Why does my septic need to be cleaned?
A clean will remove sludge that naturally builds up over time at the bottom of your tank and impacts the performance of your septic.
What are signs my septic tank needs to be cleaned?
- Toilets or household drains are slow or sluggish to drain away after use.
- Pooling of water on top of your lawn
- Unusually lush patches of green on your lawn.
- Bad odours in and around your septic, drain or toilet.
- In the very very worst case scenario sewerage may back up to the house.
How often should I clean my tank?
The frequency of cleans will depend on a number of factors including:
- The number of people in your home.
- Your tank’s storage capacity and quality of the drainage system.
- If anyone in the home is taking particular prescribed medicines that could impact the health of the bacteria in the septic.
- If there is a waste disposal system in the home.
Timeframes will vary but a healthy and well constructed septic.
As a guide a local home with two occupants will typically need cleaning between 5 to 10 years. The timeframe will be less than this for larger households and families ranging between 3 to 7 years.
What happens if my septic gets too full?
If the sludge and scum from the tank is not removed i.e. de-sludged with some regularity then the tank will fail and fill with untreated wastewater and solids which will flow out of the tank, causing sewerage to potentially back up to the home, clog up pipes and reln drains.
In short, it creates a sloppy smelly mess!
How far do you travel?
Where is my septic located?
Typically septics are located around 300-450mm (12 to 18 inches) under the ground and around 3-5 metres (10-15 feet) from the house/dwelling.