Benefits Of Cleaning The Inside Of Your Septic Tank And System
Posted on: 6 February 2023
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Septic tanks build up sludge and other material over time, often reducing their effectiveness. Septic tank cleaning is an important part of maintaining the system and allows tank inspectors to check the system every couple of years to ensure there is no damage to the septic tank.
Locating The Tank
When the septic tank cleaning service arrives on your property, they will need to locate the tank cover. If you know where it is, that is helpful. If you have never opened it, you may need to refer to the original site plan to find it.
The cleaning service will dig out the cover, open the tank, and assess the situation inside. The liquid level is checked first and indicates how well the system is working. Once the first assessment is complete, the septic tank cleaning service will begin removing the materials.
Septic Tank Pumping
The septic tank cleaning service will use a large vacuum truck to remove all the material inside the tank. The pumping starts with the liquid and the sludge sitting at the bottom of the tank is removed.
Often, clean water is used to spray down the sides of the tank, and the baffles leading into and out of the tank are also cleaned. The goal is to remove all the material, making the bottom and sides of the tank visible.
If the tank is extremely dirty, some services will use water-jetting to clean the inside of the tank thoroughly and allow inspectors to get a better look at things inside the tank. Cracks and damage to the concrete tank are a concern and can indicate leaks around the tank.
Tank Inspection
Once the tank is clean, the condition can be assessed by a septic tank inspector to determine if there is any damage. Water leaking back into the tank from the septic drain field can indicate blocked lines and a need to check the drain field for damage. The baffles and outlet of the tank are inspected carefully as well.
The septic tank cleaning service can provide the tank inspection if you are unsure who to call, and new homes with recently installed systems can typically go a few years before the first inspection. While pumping the tank does remove the effluent from the system, septic tank cleaning involves more than just removing materials.
Septic tank cleaning can uncover other problems with the septic system, and the sooner they are discovered, the easier it is to make repairs. Sometimes cleaning the septic tank and system can save you money by allowing you to make repairs before they become significant problems and damage the system.
For more information about septic tank cleaning, contact a local company.