How Often Should A Septic Tank Be Emptied
- Posted by:
- Admin
- Tags:
- Septic tank, Tank, Wastewater, Signs, Pipes
- Posted date:
- 06-09-2022
How Often Should Septic Tank Be Emptied?
How often should a septic tank be emptied? Find out how often a septic tank should be emptied and the importance of regular emptying.
If you reside in a home that uses a septic tank, then you might be wondering about how often you need to have your septic tank emptied. Septic tanks are a critical part of many residential sewage systems.
The tanks are usually built from plastic or concrete, and they are designed to collect wastewater and sewage from your property.
Not every home has a septic tank. The tanks are commonly installed where the municipal sewer lines are not available to the property. This means that septic tank systems are usually installed in rural homes that were constructed before city sewer lines were produced in the area.
Septic tanks can only handle a certain amount of sewage; eventually, they become too full. This means that it is common for homeowners to have the question of how much they need to empty their septic tank on their minds.
The answer to this question is not always so straightforward. Below, we will analyse the common signs that can indicate that your septic tank needs to be emptied.
When Should A Septic Tank Be Emptied?
It is important that your septic tank is emptied regularly. But how exactly should it be emptied? This depends on a variety of different factors that are described below:
- The size of your septic tank, as you can imagine, a tank can only hold a specific amount of waste fluids before it is full. This means that if you have a smaller septic tank, then you will need to empty the tank more often than if you were a user of a larger septic tank.
- The number of people who are using the sewage system also has an effect on how often a septic tank should be emptied. If a sewage system is being used more regularly, then in turn, it will also need to be emptied more regularly.
- The items that are being flushed into the septic system will also have an effect on the system. Specific substances can lead to blockages being formed. At this point, the tank should be emptied.
If you want more specific details about how often you should empty your own septic tank, then you should contact your wastewater company.
The Importance of Regular Emptying
The reason why it is so important for you to empty your septic tank regularly is that if the waste is left within the tank for too long without being emptied, it can lead to blockages which can then turn into complete system failures.
The failure of a septic tank system is not only incredibly unpleasant to smell, but it will also cause damage to the environment around the tank. Not only this, but the failure of a septic tank is incredibly difficult and pricey to have fixed.
If you empty your septic tank regularly when it becomes full, you are massively reducing the risk of tank failure. This means that you are also protecting the environment around your home, saving yourself a lot of unnecessary spending, and avoiding upsetting your neighbours.
Signs That Your Septic Tank Needs to be Emptied
If you are a user of a septic tank system, then even if the tank is emptied regularly, it is very important for you to be able to spot the signs that your tank could be full.
Being able to identify these signs can help to save you a lot of stress, money and will keep your local environment safe.
Below are some signs that indicate that your septic tank is full:
Pooling Water
Once your septic tank is full, the wastewater will begin to overflow into a drainage area. If you notice that water is pooling near your septic tank, then it is likely that the tank is overflowing and needs to be emptied as soon as possible.
A Really Healthy Lawn
If the grass around your septic tank, or the drainage area, is looking greener than usual, then this can b a sign there is extra water around. Grass that is particularly green and healthy looking is a very common sign that your septic tank is overflowing and needs to be emptied.
Slow Drains
A full septic tank will usually lead to blockages forming. This means that the water will drain at a much slower pace. This slow draining will be noticeable in sinks, drains, and toilets. If you notice any slow draining, then we would recommend having your septic tank emptied as soon as possible.
Sewer Backup
The absolute worst, and most expensive way, to find out that your septic tank is completely full is if the sewers start to back up. In these situations, there is no room left in the tank, and the wastewater needs somewhere to go. Unfortunately, the only place the waste can go is inside your home. The first place to show the signs of this is the lowest drains within your home. If you notice the backup of liquid, then you need to attempt to reduce how much water you are using and get your septic tank emptied as soon as possible.
Odours
As wastewater begins to fill up your septic tank, it will slowly get closer and closer to the surface. If the tank gets backed up due to clogs, then odours can become even worse. Wastewater is mostly made up of sewage, dirty dishwater, and other waste products that are very undesirable to smell. The nasty odours that these liquids releases are not only horrible for you, but for neighbours too. If you start to notice these odours, then now is the time to have your septic tank emptied.
Pros and Cons of Septic Tanks
Pros
- The cost - A septic tank is a very affordable system for dealing with wastewater, along with very affordable installation costs. Septic tanks allow homes to process their waste completely independently away from the public sewers. This leads to huge savings on water bills.
- Durability - A well-maintained tank will very rarely need to be replaced. Tanks are usually made out of plastic and concrete; on average, they will last around 40 years.
- Environment - Septic tanks have systems that remove bacteria before the water is let out into the surrounding soil. For rural locations, septic tanks provide a key form of wastewater management.
Cons
- Maintenance - Septic tanks need to be routinely pumped to ensure that solid waste is eliminated. If a tank is not emptied, then sewage can start to back up into the home.
- Water backup - Septic lines are incredibly fragile and are likely to end up being either blocked or damaged when unsuitable items are flushed down into the toilet. Some examples of these items are feminine hygiene products or wet wipes.
- Rupturing pipes - Pipes can rupture due to accidents that occur while digging or tree roots finding their way into the pipes.
Are you looking for a Septic Tank to Be Emptied in Warrington, Macclesfield, Northwich, and Cheshire?
No job is too large or too small- from a small domestic blockage to a commercial site emergency, next time you need emergency drain unblocking in the areas of Cheshire, contact our blocked drains specialists .