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A septic tank isn’t something you think about often. Until something goes wrong, that is. When your septic tank has a problem, it creates a foul mess in your home and on your Chattanooga, TN property.

To understand how to take proper care of your septic tank, you need to know a little bit about it first. Let’s start from the beginning: finding your septic tank.

Where Is My Septic Tank?

Don’t wait until a failed septic tank pollutes your property to get familiar with it. Starting with where it is located.

This is important information for several reasons:

Inspection

Routine inspections are vital to the life of your septic tank. To be able to have your septic tank inspected by a professional, they have to know where it is.

Maintenance

To avoid having septic tank repair, you have to provide regular maintenance. Again, you need to know where it is to get the job done.

Prevent Damage

It is very important to avoid driving, parking, or building anything over your septic tank. Heavy weight could cause extensive damage that could require septic tank repair or replacement.

It is especially important to know where your septic tank is before you begin a new landscaping, gardening, or excavation project. This small step could help save a tremendous amount of money on repair bills.

Generally, a septic tank will be tucked away in an inconspicuous spot on your property. So, how can you find yours? There are several ways:

Use a Map

It is no secret where your septic tank is. When you purchased your home, included in the home inspection documentation, there should have been a septic map. This is a quick, foolproof way of finding your septic tank.

If you cannot locate the septic map with your paperwork, you can still get a copy of one. In most U.S. counties, there are records of septic tank installation by address.

Another resource at the county level is the health department. It often keeps an account of septic tank locations.

The map will point out, using diagrams, exactly where your septic tank is located. You will know its exact dimensions, so you can mark it off before beginning a backyard project.

Follow the Pipes

There are some homes that were built so long ago that there just aren’t any records or maps. If this is the case with your home, you can track down your septic tank by following your pipes.

Your sewer line must be installed somewhere adjacent to the sewer line that exits your home. By looking in your house’s crawl space or basement, you should be able to find the sewer pipe, measuring 4-inches in diameter. While it may be hidden from view in a finished basement, this is the sewer pipe leaving your home.

From this point, you have a couple of options. You can go into your yard and follow a corresponding trajectory to find where your septic tank is. Or, using higher technology, you can have a Chattanooga, TN septic tank repair and installation professional find it for you, using transmitters.

Check Your Yard

Since they are meant to be inconspicuous, septic tanks can become hidden by the passage of time. As the grass grows and the ground settles above your tank, you can lose the markers that were once clear.

Stay alert to subtle clues as you stroll across your yard. Check for any spots that are higher or lower than the rest of the area. A mound in your yard could signify the location of a septic tank.

Preventing Septic Tank Repair with Proper Maintenance

If you wait until you need septic tank repair to think about your system, you risk wasting a lot of money. The unnecessary stress you put on your septic system by skipping regular maintenance can cause irreparable damage to your tank.

Maintenance for a septic tank is not hard to follow. You should have yours pumped by septic tank repair specialists on a regular basis. The frequency depends on how much yours is used. If you have a two-person household, you should schedule septic pumping at least every three years. For families of five, you need to have yours pumped at least every two years.

Septic Tank Repair in Chattanooga, TN

If you find yourself in need of septic tank repair services, you will be more prepared, at this point. Armed with a map to your septic tank, your professional can get right to work on the problem.

What can go wrong with your septic system? Here are some of the more common septic tank repair issues that Chattanooga, TN homeowners experience.

Clogs

Clogs in your septic system can cause the smelly water to back up into your home or business. The damage the water can cause to your walls, floors, and possessions can be very expensive to fix.

Too Much Water in the Septic Tank

If you have an excessive amount of water in the tank, it interferes with the breakdown of solid waste. This eventually blocks off the pipes or line completely. You will need help from a septic tank repair tech to get things back in working order.

Tree Roots

It’s important not to plant shrubs or trees too close to your septic system. The roots can grow into and around your septic tank and pipes, infiltrating through tiny cracks and weak points.

Excavation Damage

When you dig into your property without checking to see what’s underneath, you can cause major damage. You will need immediate septic tank repair or replacement to correct the situation.

Too Many Chemicals

Everything that goes down our drains ends up in the septic tank. When you use excessive amounts of detergents and chemical cleaners, the phosphates act as a stimulant for algae growth. This can cause blockages in the distribution pipes.

Finding yourself in need of septic repair is never a fun situation. However, with a little careful planning, including proper maintenance, you could greatly reduce your risk of having septic system failure. Contact Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air to schedule an appointment today.