| If your home has a septic tank it is your responsibility | | | | prevent the solid waste from getting to the drainfield. |
| as a homeowner to maintain it. Replacing your septic | | | | To keep your septic tank system working efficiently, |
| tank can be a major home improvement project, so | | | | you must periodically pump out the sludge from the |
| keeping it in good working order is to your | | | | bottom. Doing this is the least expensive way to |
| advantage. A well maintained septic tank system is | | | | maintain your septic tank. |
| also a must if you are planning to sell your home in | | | | The drainfield is a portion of your land that treats the |
| the future. Here are the basics of septic tank | | | | wastewater as it is pumped out of the septic tank. |
| systems and what you can do to keep yours in | | | | Each time more wastewater is expelled from the |
| shape. | | | | septic tank, the partially treated water is pushed |
| A normal septic tank system has four major parts. | | | | farther away. If too much wastewater is pumped |
| There is the pipe that goes from your home to the | | | | out at one time, the drainfield will flood and cause an |
| septic tank, the septic tank itself, a drainfield, and the | | | | overflow in your home or on the drainfield. This can |
| soil around your yard and the drainfield. Some people | | | | be a messy and costly home improvement cleaning |
| worry about the waste in the wastewater | | | | job. |
| contaminating the soil and drinking water. Microbes in | | | | The soil is considered a part of your septic tank |
| the soil, however, will breakdown and digest most of | | | | system because suitable soil is necessary to |
| these contaminates before they reach any water | | | | adequately treat and filter wastewater. The soil will |
| supply. | | | | remove any viruses and harmful bacteria from the |
| The pipe from your home carries all of the | | | | wastewater so that it does not become harmful to |
| wastewater from your home out to the septic tank. | | | | any nearby water supply. |
| The septic tank is watertight and made from a | | | | It is imperative that you maintain your septic tank |
| variety of materials, and is buried in your yard. Some | | | | system properly. If you do not provide regular |
| of the newer septic tanks have risers that are level | | | | treatment and cleaning, you will be looking at a whole |
| with the ground and have covers over them. These | | | | host of other issues. Replacing a septic tank can be a |
| risers are very nice because they make inspecting | | | | very costly home improvement job both in parts and |
| and pumping the septic tank a much easier home | | | | in labor. If you abuse your drainfield you may be |
| improvement process. | | | | forced to find other ways to treat your wastewater. |
| Basically what a septic tank does is allow the solid | | | | If you properly take care of your septic tank system |
| material to separate from the liquid waste. Septic | | | | though, you will have a reliable and efficient waste |
| tanks usually have a screen or filter of some sort to | | | | treatment system for many years. |