Septic Tips to Understand Your Septic System

If you have a septic system, it’s helpful to know a little about how it functions. The process of treating waste in a septic system isn’t complicated, but being familiar with the details will help you keep yours running smoothly and worry-free. Here are the basic parts of a septic system and some septic tips to keep them in tip-top shape. If it’s service you need, click here to schedule!

The Septic Tank

All the waste water from the home enters the tank through a single pipe. The tank is underground and watertight. While the sewage is in this tank the solids sink to the bottom, separating from the liquid. This is layer is known as sludge. Bacteria in the tank help break down some of the sludge, but cannot digest all of it. One of our best septic tips is to maintain the levels of helpful bacteria with the use of bacterial additives.

Scum, a layer of oils and substances that cannot be broken down, collects on the surface of the liquid. The liquid then exits the tank through another pipe. It’s important to pump the sludge and the scum from the tank periodically so they don’t move into the next stage of the system and end up in the leach field, which can be an expensive and messy repair.

The Distribution Box

The liquid next flows through an outlet baffle into another tank, known as the distribution box. There may be a filter in this outlet baffle, which is very helpful to keep solids from moving through to protect the leach field. The distribution box helps distribute the liquid evenly to the pipes that lead to the leach field. It’s important not to overload one area of the leach field, which can saturate the ground and cause swampy conditions.

The Leach Field

The clarified liquid then flows through pipes that are perforated with holes so the fluid can seep out into the soil. It then filters through the soil and gravel, returning to the groundwater. Another one of our septic tips to keep the leach field porous enough to do its work is to be sure not to build structures, plant trees, or drive over it. If the soil is compacted it cannot process the liquid from the pipes.

Get More Septic Tips From Wind River Environmental

With a little understanding of how your septic system works, you can keep yours working and stay worry-free. Our experienced technicians are ready to help you set up a plan to keep it that way. Learn more about our septic services!