Homes and other buildings that are located off the mains sewer network will often have a septic tank installed to deal with any wastewater emanating from the property in question. They’re always very solidly made, as they generally have a lot of work to do in the course of their working lives. That’s good, because as they’re buried underground well out of the way, they are incredibly inconvenient to get to if you need to repair or replace them.
Nevertheless, the day will eventually come when even the most solidly built septic tank needs to be upgraded – and if you’re the owner and therefore the one responsible for monitoring its condition, it’s worth knowing what the signs are that that day has arrived.
It’s worth pointing out at this stage that many of these signs will also indicate that your septic tank just needs emptying – so it’s a good idea to check when that was last done before pressing the panic button and getting the whole thing repaired or replaced.
I smell trouble…
The first and most obvious sign that your septic tank is no longer doing its job properly is a bad smell. It will be very obvious and you won’t be mistaking it for anything else, so as signs go it’s a pretty helpful if somewhat unpleasant one.
Something wicked this way comes
Probably the most serious indication that your tank isn’t doing everything it should is when your sewage starts to back up into your home. That is not only going to be deeply unpleasant but also represents a significant health hazard, so the minute something like this starts to happen, get an expert in to take a look.
Water, water, everywhere
If your tank isn’t dealing with all the wastewater flowing into it in the way it should, or if it develops a crack or a leak, then you may get puddles of water in your drain field or wherever the tank itself is buried. If there’s no other rational explanation for their presence, then you’ll need to get someone in to take a look and identify the problem.
The green green grass of home
After all the more noxious results of a broken septic tank, let’s finish with something that is at least a relatively pleasant side effect of a septic tank in need of upgrading. Because what is generally found in sewage also acts as a fertiliser, you may notice that the grass or other plants around your septic tank have suddenly started looking a lot healthier than they used to. That could be because your sewage is escaping from the tank and into your soil, and while healthier flora may be a good thing, raw sewage in your soil really isn’t, and eventually it will start to prove toxic for the land.
For all your septic tank requirements, from service, maintenance and emptying to full repairs and replacements, Wildon UK is a leading expert in Stoke-on-Trent and across Staffordshire. Call our friendly team today for further information and expert advice.
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