Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind? Why That's Not A Good Idea When It Comes To Your Septic System

If you've got a septic system, the old adage "out of sight, out of mind," doesn't apply. In fact, adhering to that adage could actually create some serious problems for you. When you have a septic system, the worst thing you can do is forget about it. Even if it's working perfectly fine right now, there could be issues below the surface that are just waiting for the right opportunity to wreak havoc on your home. The best way to protect your home and your septic system is to have it serviced about once every three to five years, depending on the number of bedrooms in your home, and the number of people in your family. In addition to keeping foul odors away, and preventing stubborn clogs, here are two other reasons you should have your septic pumped before it overflows:

Keeps the Crust Away

You might not realize this, but each time you flush the toilet, solid waste sinks to the bottom of the septic tank, while all the liquid remains at the top. Over time, the bottom of the tank fills with all the solid waste from your home. When you have the tank pumped, the solid waste is removed. However, if you wait too long between service calls, the solid waste develops a hard pack at the bottom of the tank. Wait much longer, and a hard, crusty shell develops over the top of the solid waste. Once the crusty shell develops, ordinary pumping won't remove the waste. You'll need to have the tank pumped several times to loosen up the crust and remove the waste. In some instances, the crust becomes so hard that special tools need to be used to loosen it up. All this extra work adds extra expense to the cost of servicing your tank. You can save time and money by having your tank pumped before the crusty shell forms.

Ensures the Seepage Pit is Working Properly

Whenever any type of waste is flushed out of your home, either through the toilets, or the other drains, it all flows to the septic tank. The solids stay in the first tank, and all the liquids flow to the secondary tank, and then into the seepage pit. From there, all the liquid is slowly absorbed into your soil. That is, if the septic system is working properly. If your septic system hasn't been maintained properly, your seepage pit won't work right either. That means, all the liquid could build up in the seepage pit, instead of being absorbed into the soil. Eventually, you could be forced to replace your seepage pit, or worse yet, your entire septic system. Save yourself the trouble, and the expense of a new system, by having your septic tank serviced before it becomes a desperate situation.

Contact a septic tank cleaning service for more information and assistance.