Avoiding Septic System Failure

As you can imagine, septic system failure is at best a messy problem, and at worst an expensive and messy problem. Avoiding septic system failure involves knowledge in two key areas: the first is understanding the most common reasons why septic systems fail, and the second is being able to recognize the signs of failure before it happens. Knowledge in these two areas will help keep your septic system in good working order and can help save you money and stress by seeing the signs before failure occurs.

Reasons for Septic System Failure:

● The system is simply too old to withstand the day-to-day pressures it is under.
● Your tank or drain field is not large enough to handle the demands placed on it.
● For one reason or another, your home uses water at a rate that the system cannot keep up with.
● The design of your septic system is lacking. The regulations on septic systems are extremely specific, but there is a surprising amount of customization that needs to be done in order to ensure that a septic system meets the needs of a specific property. If yours was poorly designed, it may be more susceptible to failure.
Common Signs that Problems are Developing in Your Septic System:
● Outside: If you notice that there are patches in your yard that are soggy, or if there is standing water where there should not be, you may have an issue with your septic system. It is also possible that you may smell sewage more prominently over or near your drain field. Another common sign is increased growth of grass and weeds in proximity to your septic system. Grass and weeds flourish in an algae-rich environment, but what’s good for grass and weeds is not necessarily good for homeowners.
● Inside: A terrible odor coming from pipes is arguably the most classic sign of septic problems, but it is not the only one. If your toilets flush slowly or if water in sinks and tubs drains slowly, you are likely seeing signs of septic system problems. Maybe the starkest example of septic system failure is sewage backing up into your home through drains or toilets.

If you and/or family members experience intestinal issues that are different than reactions to certain foods, it may be caused by contamination of your water from a failing septic system. Confirmation of it could come from the failure of a well-water test. If you have noticed any of the issues described above in your home or on your property, call Custom Septic at 763-218-4769.