These days, septic tanks are an asset to a home where public sewerage just isn’t available.
But what if you have never used a septic tank before, how do you use them? How do you maintain them? And how do you make sure they are working as efficiently as possible?
Find out everything you need to know if you own a septic tank.
How Does A Septic Tank Operate?
A septic tank is essentially a wastewater system that breaks down waste that gets flushed out of your property. Instead of wastewater draining into local sewers, your tank collects the wastewater and the bacteria within the septic tank over time breaks down the sewerage to almost nothing.
The tank consists of two chambers. In one chamber, solids collect at the bottom of the tank where decomposition begins. The liquid then moves into a second chamber where excess solids float and waste liquid drains from the tank into a soakaway.
The tank’s design ensures that most untreated waste remains within its chambers so that only cleaner materials leave the tank.
How Often Do You Need To Empty A Septic Tank?
Whilst the rate at which your septic tank will need emptying will vary on the size of your household and the volume of use, we do recommend that you schedule regular maintenance and emptying to ensure that your septic tank is working to its full potential.
In some cases, you may need to empty your septic tank monthly but in other cases, this may only need to be carried out annually. However, we do recommend that you keep track of maintenance appointments. You must also check the tank’s level regularly to ensure you have not reached capacity. Failure to maintain your septic tank can result in harmful pollutants entering the environment and could lead to costly repairs.
How Do You Know Your Septic Tank Needs Emptying?
There are lots of signs that your septic tank may be due some maintenance or emptying, such as the following indicators:
- Your toilet won’t flush or your drains are backed up or spill out of your shower or sink
- Your pipes or drains are becoming louder and making ‘gurgling noises’
- Excessive vegetation growth at the septic tank site! Strangely enough, this can mean that there is a leakage or overflow of your septic tank. Whilst this may seem okay, it can be harmful to the environment and must be acted on immediately
- If you have water pooling in your garden or at the septic tank location
- If you can smell sewerage or foul odours it may mean that your tank is leaking or overflowing
Whilst we warn you to be on the lookout for these indicators, it is far better and far more ecologically friendly to ensure that your septic tank is regularly maintained and regularly emptied so these occurrences do not happen.
Why Choose ABS for Septic Tank Emptying?
A Better Service has provided cesspit emptying and septic tank services since 1989. We offer a professional, local, and affordable cesspit, sewage treatment plant, septic tank emptying, and cleaning service to customers across Berkshire, Hampshire, and Oxfordshire.
A Better Service can offer our high-pressure jetting units attached to every single vacuum tanker we have in our fleet. This allows the cleaning of your septic tank at the same time as your routine empty.
Our drivers are all highly experienced and will empty your sewage tank with minimal interruption to your day. They take pride in completing the job safely and without disrupting you or your property.
We also provide an out-of-hours emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week supporting domestic, industrial, and utilities sectors.
