Septic System Mistakes To Avoid

Three Real Septic Tank Emergencies

by Melinda Crawford

If you have a septic system in your home, then there are some septic tank malfunctions that you should treat as emergencies and solve immediately they show up. Here are three examples of septic tank emergencies:

Overflowing Toilets

How long can you stay with an overflowing toilet? No one can stay with an overflowing toilet; in fact, the minimum time you should spend with such an emergency should be the time it takes you to call an emergency plumber and the time it takes for them to arrive and fix the issue. This is because if you delay, you will not be able to use your toilet, your house will be chock-full of foul odor, and the effluent may spread in your house and create a health hazard.

If you have a septic plumbing system in the house, there are two main reasons your toilet may overflow. First, the toilet may overflow if the septic tank is filled beyond its capacity, causing the effluent to back up to the house. Secondly, a toilet overflow may also occur if the drains are clogged (for example with a toy).

Septic Waste in the Yard

You also have a septic emergency on your hands if you have septic wastes flowing in your septic drain filed or your yard. Such an emergency may crop up if the septic drain field has failed and can no longer handle the wastewater it is receiving. It can also occur if the septic tank is damaged (for example, due to corrosion) and is leaking waste in other areas other than the normal outlets. Lastly, septic wastewater can also flood your yard if the tank is filled beyond its capacity or the outlets are blocked. Whatever the cause of wastewater in your yard, it is a health hazard that you need to deal with immediately because the wastewater is chock-full with dangerous microorganisms.

Septic System Alarm

Lastly, you also have a septic emergency on your hands if your septic system alarm has gone off. Here are some of the reasons your septic system alarm may sound:

  • The system is receiving more water than it can handle
  • There is a leak on your septic system and ground water may be entering the system
  • There is a malfunction in one of the septic system components; maybe the pump or timer is not working

The level of danger depends on the cause of the alarm, which you cannot know before getting a professional diagnosis. Contact a company, like Chuck Keene Septic Tank Pumping Service, for more help.

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