people and animals can get sick, not to mention the aforementioned water sources will be contaminated. That means the will be unsafe for drinking, swimming, and other uses.
There are different causes for septic tank failure, including clogged pipes, a blocked inlet or outlet baffle, or drain-field failure. Whatever the cause may be at home, you’ll need professional help to get it properly fixed. Make sure you contact a company you can trust to provide a reliable and safe service.
The most important thing you can do to avoid septic tank failure is to keep up with routine maintenance. Make sure your septic system is operational at all times, and perform routine check-ups so it can last longer.
A well-cared for septic system will give you no trouble at all, which will save you money in the long run, so make sure it’s one of your priorities as a responsible homeowner. Basic septic system care and maintenance includes annual check-ups, which should be done by professionals. Additionally, having good habits will also help, such as avoiding using excess water and being careful of what you and your family put down the drain or flush down the toilet.
