Septic system emergencies should be fairly obvious, right? A major blockage in your septic tank or drainfield can result in a mess that's difficult to miss. However, not every septic emergency will make itself known quite so obviously. In some cases, substantial problems may lurk just below the surface, waiting to create a catastrophic backup that can result in serious water damage to your home.
Recognizing the early signs of a septic tank failure can help you take quick action, potentially avoiding severe consequences for your home and further damage to your septic system. If you spot any of these three warning signs with your septic system, you should probably call a local septic system company as soon as you can.
1. Frequent Drain Clogs
Drain clogs should usually be once-and-done problems. If the drains in your home keep clogging up, even after you have a professional clean them out, you may be dealing with a major septic system emergency. Problems with your septic tank or drain field can reduce the system's efficiency by slowing the rate that effluent can drain into the environment.
These issues can masquerade as clogs because they may result in slow-running drains or even sewage backing up into your home. However, simply cleaning your drains will rarely solve the problem. Instead, you'll need a septic system expert to investigate the problem and determine if you need to clean out your tank or take additional action to get your system running freely again.
2. Sewage Odors Outside
Your septic system releases wastewater into the environment, but it does so in a way that allows the soil to naturally filter harmful pathogens. A well-maintained septic system should not produce unpleasant odors or visible wet spots. Since a correctly-sized drainfield should be able to keep up with your home's wastewater needs, you will never notice any water seeping to the surface.
If you can smell sewage outside, that's usually a good indication that your septic system requires immediate attention. Sewage odors typically mean that wastewater is bubbling up to the surface of your drainfield, which can mean that your tank isn't preventing solid waste or grease from reaching the drain tiles. Immediately addressing this issue is necessary to avoid causing further damage to your drainfield.
3. Water Near Your Septic Tank
Water and odors near your drainfield usually indicate a backup in your system or that your drainfield is no longer adequately handling your home's wastewater output. However, water near your septic tank is usually a sign of another problem: leaks. Older concrete septic tanks can often develop cracks that allow wastewater to leak into the surrounding soil and reach the surface.
A septic tank leak is an environmental concern and a risk for your septic system. In a worst-case scenario, a compromised septic tank may even break and collapse.
For more information about emergency septic tank services, contact a local company.
Share18 July 2023
Hi there, I am Wes Nelson. When I lived in my first home, I discovered the plumbing connected directly to a septic system on the land. The septic system consisted of a tank, lines and leach field that processed the waste. I had to quickly learn how the septic system worked to keep it in good shape. I had to pay close attention to the substances I sent down the drains or flushed down the toilet. I did not want to disrupt the colonies of bacteria hard at work processing the waste products. On this site, I would like to help others keep their septic system in good working order by sharing the information I discovered. Please visit again soon.
