Understanding what is involved in septic tank pumping, it’s first important to understand what a septic system does and how it works. A septic system is an underground treatment system for household sewage. A typical septic system consists of 4 components: the pipe from the house, the septic tank, a drain field and the soil. Damage or malfunction of any of these components can cause the system to fail which can result in soil and drinking water contamination and costly repairs or replacements by the homeowner.
Contact Info:
Name: Billy Fowler
Email: [email protected]
Organization: ASAP Advanced Septic & Drainage, Inc.
Address: 5011 E Busch Blvd, Tampa, FL 33617
Phone: (813) 986-6070
4 Safety Precautions for Your Septic Tank at Home
Septic tanks usually handle waste liquid and scum daily. If a tank is filled to capacity, scum and effluent have no place to go but to back up to into toilets, sinks, and drains. To prevent this embarrassing and disgusting scenario from happening, septic tanks must be cleaned out at regularly scheduled intervals. This process is not something that can be done alone but needs a specialized device to safely remove the sludge, scum and effluent from the tank and carried to a disposal site. An additional thought is that it is a wise idea to clean a septic tank prior to a big gathering or party to avoid the overloading of sewage water into the septic system that can occur during periods of large usage.ReasonsIt is an unfortunate occurrence for a system to back up during large gatherings such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, weddings, summer barbecues or other such parties. The reason this occurs is that the tank is having trouble due to over usage, a problem that does not usually happen during normal use. The increased waste water entering the tank can't freely flow into the drain field. This can cause a blockage in the sewer line which in turn can result in the effluent backing up into the house. Oftentimes, it is not the large amount of waste water but something foreign that has been flushed down the drain that causes the obstruction. Although this could possible be handled by using a plunger to remove the clog, frequently the main problem is in the septic system itself.Using vacuum trucks, elimination of septic waste is very simple, although this should always be accomplished by a professional that is equipped to handle the job. Vacuum trucks are used to remove the effluent, scum and sludge at scheduled intervals as well as prior to big parties. It is indeed a good idea to pump the tank before a party to avoid clogging the sewer line caused by over usage; however, the best practice is to establish and maintain a regular pumping schedule to extend the life of the system. So have that party and have no sewage system problems to ruin the event!
How it works
A very basic explanation of how the system works begins with waste water leaving the house through the plumbing network inside the house to the pipe leading to the septic tank. The tank is buried underground and is usually constructed in a water tight manner of concrete, fiberglass or polyethylene. It is intended to hold the waste water long enough to allow the solids to settle to the bottom (to form sludge) and the oils to float to the top (to form scum). Some of the solid waste decomposes as well. There are compartments and a “t” shaped outlet from the septic tank that prevents the sludge and scum from leaving the tank to travel to the drain fields. Once the liquid enters the drain field, it is filtered through the several layers of soil for the final treatment by removal of harmful bacteria, viruses and nutrients.
5 Tips to Keep Your Septic System Running Clean
A septic system works as a mini sewage treatment facility mostly built on homes located on areas wherein access to local sewage system is quite difficult. While most are built to last a lifetime, improper septic tank maintenance can lead to damage and early malfunction of the septic system. Thus important points must be remembered in order to keep an effective septic tank system. The following are the most important points in proper care. Controlling water input Water input may seem to have no effect in everyday use, however too much water going down the tank may cause major problems. Overloading the tank with water may slow down the anaerobic digestion process in the system that makes effective. Overflows on the drain field or seepage field may happen that may include floating scum other than the liquids inside the tank that may further cause health and environmental problems. Periodic septic tank inspection While this may only be necessary every several years,it is important nevertheless to avoid abrupt problems occurring to the system. Depending on the capacity of the tank, periodic maintenance procedures must include inspection of the overall septic tank system. It should include checking levels of accumulated solids, floating scum and the water being discharge by the system to the drain field. Understanding the above items and applying them in everyday use may lead to more effective septic tank. Proper septic tank care may not seem important to most home owners since its functions are well hidden in the household, however if willfully neglected may lead the owner to suffer costly repairs, as well as health and environmental issues.
Maintaining a regular schedule of septic tank pumping will help keep your system running efficiently and will save you hundreds of dollars in expensive system repairs.