What Can A Septic Service Do For You?

Unless you have access to city sewer on your street, you will rely upon your home's very own sewage treatment system — the septic system. However, it is essential that you understand how it works and how it needs to be best taken care of for optimal performance. Here are some recommendations you should take to keep your septic system working as it should.

Have the Tank Serviced and Inspected Periodically

One of the first rules of having a home system or appliance is to have it inspected by a professional to make sure it is functioning properly. Your home septic system consists of a tank and a drain field. The tank is designed to collect wastewater from your home as the sludge settles to the bottom of the tank. As time passes, a healthy tank contains beneficial bacteria that breaks down the sludge to keep it from building up too much. 

Hire a septic professional to check the layer of sludge and scum inside your tank every few years. The more waste you put into your septic system, the more frequently you'll need to service it, especially if the tank is a smaller-sized tank. 

And if your tank is cracked, waste fluid is going to leak out of the tank along with sludge and beneficial bacteria. This can cause your tank to not stay at the best levels of fluids and solids, thus making it out of balance. So when you have your septic system maintained, you should also ask the professional to take a good look at the interior of the tank to make sure it is still sound. They will need to drain the tank to do so, but it will ensure your system is flowing well.

Take Care of Your System

The drain field of your system is an important part as it allows a constant flow of drainage fluids from your septic tank. If your drain field becomes clogged, broken, or damaged from any number of issues, it will incapacitate your system and your home will experience sewer backups into your home. Watch what you use for the ground above where your drain field is located. Don't park or drive vehicles upon it or pave over it with asphalt or concrete. If you ever need to complete drain field repairs, you will need to be able to access and excavate the site. 

Plant only shallow root plants, such as lawn, grasses, and ornamental flowers. Keep your trees far from the drain field site, because tree roots can damage your drain field pipes and lead to a system failure. 

For more information about septic services, contact a company like Autry's Backhoe & Septic Service.