Septic tank maintenance can be approached in several different ways. This article will address some general procedures that will help a home owner with some key information and also assist in the scheduling of maintenance in order to keep a septic tank system running healthy and giving the home owner years of service cost effective service.
A typical septic tank system and drain field is designed to work by a means called digestion. This process is accomplished with the help of a natural occurring bacteria and enzyme produced by the human body.
Septic tank maintenance can be as easy a dropping and flushing a bag of enriched bacterial enzyme into the toilet every month or so for the purpose of restoring the coli form of bacteria that dies off from the use of anti bacterial products and caustic additives we use on a day to day basis. Over use of anti bacterial and phosphorous products kill off the good bacteria enzyme that digest the solids, scum and sludge that are a product of household waste. The bacteria enzymes break down solid organic sludge matter into effluent that are then gravity fed into the septic tank drain field where the digested effluent is leached into the ground filtering through the soil back into our water table becoming drinkable, potable water.
There are several different types and sizes of tanks and systems on the market today. It is important for a home owner to know the difference and be aware of the system that they have. Most systems are typically made of concrete and range in size between 1000 and 1500 gallon in capacity. These systems require pumping every 3 to 4 years or so depending on the number of people living in the home and the amount of usage the system handles. You can expect to pay in the range of $150.00 to $900.00 in parts of the beautiful state of Colorado. The pump price is usually determined by accessibility, access to your septic tank clean out lid and the fee that the septic tank pumping company is required to pay for the dumping of the septic waste material.
Warning: Doing it yourself does not replace the qualifications of a professional inspection and cleaning. Ensure the pumper does a complete inspection on the system, checking for cracks in the lid and tank. Ensure that he inspects the septic tank baffle for lost or damage. Inspecting your septic tank system and performing septic tank maintenance on a regular basis is the key to a long lasting septic tank and years of healthy service.