Properly cared for, your septic tank typically has a lifespan of 30 to 50 years. To keep your home’s septic system efficiently running for as long as possible, you’ll want to follow some of these tips to lengthen the lifespan and ensure optimal function of one of your home’s most vital systems:
Septic tanks are not always the most pleasant thing to think about, but if you neglect them too long, you can have a real problem. Sometimes your septic tank may just need to be pumped, and other times it should be replaced. Here are a few things that will let you know if it is time to replace your septic tank:
It pays to look after your septic tank. If not properly maintained, the necessary bacteria can die, causing the biological process to shut down. If this happens, sludge accumulates and travels to the drain field where it clogs the entire system. Before you know it, you’ve got a major headache in the form of a sewage backup.
The first thing to do is to ask for the septic tank to be pumped and inspected because inspection can only take place after pumping has been performed. Usually, the seller pays for this. The job will be done by a local professional septic contractor who will also do the inspection. Ask for a written report afterwards.
HOOT calls it the first ‘complete’ septic tank because it essentially works just like a small municipal treatment plant. Patented by Hoot, it is a full 5-stage, 1-piece waste water treatment system.
If you are among the nearly 1 in 4 American households that are served by septic systems, the Environmental Protection Agency has the following ‘septicSmart’ advice for you in order to keep your system in top shape:
If you have a septic system, you might be plagued with a nasty odor. There may be several causes for a foul septic odor, apart from the fact that the system is a receptacle for human waste, and its job is to contain odors. Knowing the reasons for smells is important for any owner of a septic tank because, if left unattended, sewage issues can create dangerous situations and contaminate the water supply.
The Septic Tank Vent is Clogged
There should be a vent installed in every system. This allows gases from sewage to escape and prevent a buildup of flammable and toxic methane gases. The vent can often be the cause of an unpleasant odor because it is at risk of becoming clogged by a bird’s nest, a wasp’s nest, or even a frog.
If it is properly designed and installed, and is the right size and type for the property it serves, a septic tank can be a very efficient way of dealing with sewage and waste water. However, no matter how efficient it is, any septic tank will build up some sludge over time. The only efficient way to deal with this sludge is to have the tank pumped out.
In most domestic household situations, a septic tank will require pumping out approximately every 2 to 3 years. There are some areas, though, where local ordinances require it to be done more often than this. Local contractors that provide septic tank services are usually clued in on all applicable rules and regulations, so if you are in doubt, consult one of them.
A septic tank pump (sometimes also referred to as a sewage pump) is generally used when one or more drains or plumbing fixtures is lower than the sewer line leading to a central sewage system (e.g. a municipal sewage pipeline) or a septic tank located on the property, or there is higher land between the drains/fixtures and the destination point.
Obviously it is usually better to position sewage lines, septic tanks and drain fields slightly lower than drains and plumbing fixtures so gravity naturally removes all waste water and solids, but sometimes the layout of the property is such that this is not possible.
The function of a septic tank pump is to pump waste water and solids up a pipeline, either directly into a main sewage line or septic tank, or to the point where the line heads downwards and gravity can take over.