Some properties aren’t hooked up to municipal sewers. Instead, they have their own septic systems that handle wastewater. If you’re not familiar with septic, here is an overview of what they are and how they work.
Where does everything go?
The septic tank is the biggest component of the system and receives all the wastewater from your house. It’s typically buried in the yard. Septics can be made out of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene. What all of these materials have in common is that they can be used to make a water-tight container.
In the septic tank, gravity pulls down the solids to the bottom. This forms a sludge. Oils and grease float to the top and this is known as scum. In the middle of the tank is the liquid wastewater, also called “effluent.” The way the tank is designed prevents the sludge and scum from exiting the tank, but the effluent can drain out.
The effluent goes through a series of pipes that leads into an area that can either be called a drain field or a leach field. The pipes are buried underground and have holes in them as well as something porous like gravel. This allows wastewater to be discharged into the soil in the drain field, where it gets naturally filtered and later incorporated into groundwater.
Meanwhile, the sludge and scum accumulate in the septic tank. Every few years, the tank needs to be pumped out, and regular maintenance can ensure that everything is working properly.
Important things you need to know
Understanding the basics of a septic system can help you take care of your own system. In general, you need to be gentle with everything. If you flush something besides waste or toilet paper down the toilet, it’s not going to go miles away to a wastewater treatment plant. Instead, it’s going to go right into your septic tank and possibly into your piping system that leads to your drain field. When enough things accumulate, your system can get clogged and you could be dealing with sewage backups and foul odors, not to mention a repair bill. When you’re in the kitchen, be sure to scrape off the grease into the trash can, not your kitchen sink, so that too much scum doesn’t accumulate. This, too, could cause major issues with drainage.
A septic system has been designed so that your home can function without relying on municipal sewers. If you have a question about your septic system, you can look for a local company that has experience in this industry. If you need assistance with the toilets or sinks, you can reach out to a company like Applewood Plumbing Heating & Electric and can check to make sure that the people who are helping you have the right certifications and experience necessary for the job. Follow TheHomeMag on Facebook and Instagram to learn more about septic systems, plumbing, and many other topics.
