Proper Maintenance for Your Septic Tank
Every system in your home plays an important role in helping the household run smoothly, including your septic tank. Neglecting this system can end up resulting in costly repairs. Today, septic tank replacement ranges from $3,000 to $10,000 and up, depending on the type and level of damage to your current septic system. Here are some tips about septic tank maintenance.
Septic Tank System
The septic system is composed of the tank, drain field, and the pipes leading to the tank. The septic tank is placed underground and holds all the waste products you flush down the drain. Septic tanks are usually seen in rural areas where the properties don’t have access to city sewers. If a septic tank is well taken care of, it could last for three decades of use and possibly longer.
Septic tanks collect solid materials and the wastewater that is collected in the septic tank goes into a drain field. If the drain field is not maintained, it can lead to environmental hazards like flooding and may result in sewage backup.
Importance of Septic Tank Maintenance
Since septic tanks are stored underground, without proper care, you may see problems not just in your household but also in the environment where you live. When the waste material seeps out of the septic tank and into the land, the contamination may affect the groundwater and the natural habitats of animals that live around you.
If the septic system is not regularly drained, it can also cause plumbing problems, slow drains, and unpleasant odors in your home.
Use of the Septic System
Maintaining the septic tank is not difficult. Basic common sense goes a long way in keeping this system functioning as it should. Anything that goes down your drain goes straight to the septic tank and can affect it. Do not flush trash, food products, and harmful chemicals down your drain. Harsh household cleaners can affect the balance of the tank, killing off beneficial bacteria that work to break down waste.
As a homeowner, make smart decisions about the appliances you purchase. Choose appliances that efficiently use water, like low-flow toilets. Septic tank maintenance can be costly, so preventive steps will help you avoid problems in the future.
Septic tank maintenance is important not only for economic and aesthetic reasons but, more importantly, because of the health hazards of a system in poor shape. Hire a professional company to inspect your system and pump the tank to keep your system functioning well for years to come.
AWP Home Inspections offers inspection services to West Central and Central Indiana. Contact us to request our services.