A septic system is one of the most critical systems in a home that requires routine maintenance. Like any other component of your home, a well-maintained septic system can provide reliable service for many years.
Without proper septic services, you are likely to run the risk of dangerous and costly failures. A malfunctioning septic system can pose a risk to your health.
Therefore, there is a need to respond quickly to any signs of failure as this may save you money on repairs and any other negative impacts like illness and pollution.
How To Identify A Malfunctioning Septic System
When you suddenly see sewage coming out to the surface of the ground, you should first think of septic failure. A malfunctioning septic system causes untreated sewage to go where it shouldn’t.
The bad thing about sewage is that it carries pathogens and other effluents. Exposure to these contaminants can cause illness to both people and animals. Water sources and the environment in general are at risk of contamination.
Reasons For Septic System Failure
While there are many causes of septic system failure, most cases arise from inappropriate design, poor maintenance, or a combination of the two.
For soil-based, failure to perform routine maintenance can result in solids in the tank migrating into the drain field and this can cause clogging of the system.
It is therefore important to perform regular maintenance, at least every three years. Here is a comprehensive list of possible causes of septic system failure:
- Clogged pipe from the house to the tank
- Blocked inlet baffle to tank
- The clogged outlet baffle or effluent filter
- Failure of the drain field
How To Manage Septic System Issues At Home
Any sign of a malfunctioning septic system should be treated as an emergency; before contacting a septic expert, reach out to your local health department for guidance, especially in the case of a flood.
Although not advisable if you have to do it yourself, cleanup personnel should wear protective clothing to avoid contact with the sewage.
Once the cleanup is done, wash and disinfect all items used during the cleanup. Leave the area to dry out thoroughly for about 24 hours until it has been completely dry.
Ways To Prevent A Septic System Failure
While there are different ways to keep your septic system fully functional, regular maintenance is the best way to prevent system failure. Let experts inspect the entire system regularly.
Many factors determine the frequency of pumping the septic tank, ranging from the tank size, the number of people in the household, and the water habits, among other factors.
It is your responsibility as a homeowner to perform  routine maintenance on your septic system. Generally, to reduce the cases of septic system failure, you need to do the following:
- Inspecting your system regularly
- Pumping the tank as needed
- Avoiding excess water use
- Flushing only human waste down the toilet.
Conclusion
The only way to stay away from septic system failure is by performing regular septic system inspections.
Regular septic services by an expert will ensure that your system is operating properly, which translates to a healthy household. You also need to normalize routine inspections to avoid expensive repairs.
