Septic systems are great when properly functioning with no problems.
If that is not the case, if there are any problems at all - it is just not a pleasant experience.
In general, these systems that appear to be rather sturdy are actually somewhat sensitive and cannot withstand too much abuse before backing up or some other type of problem starts to occur.
The best way to keep such difficulties from happening as well as to keep any one of these systems running well is to avoid anything that can cause damage or blockage in the first place.
Need to Understand Septic Function Before it is possible to troubleshoot a problematic wastewater system, it is essential to know something about how it all works together.
There are a number of ways that failure can happen; while some of the reasons may seem rather obvious, others may not be quite so easy to detect.
The two main reasons are mechanical failure that results from a problem with the system and its parts or a biological problem that involves the way in which septic systems handle tank contents.
Whatever causes the problem, the results can be disastrous.
Biological Failure The way that septic and drainage systems work is through the decomposition of natural solid material; water is separated and flows out to a drain field while solid matter is reduced and remains in the tank to await periodic emptying.
For this decomposition to happen, tanks need to maintain a certain population of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, as each one serves a different purpose; in order to do the job, they must actually be alive.
Maintaining such a balance is not usually a problem with newer systems; however, the older a septic gets, the greater the chances that it can become unbalanced and the biological decomposition process stopped as a result.
An improperly balanced biological environment in the tank will cause the good bacteria to die, at which point decomposition stops.
The tank then backs up, while solids and other unfiltered water are able to get through to the drain field - and significant damage can certainly be a result of such system failure.
The main cause of biological failure in this type of wastewater system is either allowing things to enter the tank that can kill the bacteria such as chemicals or not allowing for enough aeration in the complete system that allows the 'good' bacteria that does all of the decomposition work to die.
The first cause is easy enough to remedy by ensuring nothing harmful to the system is allowed to enter it; the second cause can involve cleaning out the whole system and allowing for better aeration within the tank and pipes all the way to the drainage fields.
Mechanical Failure A mechanical failure of any septic system basically happens when something in the system itself goes wrong.
Solid material blocking filters may cause the tank to overfill or material to make its way into drainage tubes, causing blockage.
Broken or crushed drainage tubes can cause failure as well, which is why it is so important to avoid driving on a drain field, even if the ground is solid.
In addition, a drain field should not be dug close enough to large trees that roots could disturb the tubes or the drain field itself.
To prevent the above problems or any other similar ones, it is important to learn about a specific septic system by knowing what type it is, how it works, where it drains, and how to detect small problems before they become much bigger ones.
Never put things into a toilet or a disposal that could affect the biological environment in the tank or plug up a drainage tube - the repercussions could be severe.
If something just does not seem right with a septic system, it is better to call a professional to take a look and discover where the problem might be rather than ignore issues until it is too late!
If that is not the case, if there are any problems at all - it is just not a pleasant experience.
In general, these systems that appear to be rather sturdy are actually somewhat sensitive and cannot withstand too much abuse before backing up or some other type of problem starts to occur.
The best way to keep such difficulties from happening as well as to keep any one of these systems running well is to avoid anything that can cause damage or blockage in the first place.
Need to Understand Septic Function Before it is possible to troubleshoot a problematic wastewater system, it is essential to know something about how it all works together.
There are a number of ways that failure can happen; while some of the reasons may seem rather obvious, others may not be quite so easy to detect.
The two main reasons are mechanical failure that results from a problem with the system and its parts or a biological problem that involves the way in which septic systems handle tank contents.
Whatever causes the problem, the results can be disastrous.
Biological Failure The way that septic and drainage systems work is through the decomposition of natural solid material; water is separated and flows out to a drain field while solid matter is reduced and remains in the tank to await periodic emptying.
For this decomposition to happen, tanks need to maintain a certain population of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, as each one serves a different purpose; in order to do the job, they must actually be alive.
Maintaining such a balance is not usually a problem with newer systems; however, the older a septic gets, the greater the chances that it can become unbalanced and the biological decomposition process stopped as a result.
An improperly balanced biological environment in the tank will cause the good bacteria to die, at which point decomposition stops.
The tank then backs up, while solids and other unfiltered water are able to get through to the drain field - and significant damage can certainly be a result of such system failure.
The main cause of biological failure in this type of wastewater system is either allowing things to enter the tank that can kill the bacteria such as chemicals or not allowing for enough aeration in the complete system that allows the 'good' bacteria that does all of the decomposition work to die.
The first cause is easy enough to remedy by ensuring nothing harmful to the system is allowed to enter it; the second cause can involve cleaning out the whole system and allowing for better aeration within the tank and pipes all the way to the drainage fields.
Mechanical Failure A mechanical failure of any septic system basically happens when something in the system itself goes wrong.
Solid material blocking filters may cause the tank to overfill or material to make its way into drainage tubes, causing blockage.
Broken or crushed drainage tubes can cause failure as well, which is why it is so important to avoid driving on a drain field, even if the ground is solid.
In addition, a drain field should not be dug close enough to large trees that roots could disturb the tubes or the drain field itself.
To prevent the above problems or any other similar ones, it is important to learn about a specific septic system by knowing what type it is, how it works, where it drains, and how to detect small problems before they become much bigger ones.
Never put things into a toilet or a disposal that could affect the biological environment in the tank or plug up a drainage tube - the repercussions could be severe.
If something just does not seem right with a septic system, it is better to call a professional to take a look and discover where the problem might be rather than ignore issues until it is too late!