Clean Your Septic Tank Before the Party!

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Septic tanks usually handle waste liquid and scum daily.
If a tank is filled to capacity, scum and effluent have no place to go but to back up to into toilets, sinks, and drains.
To prevent this embarrassing and disgusting scenario from happening, septic tanks must be cleaned out at regularly scheduled intervals.
This process is not something that can be done alone but needs a specialized device to safely remove the sludge, scum and effluent from the tank and carried to a disposal site.
An additional thought is that it is a wise idea to clean a septic tank prior to a big gathering or party to avoid the overloading of sewage water into the septic system that can occur during periods of large usage.
Reasons It is an unfortunate occurrence for a system to back up during large gatherings such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, weddings, summer barbecues or other such parties.
The reason this occurs is that the tank is having trouble due to over usage, a problem that does not usually happen during normal use.
The increased waste water entering the tank can't freely flow into the drain field.
This can cause a blockage in the sewer line which in turn can result in the effluent backing up into the house.
Oftentimes, it is not the large amount of waste water but something foreign that has been flushed down the drain that causes the obstruction.
Although this could possible be handled by using a plunger to remove the clog, frequently the main problem is in the septic system itself.
Prevention Guidelines Here are few simple measures to avoiding wastewater back-up during a period of heavy usage:
  • Prior Cleaning - When it is anticipated that many people will be using the showers, toilets, and sinks within a short period of time, it is safe to assume that there will be a resulting high volume of waste water.
    Such an accumulation could cause flooding of the drain field which could potentially result in the backing up of waste.
    Therefore, it is a wise choice to pump the tank prior to any such event to provide extra space to handle the sudden increase of waste volume.
  • Decrease Usage - Immediately prior to the large event, refrain from using excessive water to help decrease the effect of having had the tank cleaned.
  • Clean Regularly - It is always important to establish and maintain a regular pumping schedule.
Pumping Frequency When the tank is filled with scum and other waste liquid, a heavy slimy deposit will settle at the bottom.
Floatable solids such as grease, oil, and human waste combine together; when this material thickens, the inlets can become blocked and cause sewage and other debris to back flow.
In order to remedy such a problem and make the septic system function properly, the system should be pumped at regular intervals, at least every 3 to 5 years.
In addition, frequent pumping should be done in anticipation of heavy usage such as a party when there will be many people using the drain.
Using vacuum trucks, elimination of septic waste is very simple, although this should always be accomplished by a professional that is equipped to handle the job.
Vacuum trucks are used to remove the effluent, scum and sludge at scheduled intervals as well as prior to big parties.
It is indeed a good idea to pump the tank before a party to avoid clogging the sewer line caused by over usage; however, the best practice is to establish and maintain a regular pumping schedule to extend the life of the system.
So have that party and have no sewage system problems to ruin the event!
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