When you own a home, it is easy to feel like it is a money pit, as there is almost always things that need to be done, such as routine maintenance or renovations. However, in addition to helping improve the value of a home and reducing the risk of further damage, home repairs are also tax deductible. As a result, there are many advantages to doing both repairs and home improvements.
One type of regular home maintenance that is very important is taking care of your septic tank and drain lines. For those that live within city limits, this is usually not an issue, because the home will be on the city’s sewer system. However, those that live outside city limits will almost always use some sort of septic system.
Before we discuss septic system maintenance, it is important to take a look at how septic systems function.
Table of Contents
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What is a Septic System?
How do Septic Systems Work?
Issues and Concerns When Using Septic Systems
Septic Tank Maintenance
What is a Septic System?
Essentially, a septic system is like having a mini sewage treatment facility buried in your back yard. The system is self contained in that it does not connect to a larger sewage facility, like one owned by the local city. Often referred to as an On-Site Sewage Facility, or OSSF for short, septic systems are quite common in the United States and, for that matter, North Carolina, with approximately 75 Million Americans using some sort of OSSF in their home.
While most of the time a septic system will be found in rural areas, outside of city limits, there are some cities that allow homes to use septic systems. For example, in Indianapolis, which has a population of over 800,000, many neighborhoods within the city have septic systems.
When a city Annexes an area, which is a term for expanding and adding an area into the city limits, the homeowner is sometimes given an opportunity to keep their existing septic system indefinitely or for a period of time. Cary, North Carolina, is one example of a city that is oft expanding and annexing other areas, much to the chagrin of the affected parties, so it is possible that some homes within a city that has just been annexed will still use an On-Site Sewage Facility.
How do Septic Systems Work?
Generally, a septic system will consist of a large tank buried in the ground, as well as a drain field. The house’s sewage lines, which usually include lines running from the toilet in addition to gray water, such as that from the shower or sink, will flow into the septic tank.
The size and depth of the tank is determined by the size of the home, as well as local city ordinances and the number of restrooms in the house. Newer septic tanks are multi-chambered, while older ones may only be one chamber.
As waste and water enters the septic tank, solids settle to the bottom of the tank and scum floats. There are a number of bacterial and chemical reactions going on, which further break down the waste and solids. This includes an anaerobic reaction, which occurs when oxygen and other acceptors, such as sulfates and nitrates, are not present.
In multi-chamber septic tanks, waste water will flow into another chamber, allowing the impurities to be further filtered.
Eventually, waste water flows out of the tank and into the drain field. The drain field, which is also sometimes called a leach field or seepage field, consists of one or more specially designed pvc pipes that extends into the yard. The seepage pipes are typically burred in a trench that often has a sand or rock bottom and the pipes themselves have many openings allowing the waste water to flow, or seep, out.
As the water, which has had larger sediment separated in the tank, flows out of the septic tank and into the drain field, it is transferred to the ground, evaporating, feeding plants and trees, and seeping into the ground. Eventually, after being cleaned naturally by the soil, it will return to the local groundwater table.
Typically the septic system will rely on gravity to push the water out, but in some cases a pump or other type of suction system will be used.
The depth and length of the septic drain field varies, again often related to the size of the septic system and house, as well as city regulations. However, most are at least 75 feet in length. It is important to note, however, that the seepage field dose not need to be in a straight line, so can zigzag to save space.
When the septic system is working correctly, there will be no smell, nor any standing water in the yard, usually lasting well over 40 years.
Issues and Concerns When Using Septic Systems
One of the biggest issues with a septic system is that you can not simply dump waste down your sink or use a garbage disposal the same way you would when on a city sewage line. This is not just limited to cooking waste and food waste, but also things like tampons, which can clog the system. While doing so occasionally is not a very big issue, regularly putting food waste, including cooking oil, into the septic system can cause it to clog, as well as causing other difficulties.
Another concern is damage to the drain field. While the drain field, which typically consists of a line of pvc pipes buried in the ground, is several feet underground, it is still possible to disrupt it. The most common cause of these types of issues is by roots growing into and disrupting the pipes. However, you must also be careful when digging around the drain field.
Septic Tank Maintenance
As stated above, being conscious about what materials you put into your septic system is probably the single most important step in maintaining a healthy septic system. This includes avoiding dumping oil, food waste, tampons, and other objects into the OSSF.
Regularly having the sediment and solids removed from the septic tank is also very important. Failing to do so can significantly reduce the life of the septic system and drain field, as well as potentially backing up into the home.
There is no exact time frame of when a septic tank should be drained and it varies, depending on the size of the tank and the number of people in the home. It is typically a good idea to check it at maximum every three years, although again the rate of use and size of the system are factors.
Since the tank will be filled with sludge and other bio-hazards, it is important to contact a company that deals with septic tanks and systems. They will send a special truck that has a tank to hold the waste. The truck will pump it out of the septic tank and remove it to a waste facility. Cost will vary and it is a good idea to call around, but it will probably be a few hundred dollars.
Some people also use products like Rid-X in their septic system, which are powders flushed down the toilet that introduce special bacteria into the septic tank. The idea is that the bacteria will help break down the sludge and other solids. However, their effectiveness and benefit are often debated, with some claiming these sorts of products do more harm than good.