If you live in a home with a septic system, the tank needs to be pumped and cleaned. A septic tank that is overdue for cleaning can become clogged, causing backups and the release of untreated wastewater into the environment.
You can avoid these problems by knowing the signs that your septic tank is full and needs to be pumped. This includes slow draining and unpleasant odors. Contact Septic Tank Cleaning Perth now!
When your home’s septic tank hasn’t been pumped, the liquid inside may be cloudy or even smelly. It may also start backing up into the plumbing in your home. This can be a serious problem, but it is preventable with regular septic tank cleanings. A professional septic system inspector will evaluate the contents of your septic tank before pumping it. They will check the scum and effluent levels to determine if there is a disproportionate amount of one or the other. They will also look for cracks in the tanks. A cracked septic tank could leak wastewater into the surrounding ground, which is not a good thing.
After they have examined the septic tank, the inspector will use a camera scope to inspect the drain field. They will ensure that the septic tank and drain field are located far from streams, wells and other sources of water. They will also look to make sure that there are no obstructions in the septic tank drain lines, which could lead to clogs and overflows.
The inspector will then check the septic tank lids to make sure they are secure and don’tdon’t have any cracks. They will also open the distribution box to see that it is clogged or tipped, which would cause the system to allocate waste disproportionally.
Next, they will check the sludge level in the tank using a tool called a sludge judge. The sludge layer should not cover more than 1/3 of the tank’stank’s total volume. If it does, it is time to have the septic tank pumped.
If you are planning to sell your home, it is a good idea to get the septic tank inspected and cleaned by a professional. This will help to reassure prospective buyers that the septic system is in working condition and can be used without any problems. It can also help speed up the closing process. A pre-pumping inspection is a small price to pay for the peace of mind that you will get from knowing your septic system is in good shape.
Vacuuming
When you take a shower, wash your hands or flush the toilet, all of the wastewater flows through the home’shome’s plumbing into the septic tank. Once there, solid waste sinks to the bottom and forms a sludge while liquid wastewater passes through to the septic system’ssystem’s drain field for treatment and dispersal into the soil.
The septic tank cleaner uses a large truck with a vacuum equipment to remove the sludge from your septic tank, which is typically hauled away and taken to an out-of-the-way location for disposal. During this process, the pro will also remove any solids and debris floating on top of the water. Then, the septic technician will thoroughly clean all of the internal surfaces of your tank, including the lid and bottom.
In some cases, you may need to hire a separate company to uncover the inlet and outlet of your septic tank for cleaning. If the septic tank has a dividing wall, you’llyou’ll need to have this opened as well so that both compartments can be cleaned. Some companies require that you do this before arriving, while others will do it for a fee (or not at all).
Once the septic tank has been pumped and cleaned, the septic tank is filled with freshwater to rinse the interior surfaces of the tank and remove any remaining sludge. Then the septic tank is ready to be refilled with freshwater and returned to your home’shome’s plumbing system.
Regular septic tank pumping and cleaning helps prevent the untreated sewage from overflowing into public water sources like rivers, lakes and streams, which can be detrimental to human health and wildlife habitat.
You can further reduce the risk of problems by limiting your household’shousehold’s water usage. For example, avoid taking back-to-back showers or washing loads of laundry at the same time. Instead, try to space out your water use across a few days. Additionally, do not plant trees or shrubs too close to your septic tank or drain field, as roots could grow into the pipes and cause clogs. A septic system can also be damaged by improper usage or dumping of non-biodegradable materials into the tank, such as coffee grounds, lint, feminine hygiene products and cigarette butts.
Sludge Removal
Septic tank sludge is the dark, thick layer of sewage waste that sits at the bottom of the septic tank. It takes the longest to decompose and is why it must be pumped out periodically. Septic tanks must also be inspected between cleanings to look for cracks and other damage to the tank. This is an important step in septic system maintenance.
The heaviest waste particles sink to the bottom of the septic tank and form this layer of sludge. When the liquid effluent from the house goes into the septic tank, it flows over this layer of sludge and degrades it before draining down into the drain field or soil absorption system (SAS). If a septic tank isn’tisn’t properly sized for the household, a significant amount of the wastewater will flow into the septic tank instead of down the drain line. This can lead to septic tank sludge buildup and wastewater backups in the home.
When a septic tank is pumped, the professionals use large vacuum trucks to remove the sludge from the septic tank. They insert a hose into the manhole and suction the contents of the septic tank into their truck. The septic tank sludge is then hauled away for disposal at a licensed septic sludge dump.
In rare cases, a septic tank can have such a heavy clog that the pumper’spumper’s hose won’twon’t be able to penetrate it. If you’veyou’ve been flushing non-biodegradable items like wet wipes, feminine hygiene products and sludge, this can happen. In these cases, a professional may need to use a three-prong rake to break up the sludge and get it into the truck for removal.
In the past, septic sludge was often illegally dumped in unlined and uncovered dump sites that leached raw sewage into nearby soil, groundwater and surface water. Since these sites have been banned, septic tank sludge is now usually transported to certified septic sludge disposal facilities that recycle the waste and treat it for toxicity. However, the only way to ensure that your septic sludge is disposed of safely is to have your septic tank cleaned and pumped regularly.
Rinsing
A septic tank needs a regular cleaning to keep it in good condition. If not cleaned, sludge can build up over time, making it harder for the tank to function. During the cleaning process, your professional will empty out the sludge and make sure your drain field lines are clear.
Your septic system relies on beneficial bacteria to break down waste and process fluids. However, when harsh cleaners like bleach or anti-bacterial soaps are flushed down the drain, they can kill these bacteria. Using septic tank additives that contain the right bacteria can restore healthy levels of these microbes and help your system run as it should.
Septic tank cleaning specialists use a vacuum truck and a pump to remove the solids from your septic tanks. Once the septic tank is empty, the pro will clean the tank lid and uncover its inlet and outlet tees. The tees extend from the inlet side of your tank to where the wastewater flows out into your drain field. The tees also extend to where the wastewater goes down into the soil, which is known as the absorption field or leach field.
Once the tees are clean, your septic tank is ready for its next job. During this part of the process, your septic tank cleaner will use fresh water to rinse the walls and floor of the tank and clean the filter. They may even use a water jet to give your tank a thorough cleaning.
During this step, your septic tank specialist will also check the level of liquid in your tank. They’llThey’ll look at the liquid level and the sludge depth to determine if it’sit’s time to pump again.
If you notice pools of standing water in your yard, there’sthere’s probably a problem with your septic tank or drain field. The pooling water may indicate that your septic tank has an issue with its baffles or that the septic tank is leaking. It can also be a sign that your septic tank has too much waste in it, and the sludge isn’tisn’t draining down into the absorption field. This is a dangerous situation that requires the attention of a septic tank cleaner immediately.