The importance of regular septic system cleaning and maintenance cannot be overstated for the proper functioning of your household and the health of the surrounding environment.
Avoiding Costly Damage: If your family’s waste backs up into your home due to a severely clogged septic system, it could trigger an overhaul costing thousands of dollars. By pumping your tank and performing essential maintenance on the system every 3 years, you prevent solid sludge buildup that leads to failed drain fields, backups into the house, and other harmful scenarios. Preventing future catastrophes is far less expensive than fixing them after the fact.
Protecting Local Water Sources: While waste moves through the pipes, tanks, and drainage of your septic system, it undergoes some filtration and decomposition. But if waste cannot adequately filter through your property due to clogs and congestion, excess bacteria, viruses, nitrates and other pollutants can enter nearby groundwater, streams, lakes or wells that may feed into the broader local water supply, posing a contamination risk to people and wildlife.
Improving Effective Drainage: Solid waste that accumulates too quickly in a residential septic system, especially if aggravated by improper disposal of items like harsh chemicals, paper products or grease, can form dense sludge layers. These mass deposits obstruct outgoing drainage, triggering sewage backups. By keeping ahead of routine pumping schedules, you flush out the sludge and allow liquids to drain freely through clean pipes.
Maintaining a Healthy Yard: If waste cannot properly filter down through the soil surrounding your septic system, it can saturate the ground nearby, causing foul, swampy conditions in your yard or driveway. Sludge forced back out can surface as foul-smelling puddles of gray water. Regular cleaning keeps your property’s drainage and healthy plant growth thriving.
By understanding the importance of septic system cleaning – for your home, your groundwater, your yard, and your local environment – you can make the essential maintenance of your household’s wastewater management an ongoing priority.
1. How often should I have my septic tank pumped?
We recommend having your septic tank pumped every 3 years by Black Mountain Septic Services to prevent solids from building up and clogging the drain field. More frequent pumping may be needed if you have a smaller tank, a garbage disposal, or a large household that generates particularly heavy septic usage. Our team can assess your tank and recommend the ideal pumping frequency.
2. Why does my septic system have a sewage odor?
If you notice foul selves odors around your septic tank or yard in Cave Creek, it could signify an issue or blockage in your system. Give Black Mountain Septic Services a call – we can troubleshoot the source of any sewage smells stemming from your septic drain field, leach lines, pumps, or other components. From backups to damaged lids, we can diagnose and remedy septic odors.
3. Is it okay to flush paper towels down the toilet if I have a septic tank?
We advise against flushing anything except human waste and toilet paper down toilets attached to a septic system. Paper towels and other unbreakable materials can easily clog pumps and pipes, leading to sewage backups into your home. Our technicians at Black Mountain Septic warn that flushing the wrong materials can cause extensive drain field damage requiring expensive repairs. Please dispose of paper towels and all non-waste items in your home trash receptacles instead. Let us know if you have any other septic system usage questions!
Give Black Mountain Septic Services a call for all of your Septic Cleaning needs! 480-343-0335