How can you respond when there is a flood near your septic system? This is obviously an experience that you would rather not have to endure, and it is entirely possible that you could face some serious consequences for not taking care of it. Thus, you should know some basic facts about septic systems before proceeding.
How Long Can My Septic Systems Last?
Maintenance costs on septic systems are rather low, and a system can last between 25 and 30 years, depending on how well you take care of it. You ought to do what you can to make sure the system is cared for properly, and that means looking at keeping it maintained to the best of your ability. The most critical thing you can do to protect the health of your system is to only ever flush toilet paper. You might be surprised how many people veer away from that, and it can damage a septic system that is virtually impossible to reverse.
What Should I Do If There Is Flooding By My Septic System?
You may notice flooding around your septic system if you have not maintained it properly or if you have broken the cardinal rule of only flushing toilet paper down the toilet. Either one of those issues can cause you to end up with a septic system that becomes flooded.
Another reason why you might spot flooding around your septic system is if there have been heavy rains in the area recently. This can cause the area around your septic system to become flooded, which may lead to some of the problems you now see throughout your entire septic system. You don’t want to panic if this happens, but you don’t want to ignore it either. It means that your septic system has not had the opportunity to adequately drain the water surrounding it this whole time. Be sure you don’t allow it to become a bigger issue that gets out of control, and take steps to take care of the flooding before it becomes a bigger problem.
With proper maintenance, you can get a lot more life out of your septic system. It is surprising to some that they only need to put a bare minimum effort toward their maintenance to get the system to last as long as it does, but that is the case. It will go on for decades for you if you are willing to put just a little bit of time into it. It is a good ROI on your time, and you ought to consider this when thinking about what you can do to make things better.