The key to preventing costly and timely repairs with your septic system is catching problems sooner rather than later. Like the old saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This saying applies to most areas of life, and it definitely applies to issues with your septic system.
Quality Septic Inc. of Plant City, FL, encourages all our residential and commercial customers to be on the lookout for the most common early signs that indicate a problem with the way their septic systems are functioning. If these signs go ignored, they can lead to larger issues including a complete replacement of your drain field.
Here are five common signs for you to keep an eye out for:
- Toilets that are draining slower than normal: If it’s just a single toilet out of several, there may be a problem only with that toilet. If it’s all the toilets, it’s likely related to the septic system.
- Slow sink or tub drains: As with toilets, a sluggish single drain usually means there’s an issue with that sink. When all sinks/tubs are slow, look to the septic system.
- Backups in your toilets and drains: Raw sewage backing up into toilets and/or drains points to a septic system problem. Schedule an inspection right away.
- Smelly odors that are strongest around your septic system: If you notice foul odors outside near your septic tank or drain field, it means gases are somehow escaping and the system needs to be evaluated by a professional.
- Pooling water above or around where your septic tank is located: Assuming there has been no heavy rains, if you notice areas of pooling water above or near the septic tank, the situation needs to be addressed quickly.
Preventing drain field and septic system problems
In order to prevent the issues outlined above, it’s important to know what can cause these problems with your septic system. By using your “ounce of prevention,” you can save the “pound of cure” of having an entirely new drain field installed.
Common causes of damage include:
- Parking cars or other heavy items over your septic system. This can cause the dirt to compact, which is not ideal for your septic tank or drain field.
- Tree roots growing into your drain field.
- Not having your septic tank pumped regularly.
- Excessive grease within your septic system. This will cause what is called capping, which doesn’t allow enough oxygen into your system.
Keep your septic system in top shape
Knowing how to properly care for your septic system and attached drain field and being aware of the signs of septic issues will help you prevent serious problems up to and including a complete drain field replacement.
If you find yourself with any of these signs, call (813) 798-0122 or reach us through our convenient contact form. We’re experienced, knowledgeable, hardworking and ready to solve your problem.
