4 Causes of Septic System Failure

Just imagine; once pristine, green, and beautifully flat, your lawn is now decorated with a couple of nasty-looking, evil-smelling patches and the drains in the house are backing up. Looks like you have become the latest victim of septic system failure.

If this has already happened to you, you need to get a good septic system contractor out ASAP to find and fix the problem. Once the sewage super hero has done his magic and all is working 100% again, you need to sit down and think about what caused the failure in the first place.

Perhaps some things in your household need to be changed to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Here are 4 of the most common causes of septic system failure and what to do to keep your septic system healthy in future.

1. Help, I’m drowning! Water overload due to leaking fixtures like faucets can cause problems – make sure they are fixed as soon as a problem is detected.
   
2. I feel so neglected . . . Not maintaining a septic system properly is almost a guaranteed cause of problems – get a good contractor to check the system periodically and sort out any problems as they arise, before they become serious.
   
3. The tank that Jack built.  A badly designed or built septic system is a disaster waiting to happen. If you have taken one on with the house you bought, get your septic system contractor to assess it – it may be possible to modify the system to make it more reliable.
   
4. Be gentle with me. The weight of cars and buildings, or even paving, can do major damage to you septic system. Avoid driving over the top of the tank and associated system and make sure nothing is constructed above any of the outdoor components of the septic system.

Now that you are aware of some of the most common reasons for septic system failure, you can work out a strategy to make sure there are no future problems. Show your septic system a little TLC, and it will be your faithful servant for a good long time.