It is estimated that many American families use over 300 gallons of water a day in their homes, but do you know what happens to the wastewater after it leaves your home? Many people take it for granted that anything you put down the drain just disappears, but if you have a septic system, then it all ends up in your septic tank.
It’s important to understand how your septic system works and why sending solids and chemicals down the drain can impact it. This impact may lead to the need for frequent septic tank services… which no one wants.
When you purchase a home that features an on-property septic tank, the first thing you need to know is that there’s more to it than meets the eye.
This means that not only will you need to do things like have inspections and occasionally have it drained to remove sludge build up, you’ll also need to periodically replace parts, too.
Luckily for homeowners, they aren’t alone in needing to find the right solutions – and should not feel overwhelmed!
You may be wondering if septic tanks and systems are a pain to maintain, and while the answer to this isn’t straightforward, it isn’t as difficult to keep up with as you might think.
There are three things that you should know when it comes to your home’s septic system maintenance needs:
There are two different types of septic systems: an anaerobic treatment unit and an aerobic – or aerator – septic system. Even though the function of both systems is the same, they work just a little differently. In turn, this means that they need to be serviced and maintained in slightly different ways, too.
An aerobic septic system features a septic tank motor, which introduces air into the system to aid in the breakdown of present bacteria. This motor functions often, agitating the water and encouraging the solids in it to move around, exposing them to the air. This helps in a variety of ways, including:
An anaerobic septic system is a “traditional” septic system, and does not rely on oxygenated water to process and break down the contents of the tank. Instead of a motor, this type of tank is typically only one chamber. It works simply, the process explained below.
As mentioned before, the best way to maintain your system is by understanding how it functions and what it needs. This is made difficult, however, because in most cases, the entire system is underground, and cannot be easily viewed.
Sure, there are some parts of a septic system that are visible in some cases, like septic tank lids and covers, or even the pumps, but this isn’t where the problems always occur. Yes, as time passes, you’ll need to replace these items, but for most septic systems, common septic tank services need to be performed on the parts of the systems that you cannot see.
In order to ensure that this is done properly, only trust reputable septic service providers to perform the repairs and maintenance, as well as to make recommendations about what you may need.
As a part of your home, the septic system is responsible for a very important task: keeping wastewater flowing from the home in an efficient and safe manner. The average homeowner won’t be able to take care of it in the same way that they can other home systems like pipes or wiring, even when they know as much as possible about it.
It’s a good idea to be educated on the way that the septic system works, as well as why different parts like septic aerators, septic tank lids, septic pumps and even the how bacterial colonies that septic tank treatments can introduce work, but it’s an even better idea to leave the upkeep to professionals.
While it is possible to feel confident adding a septic tank treatment to your system without the supervision of a septic services professional, maintaining a septic system properly involves many different steps, and the advice of those with experience.
To learn more about septic tank treatments like Fresh Lemon Blue, visit our septic tank treatment page and take the first step toward better home septic tank maintenance.