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Your bathroom smells. It definitely smells worse than usual. You inspect the room and realize the smell is coming from the drains. You check the drain for any clogs but do not see any obstructions inside. And yet, when you pass water down the drain, the drain is draining water very slowly as if there is something stuck here.
You are at a loss. What could be the problem here?
A slow-moving drain is a sign of a septic tank problem as much as it is the sign of a clogged drain. Now, you may be wondering what a septic tank is so here’s a complete guide to septic tanks and common signs that septic tanks need maintenance and pumping.
In Chattanooga, TN, you should be extra careful about septic tank leaks into your property since it can pollute your lawns and yards. If it pollutes the lawn during rainy or snowy weather, the water may run off into your home or road.
This may pollute and pose safety and health risks for neighborhoods and houses in Chattanooga, TN.
But what exactly are septic tanks?
A septic tank is a tank in your home, usually installed underground that lets sewage and waste from the house collect and get treated through bacterial treatments before it goes out in a soak-away. In Chattanooga, TN, the grey water, or wastewater is drained through drain fields in yards.
If the septic tank is full of toxic waste, it may need pumping to prevent sewage backing up in your home or slowly moving drains in your tubs and showers. You need to regularly schedule septic tank maintenance with plumbers around the Chattanooga, TN area. This is because septic tanks need annual pumping to ensure smooth running and minimal problems.
If you have your septic tank cleaned and still face problems, the issue could be due to clogging in your drainage system or in the pipes between the septic tank and the house.
Signs of a Septic Tank Problem
If properly maintained and subject to regular pumping, the septic tank in your house can last several decades, especially in Chattanooga’s environment. However, if you do not regularly maintain the septic tank you are more likely to see problems, indicated by subtle or overt signs in the drains of your house.
Here are some of the signs of a septic tank problem that may need pumping:
- A faulty septic tank will have effluents in their drain chambers and will leak the effluent onto your property and they can even link into streams in Chattanooga, TN.
- Your drains and septic tanks will smell and your drains will have gurgling sounds coming from them. These are often very obvious signs of a problem that might need septic tank pumping.
- Your toilets will flush very slowly or may overflow. Your washing machine connections, showers and baths will also overflow if there is a septic tank problem. Your baths and shower will overflow when your bathroom sink drains its water.
- You may detect ground movement close to your septic tank or within your drain field. You should immediately call a plumber for septic tank pumping if you see this problem.
Before you ask for pumping services from a professional plumber in Chattanooga, TN, you should consider the following factors:
You will need to see how many people live in the house. If you have houseguests, subletters or tenants who have recently moved in, the additional waste material could be the reason for the septic tank filling up a lot more quickly.
You will need to also examine the levels of water in your septic tank and the amount of water flowing into it.
If you are excessively using the drain water or doing laundry in a washing machine, the septic tank may fill up with excess water. The same phenomenon can happen when you shower a lot.
Septic Tank Problems
Now, there are multiple problems that can occur because of various factors. Here are some of the major issues that septic tanks can face:
1. Clogs
If someone flushes objects like tampons, wet wipes or paper towels down the toilet, chances are that you are going to get a clog and a very full septic tank. Clogs usually occur inside the pipes leading the grey water out of the house.
Your effluent filter or outlet baffle can be backed up with sewage as a consequence.
2. Tree Root Damage
Since septic tanks are often installed underground, they may be damaged at some point from the tree roots in your yard. You will need to regularly inspect the tree roots and the septic tank to prevent this problem, otherwise, you will need to replace or repair your septic tank.
3. Ground Movement
If you notice unexplained cracks in the wall, this could happen because of ground movement around the septic tank. When there is movement, there is a great amount of pressure on the septic tank that damages property.
Contact Us!
The plumbers at Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air will be more than happy to assist you with your septic tank problems. We perform pumping services regularly and at reasonable prices. We provide services to everyone in the Chattanooga, TN area.
If you notice any of the signs of septic tank problems, please contact us as soon as possible. Remember, you should call immediately because septic tank leaks and pumping issues can be a serious risk for family safety, yard health, and can even turn into a wider sanitation issue for the neighborhood or Chattanooga, TN itself.
We employ efficient and well-trained professionals to examine and fix the septic tank concerns. If you perform septic tank maintenance, pumping, and inspection on your own, it might be a safety and health issue and can possibly cause more damage to the septic tank.
If you are in the Chattanooga, TN area, you should give us a call in case of a septic tank emergency or regular maintenance issue. We are available for services at all times!
