In decades past the septic tank was simply comprised of a big large open cast concrete receptacle, or even housed only by a simple large masonry lined hole. You could just about safely say the septic system really wasn’t much more than just a temporary holding tank of sewage and wastewater. Some older septic tanks made of cement blocks were definitely not very structurally sound at all. It wasn’t uncommon to see these old tanks completely drain themselves. This was not good for anyone’s walletbook. Thankfully, things have changed and now the septic tank is a modern day miracle for anyone who needs one.
So what can you do to make sure your septic tank is working the best it can for you? The first thing you need to realize is that septic tank cleaning isn’t something you can do by hand. Nowadays, all of the pumping that goes on within a septic tank is done using special pumping equipment. As you can imagine this makes things a little bit easier and also helps to avoid some of the more common problems associated with manual septic tank cleaning.
What happens during septic tank cleaning is that professional pumping equipment is basically pumped into the tank in order to get rid of all of the waste water and sludge that has accumulated in there over the years. Once this waste water and sludge is pumped out, the remaining liquid is then pumped back into the tank to keep it stocked once again. In a typical septic system, this is performed approximately four times per year. The reason that pumping is done so often is to avoid any sort of clogging in the pipes which could lead to not only a slower but a long term decline in your water flow, and in some worst case cases, an overflow of the tank which would require extensive repairs.
One of the most common problems that can occur is that bacteria can begin to grow in the pipes that are needed to fill the tank. This means that not only does the water need to be pumped out of the tank, but also that the bacteria will start to multiply and infect the surrounding areas of the pipes. As you can imagine this can prove to be quite a problem as the more bacteria that grow inside the pipes, the more difficult it is to stop them dead in their tracks. As a result, it is very important that you make sure that your septic tanks need to be cleaned on a regular basis.
When you have a septic tank cleaning company come out and give your tank a thorough clean, they will first remove all of the solids that are stuck to the inside and outside of the pipes. Next, they will flush out the wastewater in a drain field to remove any solids that may have become trapped there over time. After this, the pipes will then be cleaned using high pressure hot water and disinfectants. Finally, any areas that aren’t being cleaned will be treated with either biocides or drain cleaner.
It is extremely important that after your septic tank cleaning process has been done, the area where the solids settled after the cleaning process is scrubbed properly. Any solids that are left behind will actually start to pollute the groundwater. In addition, if you do not properly treat the solids in your tank they can start to decompose and attract other microorganisms that can harm both the quality and the health of the water that runs through your pipes. After you have taken the necessary steps to properly care for your tanks, it is a good idea to allow your tank to sit and mature before you start using it again.
