What to do when your septic overflows

What to do when your septic overflows? This is the topic of this article. We will briefly discuss what the primary causes of septic overflow can be caused by and the most common remedies.

There are some homeowners who take things seriously when it comes to caring for their home. They really spend time, money, and effort just to acquire the best items and services to make their homes durable and safe to live in. But there will always be times when things won’t go as planned especially when it concerns your septic systems. One of the most common problems concerning septic systems is overflow. Do you know what to do when your septic overflows?

Your septic system is the wastewater treatment component that’s installed in your property. It is comprised of the septic tank and the drain field. The septic tank is the immediate receptacle and primary treatment of the produced wastewater from your home. Here, the solid particles are separated from the liquid effluent. The drain field then receives the clear effluent to purify it before it’s released to the surrounding environment and water systems.

It becomes evident that the septic system overflows because of so many factors. The most common reason is heavy rainfall. During heavy rains, the septic system drastically takes in a lot of water especially when the rain gutter is directed to drain over the septic area. There may also be times when heavy laundry may be done in only one day a week or every two weeks. This increases the water load beyond normal levels when there is no dry well that’s why the septic overflows. To remedy this problem, you have to wait for the rains to stop and then ask your septic expert to pump the tank out. You could even ask your septic expert to help you install the dry well to collect the grey water.

Leaks could also be a cause of septic overflow. These leaks may be caused by deterioration and crushing brought about by construction and vehicles placed over the septic. There are instances when leaks aren’t attended to immediately. The septic water that comes out of these leaks, an overflow takes place. If you feel that there are leaks somewhere in the system, just call your septic expert to inspect and repair them at the soonest.

An overflow is also brought about by the wrong use of the system. There are some owners that treat the drains, toilets, and sinks like trash bins without thinking that the napkins, paints, diapers, harsh chemicals, and grease can block the system. These substances cannot be broken down by the resident bacteria in the septic so they should not be dumped into the system. Harsh chemicals also kill off the resident bacteria, both anaerobic and aerobic ones. The anaerobic bacteria are found in the septic tank and the aerobic bacteria are found in the drain field. Change what you’re using to bacteria-friendly or environment-friendly cleaners.

Trees and other hardwood plants also cause septic overflow. You should immediately have these plants removed and replanted away from the septic area. Hardwood roots penetrate, clog, and damage the septic components. The wastewater escapes the pipe lines and the tank itself, thus causing an overflow.

There are many treatments that are manufactured these days. These products aim to help make the functioning of the septic more efficient. The best septic treatments that you could talk to your septic expert about are biological treatments that use enzymes or non-pathogenic bacteria that accelerate the breakdown of solid waste materials. But not all people agree with what these products can do. There are experts who present studies that show how mere human wastes would be sufficient enough to make the wastewater treatment a lot better. But it’s really up to you as the homeowner if you would want to use biological septic treatments or not. Just talk to your septic expert to make sure that the application of the treatments would be done properly.

Remember that you could always prevent a septic overflow. Like your health, it is very important for you to think about what measures you have to undertake to minimize or even avoid repair or replacement costs for your septic.  What to do when your septic overflows? Is a question you never want to ask a professional.

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