How to Keep Your Septic Tank Running Properly

If your plumbing system uses a septic tank, having a good understanding as well as the know-how to keep your septic tank system in good running order is vital. Many people are not very aware of the process required to make it run smoothly and they will wait until the last moment when your system stops working and they end up with toilets that start backing up onto the floor.

If you are in Atlanta or Cobb County area, Superior Plumbing provides same day service on emergency Atlanta drain cleaning. Get it done right and for less money by an experienced, competent Atlanta plumber.

The problem we face today is that we make our lives so busy that we often have no time for regular home maintenance, or we simply forget to do it. In most cases we tend to get other people to look after such things only when it is absolutely necessary.

It is helpful to understand the way a typical septic tank operates. In a septic tank, solid waste matter settles to the bottom and the cleaner water stays near the top of the tank. Bacterial action throughout the tank breaks down the solid matter leaving a sludge deposit on the bottom. As water and waste material are drained from your home into the septic system the water level in the tank rises to the level of the overflow. As more waste water from your system is drained into the tank, the relatively clean water near the top of the system runs out of the tank’s drain into the drain field where it is absorbed into the ground or evaporated into the air.

There are at least two important factors that keep such a system running smoothly. First it is important that the bacterial action in the tank be sufficient to break solid matter down on a daily basis. And second, since there will gradually be a build-up of sludge in the bottom of the tank it is important not to let this build up too much.

When a tank becomes too full of sludge or the bacterial action is no longer able to keep up with the requirement to break down solid matter the sludge and solid matter will start draining into the drainage system of the tank. The worst case scenario is that it will ruin your drainage field – a very expensive proposition to fix. More often it will simply plug the pipes leading to the drain field and your drains will start to back up into the house every time you flush a toilet, use the washing machine or have a bath. There is nowhere for the waste water to go.

The standard solution is to call a specialist in septic tank pumping and have the sludge in your tank pumped every so often. That will give your tank a rest. Waste water and solid matter will gradually fill the tank again, and the bacterial action will have a fresh start. Unless your drainage field has been damaged, or the drain pipes leading to the drainage field have been plugged your tank should operate fine until it is time to pump it again.

How often you should pump your tank will depend on the size of the tank itself, and the type of usage it gets. If you have a large family with a lot of children you will have to pump the tank more often.

Keeping the tank in good running order also requires that you not abuse the system by flushing things into it that can’t be broken down by the bacterial action. Anything that is overly dense or contains plastic, vinyl or rubber should never be flushed into the toilet. It may seem harmless to flush away such things as condoms, sanitary napkins, and disposable diapers but these things cannot be properly handled by your septic system.