Getting to Know your Septic System
Everything you dump down a drain or flush down the toilets has to go somewhere! It isn’t just disappearing, we promise. Usually, it goes into the sewer system, however, if you are not connected to the municipal sewage system, it is probably being dumped into a septic system. A septic system is used for the small-scale treatment and disposal of water waste. It is usually composed of piping, a septic tank, and a drainage field.
What can go wrong?
Unfortunately, when something does go wrong with a septic system, things are going to get unpleasant quickly. After water waste flows through the septic tank, it moves into the drain field where it filters through soil and sediment. Excessive rainfall can cause the soil and sediment fields to be unable to absorb additional liquid, leading to a foul flood. If this happens repeatedly, you may need an engineer to redesign your septic system.
Slow draining or back flowing water can be signs of a partial clog in the main drain pipe. You can attempt to clear the clog using a plumbing snake or a commercial drain cleaner. If the situation does not improve, you should contact a professional plumber as soon as possible. Clogs are not going to get better on their own. In fact, they could get much worse very quickly, which could cause damage to the entire system. The last thing you want is to have a pipe rupture. A flood of foul water would ruin anyone’s day.
If you have a stubborn clog in your septic system, contact Parker & Sons today for a free estimate and diagnosis.