Translating…
If you live in a home that uses a septic tank, there are several different routine maintenance routines that can help make your life much easier, and eventually save you from incredibly expensive repairs and replacements. By engaging in these routine maintenance routines, such as regular pumping, you can help prevent dangerous damage and deterioration to your septic system. By doing so, you not only keep your home clean, safe and operational, but you can also greatly extend the lifespan of your septic system.
What happens if I don’t pump?
The first step to understanding the consequences of not pumping is to understand how your septic system works. Your septic tank is designed to hold and process wastewater for only a day or two. This gives your waste the opportunity to separate. All of the solids fall to the bottom, liquids move to the middle and lighter liquids such as grease float to the top. Bacteria assists in the decomposition of the ultra light liquids, solid waste remains on the bottom of the tank for more long-term decomposition and everything in the middle gets pushed out as more wastewater comes in. In most cases, these liquids will wash into the drain field and dissipate without causing any trouble.
If you do not have your tank cleaned frequently, there are a variety of things that can happen. The most important aspect of this is sanitation. Whenever you do not have your tank cleaned enough, too many solids will accumulate on the bottom of the tank. This causes the middle liquids to exit the tank faster than they should. As a result, they do not have enough time to separate and will bring unsanitary byproducts with them into the drain field. When solids make their way out with the liquids, it can lead to a clogged and damaged drain field that may need to be replaced.
What does pumping entail?
During the septic tank pumping process, solids are removed from the bottom of your tank to make more room for new wastewater to enter, circulate and separate properly. This maintenance should be done frequently, and has a relatively low cost attached to it. How much it actually costs to have your system service depends largely on the size and complexity of your septic system. Although it may cost to have this done every year, it is much less expensive than having a new drain field or an entirely new septic system installed!
The frequency that you should have your septic tank pumped depends on a variety of factors. These include the size of your tank, the size of your home and how many people are living there. In most cases, having your system pumped every five years is sufficient. However, if you start to see any of the following signs, then it is probably time to have your system checked out. If you have slow drains, toilet backups, warning lights and buzzers, or standing water and smells in the drain field, call your plumber or septic tank service company right away. These signs could indicate that your tank either needs to be pumped, or that there is another problem present. Either way, your septic tank needs prompt service!