Have you recently moved into a home
with a septic system? Has your septic system started to give off
strange odors? Whether you're pretty sure you have a problem or
whether you want to avoid signs of failure, educating yourself about
septic systems is the first step to take.
Here are six signs you could be
damaging your septic system unintentionally.
1. You Don't Know Where System
Components Are Buried
Did you know that some outdoor
activities can damage your septic system if you're not careful?
Whether that means installing a deck, parking your RV behind your
home, or just using a riding lawnmower, you could easily damage some
components of your septic system if you don't know where they're
buried.
Check your county's records for a
diagram of your septic system so you can avoid driving or building on
it.
2. You've Been Using the System Like
a City Sewer
You shouldn't avoid buying a home just
because it's on a septic system rather than a sewer. But you also
shouldn't ignore the different needs of the systems and simply use
the septic system as though it were a sewer. If you don't have
experience with septic systems and haven't done your basic homework
on what makes them tick, you could easily cause problems by mistake.
One easy mistake to make is simply
using water without thinking about how much is going down the drains.
A septic system has a certain capacity and can only process a certain
amount of water per hour.
If you save up all your family's
laundry for over a week and then wash it all at once, you could
overwhelm the system. You may not even realize you've overwhelmed
your system until the leach field slows down and starts to smell bad.
3. You're Growing Trees in Your Yard
Trees can be highly beneficial; they
may help shade your home from hot midday sun and provide habitats for
birds and other wildlife on your property. Some can even produce
edible fruit. But if you have a small or medium-sized backyard,
finding a non-objectionable placement for a tree can be tricky.
If you do have any trees in your yard,
their roots can pose a threat to underground structures such as your
septic system. The trees' roots are actually attracted to the system
because they seek out sources of water. When they find their way into
a pipe, they can cause leaks and clogs.
4. Your House Has Had Recent
Renovations
A past owner of your home may have
added on to the house without increasing the septic system capacity
accordingly. This could allow your larger family to move in without
realizing that your septic tank is going to be overtaxed the entire
time you live there.
Another potential problem is if you or
a past owner renovate an unfinished space (like a basement) into a
bedroom. An additional person in the house could put additional
strain on your system.
5. You're Overusing Strong Cleaners
The more antibacterial soaps,
disinfectant cleaners, and other strong chemicals you put down your
drains, the more likely you are to accidentally damage the biological
balance of your bacteria. Whether you use a lot of bleach to sanitize
your laundry or whether you just use antibacterial hand soap and
automatic toilet cleaners, chemicals can harm your system.
6. Your System Has Started to Act Up
Finally, you should definitely be
concerned about your septic system if it's recently started to act
up. A septic system that experiences sewage backup or bad smells
could have a simple clog in the sewer line or it could be
experiencing a complete drainfield failure.
Some causes of septic failure (such as
a saturated leach field from too much rain) are beyond your control,
but others (such as flushing chemicals down the drain) could
definitely be due to neglect or misuse, whether short-term or
long-term.
If any of these red flags sound
familiar, you may have inadvertently damaged or neglected your septic
system. To get it working again promptly, enlist the help of Pete's
Outflow Technicians. We can clean out your septic tank, remove
clogs from the main sewer line, and more.
