How to Know When Your Septic Tank Needs Cleaning

Most homeowners focus on their house maintenance efforts with frequent repairs and cleaning. However, septic tanks are often overlooked until the problem becomes severe.

Regular cleaning and inspection of the septic tank will ensure that it processes waste for a very long time. However, poor maintenance and negligence can lead to sewer backup, blockage, etc. These problems will not only cause inconvenience to the home dwellers but can also damage the property.

To keep your sewage system healthy and functional, you need to get it cleaned at regular intervals. This will help avoid any inconveniences and will also keep your property safe.

Before you search for the “septic tank companies near me”, you need to know a few signs that point towards a septic tank that needs pumping.

1. There is a foul odor in or around your house.

As your septic tank gets full, there is no room left for the odor-causing gases, and they may escape through your toilet or sink. A mild backup can start building up, and it can cause an unpleasant odor around your drain field.

In some cases, the overflowing sewage in the drains can cause the smell to spread faster. If you notice an unpleasant smell coming from inside or outside your home, you should call a professional at the earliest and get your septic system checked.

2. You notice unusually green grass on your lawn.

If you notice that your area above your drain field has patches of green grass, this could be due to an overflowing septic tank. Water is released into the drain field to remove impurities from the tank.

If your tank is already overloaded, this can cause an excess amount of water to flow to your drain field. The water from your septic tank is a great fertilizer and could result in greener patches of grass.

Leakage in your pipeline or septic tank could also result in unusual green grass in your lawn, and you should call a professional at the earliest.

3. Your bath, flush, tub, and sink are not draining quickly.

One of the signs of a full septic tank is slow-moving drains in your sink, bath, and flush. This is often accompanied by a gurgling sound in your drains. If your tank is overloaded, that means it has no space left for any wastewater.

Sewage backup can also cause the drains to clog up, making it difficult for the water to flow through them. You will notice the signs first in the lower drains closer to your tank.

The slow movement of your drain could also arise due to some other issues with your drain pipes. In any case, this is a sign that needs immediate attention and should not be ignored at all.

4. Water gets accumulated in your lawn.

Another noticeable sign of an overflowing septic system is water pooling in your drain field or the area around your septic system. Leakages in any of the drain pipes could also result in pooling water in your lawn. To eliminate the problem, you need to get your septic system checked by a septic tank company.

5. It has been a long time since the last pumping.

Septic tanks need regular pumping and maintenance to function efficiently. On average, a septic tank will need to be cleaned once every three to five years.

However, the frequency of cleaning also depends on the number of people on the property and the wastewater being disposed of. If your septic tank has not been pumped for a long time, you need to call a septic tank company even when you don’t see any other unusual changes.

These are some of the signs that point to an overloaded septic tank that needs to be cleaned immediately. It is always advisable to get your septic tank pumped before the situation becomes severe to avoid any hazardous situation.