Your septic system is integral to your home but can cause environmental issues when improperly cleaned and maintained. Untreated sewage can seep into soil and water, polluting the environment and causing health problems for people and animals.
Clogged septic systems can cause wastewater backflow, which can be expensive to repair. Regular septic tank cleaning prevents solid materials from building up in your tank and causing clogs.
Reduced Risk of Water Pollution
Septic systems are used to safely treat and dispose of wastewater from homes when centralized sewage treatment is unavailable. These wastewaters contain disease-causing germs that must be treated before contaminating our water supply or soil.
If properly designed, installed, and maintained, septic tanks and drain fields can become a pollution source. A failing septic system can lead to a toxic cocktail of chemicals that can contaminate groundwater and surface water. This pollution can also pose a health risk to humans and animals.
A well-maintained septic system is a valuable part of the local environment. Homeowners can protect this environment by reducing the waste they send into their septic systems or contacting septic cleaning Lake Villa IL, experts. Doing things like using only natural cleaning products, recycling, limiting the number of toilet flushes, not using water softeners, and avoiding sending tampons, diapers, or condoms down the toilet can help keep your septic system and the surrounding environment healthy and functioning correctly.
Reduced Risk of Disease
Over 50% of the homes in Clallam County are not connected to public sewers and rely on an on-site septic system. A failure of this type of septic system can result in untreated sewage entering the soil and contaminating groundwater and surface water. A loss also creates a health risk for children, pets, and livestock.
When a well-maintained septic tank, solid waste settles in the sludge tank, and liquid effluent flows into an absorption field. This field is a subsurface leaching area in the soil that treats the wastewater through further bacterial action and recycles it back to the groundwater supply.
Septic tanks should never be used as trash cans, and non-biodegradable household cleaners should not be poured into drains. Chemical drain openers, antibacterial soaps, chlorine bleach, methylisothiazolinone (Midol), and other corrosive and toxic cleaners will kill the bacteria in the septic tank and prevent the proper functioning of the septic system. These products will also clog the septic tank and contaminate groundwater and surface water.
Increased Property Value
Besides reducing the risk of disease, septic systems protect property value. A poorly maintained system can cause costly sewage backups and damage home plumbing, making the property less attractive to potential buyers.
Septic tanks are buried containers that store sludge and liquid waste until the soil can naturally filter them. These systems provide wastewater treatment and disposal in rural areas where centralized sewer lines are unavailable.
Regularly scheduling septic cleaning services is the best way to keep your tank in good working order. This preventative maintenance can save thousands of septic tank replacement costs and sewage cleanup bills.
Other ways to minimize the impact on your septic system are by using the toilet only for human waste and by limiting the use of non-biodegradable bathroom products like wipes, paper towels, paints, polishes and waxes, grease and oils, hair, dental floss, and cigarette butts. Also, use only biodegradable drain cleaners, and don’t flush medicine (especially antibiotics). This will help your septic system work more efficiently.
Increased Home Value
A septic system is an essential feature of any property, and buyers will take note if it is well-maintained. A septic system needing repair or replacement will lower the value of a home.
A septic tank is a watertight container where solid waste breaks down, and liquid waste is discharged into an absorption field, or drain field, of perforated pipes where the soil filters it. Without a working septic system, sewage seeps into the ground and can contaminate groundwater, surface water, and soil.
Foul odors from drains and toilets, pooling water on the lawn, gurgling noises, and slow draining are red flags of a failing septic system. Avoid putting anything in the septic system that is not human waste, and use biodegradable cleaning products, like citric acid, chlorine, or methylisothiazolinone. It is also essential to record any septic system maintenance done, which will come in handy if you decide to sell your home.