4 Signs Your Septic Tank Needs To Be Cleaned

Many people that live in rural areas may find that they need to have a personal sewer system installed into their home. This system is called a septic system, and it requires a bit of maintenance on your behalf. Generally speaking, the tank should be emptied and cleaned once every 3 to 5 years. However, you might find that situations arise in which you need to have your tank cleaned and emptied before this time. There are a number of warning signs that indicate it's time for you to have your septic system cleaned.

Pooling Water

Pooling water can happen anywhere on your lawn if you have a septic tank, but you should be particularly attentive to 2 areas. First, check your drain field and second, look at where the tank itself is located. If your septic system is working properly, all of the sewage and wastewater will remain underground – out of sight and out of mind. However, if the tank or system is backed up, that water will find a way to make itself above ground, giving your lawn a flooded appearance. Not only is this unsightly, but you will also find that it smells particularly bad. If you notice pooling water, contact a septic tank cleaning service right away.

Foul Odor

Most people assume that the only wastewater that goes into your septic tank is from your toilet. This is not the case. Wastewater includes water from all of your drains. That means that you should be attentive to any foul smelling odors that are emitted from both your bathroom and kitchen. Generally speaking, if your bathroom or kitchen has a strong odor that is akin to rotten eggs, there is probably something running afoul in your septic system. Foul odors are a strong indication that your septic system isn't draining properly, either due to the fact that it's starting to overfill or due to clogs in the pipes.

Slow Drains

If drains in your home are moving particularly slow, this is also a sign that your sewage system is probably a bit backed up and your septic tank is having some issues and demands a good pump and cleaning. On most occasions, slow drains are merely caused by a clog, but if you have used commercial clog removing solutions and you find that your drains are still operating quite slow, you might want to consider the possibility that your septic tank is backed up and you need to have it pumped. 

Drain Field Grass

When your sewage system is operating perfectly fine, you will find that during the summer and spring months the grass above the drain field is a bit more brown that the surrounding grass. This means that the septic tank is doing its job draining water properly and that your septic tank is in good health.

However, if you notice that the grass in the drain field area is as green or greener than the surrounding lawn, you might want to consider checking on the status of your septic tank. Bright, healthy grass means that the water is not being properly drained and might be indicative of problems with your septic tank.

Septic systems are generally very reliable. However, they demand maintenance in order to ensure that they don't do damage to your home or your surrounding yard. Hopefully, this brief article has given you some idea of how to take care of your sewage system. If you need more information on how to care for your septic system, contact a company that deals in septic tank pumping or go to sites like this one. 


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