What Happens If You Don’t Pump Your Septic Tank?
If you neglect having your septic tank pumped, solid waste will quickly build up in it and reach both inlet and outlet pipes, eventually becoming clogged up and creating blockages.
As the septic system fails, its contents will enter the drain field untreated and pollute it with waste that will affect soil and groundwater contamination.
Slow Drains
Whenever your sinks, toilets or tubs take longer than normal to drain than expected, chances are there is something clogging the system somewhere – either within your septic tank itself or along a pipe connecting your house and tank. In either instance it might be wise to contact a professional to assess your septic tank’s status.
Septic tanks serve as storage spaces for all the waste generated in a home, both solid and liquid wastes, with solids clinging to the bottom of the tank while liquid wastes seep through drain fields into soil where natural filtration processes take place. If not regularly pumped out, solid waste builds up in layers which become harder and harder to remove with time; eventually this build-up turns into toxic methane gas which poses both health risks to humans as well as danger to animals.
As layers accumulate, less room will remain for waste coming from your home to escape into drains and over time this could result in backups clogging them up with what could smell like rotten eggs.
Avoid chemical drain cleaners for your septic system as these will kill off essential bacteria and enzymes that help break down waste in your system, as well as being extremely harsh on pipes.
Maintaining your septic tank regularly with us could allow you to put off needing to pump it altogether, and our technicians can offer customized maintenance schedules designed around your individual needs. Reach out now so we can get this process underway!
Foul Smells
As with the oil change for your car, septic tank pumping must be performed regularly to avoid its contents overflowing into your home, creating an unpleasant odor while backing up into drains and sewer pipes causing health risks as well as irreparable damage to the system. If left neglected, overflowing can quickly lead to overflow of sewage that will spill into drains in your household and threaten its integrity as a health hazard threatening its structure as a whole.
Septic tanks become overflowing when waste solids cannot be broken down by microbes within, leading to an acidic environment in the tank which, when filled to capacity, emits an offensive hydrogen sulfide gas that reeks like rotten eggs. To prevent this scenario from arising, never flush non-organic materials down toilet or sink drains such as cigarette ashtray wastes, coffee grounds, fats and oils from cooking, hygiene products or chemicals that contain additives; instead use baking soda once every week in each drain to maintain an ideal pH balance within your septic tank environment.
Odor problems often stem from improper ventilation of septic tanks. Pipes located on your roof must be vented out properly to the outdoors in order to keep any odors from entering your home, making homes located in valleys or forested areas particularly susceptible. Wind patterns may carry these smells down into their yards. In such instances, extending plumbing vents might help decrease their presence.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s time to contact a plumber immediately in order to assess what’s going on with your septic tank and system. Septic odors inside the house often signal overflow, although plumbing issues could also be the source. When conditions are wetter than usual, however, the odor may be more noticeable than usual.
Sewage Backups
Over time, solid waste accumulates in a septic tank and forms a layer of sludge. While bacteria should break this down to create space for new liquid waste to enter, without regular pumping this can quickly fill your system and prevent more waste entering, potentially leading to back up into your home and cause costly backup.
Sewage contamination poses a serious threat to both your home and yard. Sewage contains disease-causing bacteria, drug byproducts, fungus and other harmful organisms which should never reach into your bathroom or kitchen.
Septic tank pumps can help avoid sewage backups by pumping the contents out. Once your septic tank has been pumped out, any buildup of sludge and scum is eliminated and space is freed up for additional waste to enter your system. A professional pumping service can also inspect both your septic tank and drain field to make sure everything is working as it should be.
If your septic tank hasn’t been pumped in several years, now may be the time to do it. Your tank should be pumped at least every three to five years depending on its size and population; otherwise it could lead to slow drains, unpleasant odors and even sewage backups that pose serious threats to health and safety. There are warning signs you can watch for to determine if your septic tank needs pumping: slow drains, bad smells or backups are some examples.
Drainfield Failure
Like car engine oil, leaving your septic tank unpumped can have serious repercussions. Your septic tank connects to drain lines in your yard that lead the waste and greywater away from ground water, where it is filtered and absorbed. However, over time sludge build-up and solid waste accumulation occur within the drain field and bacteria in your septic tank are no longer able to break it down quickly enough.
If this occurs, the septic system will collapse. A telltale sign of its failure would be sewage backing up into drains; alternatively you might observe bright green grass over your drainage field or wet patches around it.
Other telltale signs of failure include strange gurgling noises from your plumbing. These noises could be air bubbles forming from blocked pipes or at the septic tank; if this is the case for you, have your septic system assessed immediately.
Notably, it is imperative that septic tanks do not become polluted with chemicals, solvents or paints as these materials can lead to physical clogs or cracking of the tank itself. Furthermore, it should only ever contain toilet paper as anything other than this could clog or fail your septic system and create serious health risks for users.
Upstate Septic Tank recommends having your septic tank pumped once every three to five years, depending on the number of building occupants and size of your system. Pumping will ensure that it remains in top working order for many years ahead. Get in touch with them now so they can set up an ongoing pumping schedule and make sure that no longer sits unattended for too long!
Water Pollution
As more households adopt septic systems, its maintenance becomes crucial to ensure they work as intended and prevent ground water contamination. A properly operating septic system treats wastewater by channeling it to a drain field where soil filters the liquid before returning it back into home plumbing – thus protecting groundwater from harmful bacteria, phosphorus and nitrogen contaminants reaching groundwater sources and polluting them further.
However, if your septic tank is not regularly pumped out, waste will begin to build up in it. Bacteria in your septic tank are designed to break down solid waste and sludge accumulations but cannot keep pace with production rates, leading to the formation of layers of sludge which force one another down and require pumping out in order to be removed from your system.
Sludge reaching the drain field through pipes can clog it and force wastewater back into your home via drain openings. Slow drains and an unpleasant sewage-like smell in your home can both indicate that your septic tank needs pumping out.
As your septic tank fills with wastewater, swampy areas may appear near its drain field and tank. These swampy spots can become sources of pollution that can contaminate their surroundings, making it unsuitable for children or animals to play safely in these spaces. Furthermore, an overflow may occur and cause major health risks to you and your family; pumping regularly saves money in cleanup costs for future emergencies.
