Homeowner Guide to Septic System in Pike County

Posted on October 6, 2016 by - septic

Septic Medic tanker truck driving on a Pennsylvania road.

 

As a homeowner with a septic system, it is important to routinely maintain your septic tank and pipes in your home. If your home relies on a septic system for water usage and waste then it is important to know how to effectively unclog a drain, diagnose septic problems, and understand the overall care for this type of system. It is a great idea to learn how exactly the system works, what types of problems to diagnose, and when to let a professional septic tank company deal with problems with your septic tank. Septic Medic in Dingmans Ferry, PA offers professional septic maintenance services to homeowners and businesses in Pike County and the Bushkill Falls region. 

<H2> Things to Learn When Your Property Has a Septic Tank

  1. Learn how to diagnose a clogged drain. 
  2. Educate yourself on the most common reasons a septic system fails. 
  3. Be proactive and know when to have your septic tank pumped. 
  4. Inspect and identify if your septic system uses a turkey mound or leach field.

Parts of a Septic Tank 

When you have wastewater or waste that flows out from your house, it goes through pipes and flows into the septic tank. There are 3 important parts of your septic system that control how waste products flow throughout your septic tank and you should educate yourself about each component, including: 

  1. The inlet baffle deflects waste downward ensuring that it does not go directly across the tank.
  2. The outlet baffle keeps anything floating from going out directly into the field or pump tank, and it allows only “clean water” to leave the septic tank. 
  3. Gas deflector at the bottom of the outlet baffle to deflect gas particles containing sludge. The remaining liquid waste exits the end of the tank, where it is usually flowing out into the leach field. 

How do you access the septic tank? 

Usually, you can access your septic tank from above so a homeowner or professional can easily inspect the inside of the tank and perform routine maintenance. Septic maintenance is critical to ensuring that your septic tank is functioning properly.

When do I need to pump the septic tank? 

If there are any issues such as sludge building up in the tank or a loose pipe somewhere, you could end up running into foul smells within your home, inability to flush your toilet or a septic backup into parts of your home. A tank should be pumped when sludge buildup measures 1/3 or more of the liquid depth and/or if the sludge level is higher than the gas deflector. Either of these will lead to a problem and it would be a good time to get a septic cleaning. Septic tank systems should be tested once every two years. It is recommended to test more often too, especially if you live in a household with a large number of people that require the use of resources on a greater scale, which in turn puts more strain on the septic tank system.

5 Tips for Taking Care of Your Septic System

  1. Make sure that you pump your tank frequently, usually bi-annually or annually. 
  2. Make sure that you use only safe chemicals that are suitable for septic systems. Certain household chemicals that travel through your pipes can often be detrimental to the bacteria within your septic tank system.
  3. Avoid flushing items such as disposable wipes down your toilet, as they will most likely build up and clog your pipes and system.
  4. Try to be economical when it comes to using your water system – don’t shower multiple times a day and try to conserve your usage as much as possible to avoid overstressing the septic tank.
  5. Keep an eye on things for anything unusual. Also, make sure to check your leach fields for areas of grass that are robust or growing faster than anywhere else on the mound. Make sure that the water isn’t standing there or squishy, and that it is generally in good shape.

Professional Septic Repair in Bushkill Falls

Septic Medic is a reliable and professional septic system repair and service company in Pike County, PA. We have years of expertise when it comes to serving septic tank issues and problems and we are proud to be the number one resource for emergency issues in the Poconos and Bushkill Falls region. Contact us online to schedule septic maintenance services, soil and percolation testing, or an installation consult. 

Septic Emergency? Contact us immediately at 570-828-7444

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