1 in 5 U.S. homes have a septic system. With millions of septic systems nationwide, homeowners must understand how they work – and how to keep them working. The best way to get the most out of your septic system is by scheduling routine maintenance, including annual pumpings and inspections. But before we explore what you can inspect during a septic system inspection, let’s explore how septic systems work.
Septic systems have four main parts: the septic pipes, septic tank, distribution box and leach field. The pipes run wastewater from the home to the septic tank. In the septic tank, waste separates from water, and the solid waste floats on top. There, healthy bacteria break down the waste further, removing even more water from the solid materials. Then, the water drains out of the septic tank into the distribution box, slowly and evenly releasing water into the leach field. The water filters through various layers of soil and rocks, purifying as it works through the leach field. After the leaching process, the water naturally returns – safe and clean – to the water cycle.
Although this process isn’t glamorous, your septic system keeps you and your family healthy and safe. Wastewater is full of bacteria and diseases that can make people incredibly sick. Before septic systems and the advent of indoor plumbing, thousands of people became sick and died yearly because of illnesses from human waste. To keep your family and neighbors healthy, experts recommend having your septic system inspected yearly and pumped every 3 to 5 years. Fortunately, the nearby experts at Johnson Septic Service have the techniques, tools and expertise to inspect your system while providing professional repair solutions. Below, we explore what you can expect during a professional septic inspection.
7 Steps for a Professional Septic Inspection
- Checking the history: Our experts will check your system’s history after you schedule your septic inspection. That includes the system’s age, past problems or repairs, previous reports from other inspections and more. Knowing the system’s history
- Asking questions: Once our inspectors have a thorough history of your system, they’ll ask you any questions they have to help them understand your system better. They might ask about any problems you’ve noticed in your home, including blocked or clogged pipes, poor drainage and unexplained odors or smells.
- Locating the tank: With this history in mind, our inspectors will locate your septic tank. Our inspectors locate the tank using a small radio transmitter that communicates with their locating device.
- Visually inspecting the system: After locating the system, inspectors will visually locate it. Your septic system is buried several feet underground, so the visual inspection checks the drainfield. We’ll look for soggy spots in your yard, cesspools and other visual signs of septic problems.
- Checking levels: The next step of a full inspection is opening the cover to the septic tank and checking the fluid levels. The fluid levels help inspectors determine if you need a septic pumping sooner rather than later or if you would benefit from BioTabs, which increase the rate of solid waste breakdown. Additionally, they check the scum layer (the solids floating on top) to ensure they aren’t too high.
- Emptying the tank: The next step of a thorough inspection is draining the septic tank. If water flows back from the drain field into the tank, this tells the septic technician that the leach field may not function properly anymore or that the tank may have imperfections or cracks. Draining the tank is the only way to examine the tank itself. Inspectors will use a flashlight to see if there are any cracks, holes or other imperfections in the tank structure.
- Scheduling maintenance: If any problems are discovered during the inspection, the last step is scheduling maintenance to get these problems corrected quickly. Repairs to your system can save you money by preventing an entire replacement.
Schedule Your Expert Inspection Today
Annual septic inspections ensure you and your family stay healthy and safe. They also save you time and money; when a problem with your septic system is caught early, it saves you thousands in the long run. Schedule your annual septic inspection today!