A septic tank is a concrete or plastic chamber underground that collects the sewage of a home for treatment. Maintaining your septic tank is just another part of general home care. Every three to four years, septic tanks need to be cleaned out to ensure your home’s plumbing works properly.
It can be hard to tell if you need to get your septic tank cleaned without knowing the signs that there’s a problem. To ensure you stay on top of any septic tank issues, here’s a list of things to watch out for.
Slow Drains
When your septic tank becomes full, there’s a greater chance that there will be clogs in your pipes. Since there’s nowhere for the water to go so, it starts draining very slowly. If your shower or sinks suddenly start to drain slowly, it’s time to call a professional for an inspection. After the inspection, they will let you know if septic tank pumping is required to fix the problem.
Foul Odors
Over time, solid sewage waste settles in your septic tank. The closer it gets to becoming full, the more odor that solid waste produces. After a while, the smell can reach the surface of your yard. So, if you smell a strong sewage smell coming from where your septic tank is, it’s a sure sign something is wrong.
Standing Water
Once a septic tank becomes full, it doesn’t let the home’s wastewater pass ahead into the sewer. That water can overflow and spring up in your yard. It’s smelly and attracts insects. If you suddenly notice standing water in your yard, call your local plumbing or septic tank experts to inspect the septic tank and diagnose the problem.
Unusually Lush Grass
We do our best to care for our lawns by spreading pesticides or fertilizer uniformly all over. The grass usually grows to be more or less the same length throughout the yard. What if there’s a spot where the grass is growing much taller? Where is it getting these extra nutrients?
Your septic tank could be overflowing. The nutrients from the wastewater can help the grass grow taller in one spot. So, if your grass is unusually lush and green close to your septic tank, that’s a clear sign it needs to be pumped.
More Rats and Insects
Rats and insects are always looking for a place to settle. A smelly septic tank is like an invitation for pests to come into your home. Since these pests are strongly attracted to the strong odor emanating from a full septic tank, you’ll notice more activity from such pests as the time to get your septic tank pumped draws near.
Sewage Backup
A critical sign that your septic tank needs attention is sewage backing up into the home. If you notice sewage water returning up your toilet or sink, then you need to call a professional right away. This situation is hazardous for your health since sewage water is full of highly contagious disease causing bacteria.
