Your septic tank is a buried, water-tight container. It holds wastewater long enough for solid waste to settle down to the bottom, forming sludge. Oil and grease floats to the top, forming a layer called scum.

Bacteria living in your septic tank break down the solid waste. They also produce gases that escape through a vent pipe in the roof. These gases smell like sewage and can enter your home. Contact Septic Tank Armadale now!

The wastewater that comes from your home’s drains travels to a septic tank. The tank holds liquid waste while solids go to a buried drain field. Solids that aren’t removed can cause your home to smell and back up. To keep your septic system working properly, you should routinely get your septic tank emptied and have the system checked out.

A healthy population of bacteria in the septic tank breaks down and digests organic waste. This process is called aeration. At the same time, it also helps prevent sludge and scum from leaving the tank with the wastewater. Septic tanks have special compartments for oils and grease that float on top, along with a layer of solids less dense than water known as scum. Special compartments and the septic tank outlet prevent these layers from leaving with the wastewater. The clear liquid that remains is called effluent or wastewater.

Once the wastewater leaves your septic tank, it flows through perforated pipes to an absorption field or drain field. The drain field is a series of buried perforated pipes in gravel trenches. The wastewater seeps into the soil, where it is absorbed and filtered by the grass above. The soil in the drain field also naturally neutralizes the disease-causing germs in sewage.

If you flush items that aren’t septic safe, like cigarette butts or tampons, they can clog the inlet or septic tank outlet filter. The same is true for other non-biodegradable materials. These can clog your toilets or even force the sewage out of your septic tank and into the drainfield.

The inlet and outlet tees in your septic tank extend below the scum layer. When you flush your toilets or run water in your house, hydraulic pressure forces the wastewater up and out through these tees and into the absorption field. These tees also help keep the solids in your septic tank and prevent them from entering your absorption field, where they can clog and reduce the efficiency of the drainage system.

Sludge

More than one in five households use septic tank-soil absorption systems to treat wastewater, rather than centralized public sewer systems. Using a combination of natural and technological processes, the septic system filters, treats and disperses the wastewater generated by household plumbing. The septic tank removes solids from the wastewater, allowing the heavier ones to settle to the bottom and undergo bacterial digestion, while oil and grease float to the top as scum. Solids and scum move through the tank to the septic system drainfield, where the remaining liquid wastewater (effluent) soaks into the soil.

A septic tank is a buried, water-tight container that houses the waste from your home. It has a compartment for the scum layer and another for the sludge layer, plus a T-shaped outlet that prevents these materials from leaving the tank and traveling to the septic system drainfield.

Heavier solids in the sludge layer sink to the bottom of the septic tank and form a mud-like sludge. Grease and oil float to the top of the scum layer, which also thickens over time. The septic tank’s inlet and outlet tees extend below the sludge layer and scum layer. This ensures that the sludge and scum layers remain in the septic tank, instead of entering your septic system’s absorption field where they could clog the pipe network or reduce the efficiency of the soil treatment process.

When the sludge mixes with the wastewater, microorganisms break down the chemicals and release gases. This reduces the toxicity of the sludge and helps to make it less dense. It also helps the sludge dissolve more easily in the liquid portion of the tank, so it doesn’t have to be removed.

It’s important to avoid putting non-biodegradable substances into your septic tank, drainfield or garbage disposal, because they can interfere with the bacteria that break down sewage and other organic matter. Non-biodegradable substances can also build up in the septic tank, causing it to overflow.

To prevent overflow, you need to have your septic tank pumped regularly. How often depends on the size of your septic tank and how much the household uses it, but the general rule is to have it pumped every three to five years, or when the sludge level reaches two-thirds of the height of the water in the tank. The longer you wait between pumpings, the more solids will build up in the septic tank and the drainfield, leading to a costly system repair.

Scum

If you live on a rural property, chances are you use a septic system instead of a municipal sewer line. This means that your home goes through a more involved process to get rid of its waste—and it’s up to you to keep the septic system working properly.

A septic tank is a large underground watertight container used to collect wastewater from a house. It’s a type of simple onsite sewage facility (OSSF). It has compartments and a T-shaped outlet to prevent sludge from leaving the tank. The septic tank is also connected to your drain field with a network of perforated pipes.

When septic tanks go bad, it can lead to a variety of problems, from sewage backups in your shower and bathtub to groundwater contamination. However, there are a few things you can do to avoid septic system disasters.

Keeping grease out of your septic system is the best way to protect it from clogs. Instead of pouring fats, oils, and grease down the drain, save them in a can or trash can to throw away with your regular garbage. It’s also important to wash your clothes and dishes in hot or warm water to help the septic system break down the waste.

It’s a good idea to clean out your toilet traps regularly to prevent clogs as well. Be sure to wipe the seat thoroughly to remove any excess soap scum, and don’t flush items that aren’t supposed to be in your septic tank or sewer system, like disposable diapers, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, latex gloves, or prescription drugs.

It’s also a good idea to check the condition of your septic tank baffles frequently. If they’re damaged, they could snag on your septic tank inlet pipe and cause your septic tank to overflow. Always avoid entering a septic tank; instead, any work should be done from the outside through sanitary tees or baffle inspection ports. This will ensure that the septic tank is safe and that no dangerous materials are being released into your home. In addition, it’s always a good idea to install an alarm that will alert you if there are problems with your septic tank.

Pumping

Septic tanks need regular maintenance to work properly. They need to be pumped and inspected at least every three years or sooner depending on the size of the tank, how many people live in the home, and their habits. Keeping the tank clean will help ensure that your system runs smoothly without any issues or damage to your absorption field, drain pipes, or your home.

During the septic tank pumping process, professionals will remove all solid waste from your tank using large equipment. They will also check your septic tank baffles for any signs of damage or wear. If the baffles are in good shape, they can prevent scum and sludge from exiting your septic tank into your drain field, where it can clog your absorption fields and cause wastewater to back up into your home.

Once the solid waste is removed from your septic tank, a professional will use a muckrake to break up any remaining sludge or scum layers in the tank so it can be pumped out easier. This step is not a pleasant or smelly job but it’s one that needs to be done regularly. Keeping your septic tank well maintained will extend its life. If you treat it with respect, your septic tank could last 25 years before needing to be pumped again.

If you suspect your septic tank is overflowing, it’s time to call for service. The septic experts at Priority Pumping will assess the situation, determine if it’s due for a pumping, and schedule the service. Before the septic tank pumping process starts, you’ll need to clear the area around your septic tank and make sure the access lid is open. This will be much faster if you’ve already cut back any weeds or branches that block the tank or cover.

Once the septic tank is pumped, your septic tank service provider will replace the lid and make sure everything is secure before they leave. If you’re able to assist with getting the hose into the tank, or helping with the pumping itself, this will make the job go even more quickly and smoothly for the team.