Your septic tank probably doesn’t spend a lot of time on your mind. By design, your septic tank is out of sight and out of mind. When you flush your toilet, the water disappears, and you don’t think about it very often. However, you should be monitoring your septic tank a little more closely. Understanding the way your septic tank works helps to explain when you might need a septic pumping service.
How It Works
The septic tank system is very simple. When you flush your toilet, when water runs down your shower drain, or when water runs down the bathroom sink, it all combines into one pipe. That one pipe drains into the septic tank. The waste then separates into three layers. The heaviest solids sink to the bottom of the septic tank. The fats and oils rise to the top.
The middle layer is a relatively clear liquid called gray water. While it is still waste, it is clear of sewage. It is clean enough that it can be filtered and processed by a healthy soil culture. The gray water is drained out into your yard, below the surface but above the water table. Essentially, it is turned into compost in your yard. That’s why your yard is probably greenest around your septic tank. You need a septic pumping service in Quakertown, PA, when the layer of solids at the bottom gets within about six inches of the gray water draining pipe.
Routine Maintenance
Because you’re not going to know when your septic tank needs to be pumped, you need to have it inspected at least once a year. A septic pumping service can tell you when you need to have your tank pumped or cleaned. Routine maintenance of your tank keeps it from malfunctioning and keeps it from overflowing into your yard.
