Unless you have an outhouse, you know the importance of having a properly working septic system if you live out in the country. A septic system is the only way to get rid of and safely store waste that comes from inside of your house. Even though septic systems are highly reliable amenities, they do need to be properly maintained. Septic pumping in Prior Lake, MN is a huge part of proper maintenance. Below, we answer three of the most common questions related to septic systems and septic pumping.
How does a septic system work?
First things first: let’s learn how a septic tank works. After everyone completes their daily business and flushes the toilet, wastewater flows down some pipes to the outside. Where the wastewater ends up depends on where you live. If you’re a city-dweller, that water will flow through the sewer system and be taken care of by the city’s waste management division. However, if you live outside of the city, your wastewater will end up right outside of your home in your septic tank.
Once it’s in the septic tank, the wastewater will separate itself naturally. Dense material will sink to the bottom, while oils and grease float to the top and turn into scum. The middle layer, also known as the “clear zone,” will flow out of the tank into the drain field, where it becomes nutrients for the grass and other vegetation.
Why does a septic tank need to be pumped?
Now that the liquid from the clear zone is in the drain field, all we’re left with is sludge resting in the bottom of the septic tank. Although bacteria will work to remove some of it, that sludge will sit there forever until you call a service for septic pumping in Prior Lake, MN. That’s for the best, too—imagine how bad that would smell if the sludge from the septic tank were to escape! The only way to ensure that doesn’t happen is by scheduling septic pumping every three to five years, depending on the size of your tank.
What happens if a septic tank isn’t pumped?
Unfortunately, there are some homeowners who neglect to call us for septic pumping in Prior Lake, MN in a timely fashion. They’re the ones who are just asking for trouble. A tank that isn’t pumped every three to five years will fill with sludge and eventually block the drainage leading to and from your home. This will cause backups in your toilets and sinks—not good! On top of that, sludge that seeps out of the tank and into the drainage field is bound to kill a lot of your grass. Even though it’s good to fertilize your lawn, a flood of wastewater will absolutely destroy your yard.
Don’t risk running into all of the trouble that can be caused by not pumping out your septic tank. Give Mike’s Septic & McKinley Sewer Services a call to schedule a visit. We also perform cleaning and standard maintenance if anything ever goes wrong with your septic system.