Giving Thanks for a Healthy Home: Why Fall is the Perfect Time for Septic System Maintenance

It’s fall, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner; you may have a lot to be thankful for, maybe more than you think. So, with that in mind, here is a guide to Giving Thanks for a Healthy Home: Why Fall is the Perfect Time for Septic System Maintenance.

Understanding the Septic System

Like most people in Lakeland and Central Florida, you have a septic system as part of your home, but do you know its ins and outs? It works much like a municipal sewage treatment plant. It is made up of two parts-

The Septic Tank

A septic tank is a watertight container made from concrete buried in your yard. It takes in the flow of wastewater and solids from your home. Inside your septic tank, a natural process is at work: heavier particles sink to the bottom of the tank and create a sludge. The lighter particles rise to the top of your septic tank, and the layer of water between the two flows out of your septic tank into an underground drain field.

The Drain Field

The aforementioned drain field is normally made up of a series of perforated pipes running through subterranean gravel trenches. The wastewater from your septic tank will slowly drain through the perforated pipes. The dirt in your yard filters out harmful bacteria and viruses before wastewater reaches the groundwater below.

Fall Septic System Maintenance

Here are some ways to ensure that your septic system is in good shape this fall:

Remove Debris from Around Your Septic Tank

After two substantial hurricanes hit Central Florida, you probably have a pile of leaves and broken limbs sitting over your septic tank; if they are not cleared, there is the risk they could fall into your septic tank during maintenance, a potentially destructive prospect for your septic system. Clearing debris from over your septic tank is a vital first step in taking care of it.

Fix Leaky Sinks, Toilets, or Showers

After two hurricanes, the ground is saturated, and having extra water in your septic tank can cause serious problems. The additional water from leaks in your home will impact the natural bacteria your septic tank needs to break down sewage. If you can’t fix the leaks yourself, call a qualified plumber to fix them for you.

Downspouts

Hopefully, prior to the storms, you routed downspouts away from your septic tank and drain field so they would not become oversaturated. In the fall, cold fronts have been known to bring massive amounts of water to Central Florida. Repositioning your downspouts will relieve stress on bacteria and prevent your septic system from becoming waterlogged.

Don’t Flush Foreign Objects Down Your Toilet

Some people treat their toilets as garbage cans. Kee a watch if you have children so they don’t flush anything that doesn’t belong in your toilets. Be wary of “flushable wipes”; they may take longer than toilet paper to decompose. One sure way to cause a problem with your septic system is to flush paper towels down the toilet; it will create a massive blockage.

Let Lakeland Septic Take Care of Your Septic System This Fall

If you live in Polk County or Northern Hillsborough County and want to ensure that you are thankful your septic system is in good working order this Thanksgiving, get in touch today. One of our septic system experts will gladly explain how we can help you.