Tips To Preventing And Fixing Septic Tank Flooding
Septic tank flooding is a leading cause of worries for many homeowners. An overflowing tank will often cause problems such as wastewater backup to your faucets, foul smelling drains and the need for premature septic pumping. Septic flooding can also lead to pressure buildup within the tank walls, leading to costly damage. Here is a look at several causes of septic tank flooding and how you can fix or prevent them.
Blockades
One of the leading causes of a flooded septic tank is a clogged up inlet or outlet pipe. The effluent level inside a septic tank should be at the level of the outlet pipe so that it can be discharged safely into the soakaway as more wastewater from the sewers comes in.
In some cases, foreign materials such as fats and tissue could block the outlet pipe, preventing effluent from getting discharged properly. This would lead to both the septic tank and incoming waste drainage pipework flooding. Septic tank contractors can use drainage rods to clear such blockades and prevent water backups into the home or damage to the tank.
To prevent further clogging, you should avoid putting products such as melted fat, dairy products and antifreeze or motor oil down your drains, sinks or toilets, as they can easily clog up your septic tank dip pipe.
You should also keep pesticides, preservatives, weed killers or fertilizers out of your sewers, as they affect the microbial activity responsible for the breakdown of solids in the septic tank, increasing the chances of blockages. Dishwasher tablets and washing powders containing sodium should also be used sparingly, as they can cause drainfield failure.
Physical damage
Septic flooding may also be caused from the physical damage of the receiving soakaway pipework. This is especially common in older sewer systems which use soakaway systems that are constructed using clay wear pipes which are susceptible to damage as a result of ground movements. To prevent such damage, avoid moving heavy machinery over the soakaway, and have old, degraded drainage pipes replaced with modern ones that are less susceptible to damage.
Roots of trees near your soakaway can also infiltrate and crush/block the pipes, reducing the ability of effluent from being displaced from your septic tank. A septic tank repair contractor can be called in to inspect the area around the soakaway for infiltrating roots as well as repair damaged pipework.
The two tips above can help keep your sewer system in tip-top shape and prevent septic tank flooding that would result in a wide variety of problems. For more information, contact local professionals like Claggett & Sons Inc.