4 Signs Your Septic Tank Isn’t Working Correctly

Arya

Disgusted woman attempting to clean the toilet with brush

A septic tank is an underground watertight container that usually consists of concrete, plastic, or fiberglass, and in which the wastewater will go through for proper treatment. The septic tank’s main goal is to separate the oil, liquid, and solid waste from the pipe, and distribute them to their respective lines for proper treatment. This way, you’re allowing your household pipes to be unclogged and have an appropriate drainage system.  

While having a septic tank provides impressive benefits for your home, you need to ensure that you maintain them well by hiring the services of a professional, like A-1 Sewer and Septic Service, as your septic tank needs proper care to perform well. 

Moreover, you need to identify if your septic tank needs maintenance or repair as a damaged septic tank can be expensive to repair. Listed below are the signs that your septic tank is failing. 

1. Sewage Is Returning Inside Your Home 

If you notice that your drains or toilets are releasing water or black liquid in your kitchen or bathroom, it could be a clear sign that there’s something wrong going on in your septic tank. One reason that you can suspect is that your drain field is already full. This can happen when your septic tank receives plenty of water fast, forcing it to push the water into the drain field quickly.  

Another reason is that you might have a blocked pipe where the water isn’t correctly draining, causing the water to back up into your home. When you notice any signs that this is happening in your home, you should immediately call a professional for a repair so they could do a proper inspection and fix your septic tank right away. 

2. Slow Draining 

Every time you wash your hands, clean your dishes, take a shower, drain the tub, or flush the toilet, you should observe the drainage process’s speed. It should drain speedily as it guarantees that your pipes are clear and there is no blockage present. However, if you notice that it takes a while for the water to go down the lines, even if you’re just washing your hands, you should be on alert as there might be a small pipe clog.  

Clogged pipes are easier to treat than drainage fields as it’s where the in-depth process happens. But, before you conclude the error in your septic tank, you should call a professional for proper inspection.  

3. Pipe Noises 

If you hear any gurgling sounds when opening faucets and flushing something down the toilet, it could be a sign that there’s something faulty with your septic tank, and you need to have it inspected right away.  

The gurgling sound from your pipes can indicate that your septic tank is full, and you need to have it pumped for proper flow. To prevent this from happening, try to reduce the solid waste you throw in your sink to avoid filling it fast and clogging the pipes. If you must throw out food waste in the sink, you could use a sink grinder so it’ll not be going down the drain in huge chunks.  

Emptying household septic tank. Cleaning sludge from septic system.

4. Developing Odors 

No one likes a foul-smelling home as it’ll not put anyone in a great mood. Before the foul odor reaches your home, you should try to inspect the location of your septic tank once in a while and try to see if it’s releasing any foul odors. Ideally, you should identify this first before the scent reaches your home, which can provide a handful of inconvenience for everyone.  

If you smell even just a hint of foul odor, you should immediately call a professional and have your septic tank inspected so you could prevent any future massive repair that can be inconvenient and expensive at the same time.  

Conclusion  

Having a septic tank would help treat your water wastes effectively, and every household should have one. While it provides plenty of benefits, you should always be on the lookout, especially if you’re noticing any developing signs of faultiness and you need to have it inspected right away.  

Whenever you notice that there’s something wrong with your septic tank, always call a professional so they could make a proper inspection. Along with this, you shouldn’t forget that proper maintenance is the key to avoid damages to your septic tank.  

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