It’s no secret that many homeowners will never want to see their septic tank in operation, yet it remains an important part of your home. It collects, disposes and treats all of your household wastewater every day. And that’s quite impressive when we consider the average American home can produce 200 to 250 gallons of wastewater daily! With the help of Jones Septic, we explore how a septic tank works and functions to its optimum capacity. Jones Septic are an expert septic tank team with years of experience. Should you require Poughkeepsie NY septic tank repairs, get in touch with the friendly team at Jones Septic!
What Is A Septic Tank?
All the wastewater from your home, which includes your washing machine, your bathrooms, your kitchen and your toilets, ends up in your septic tank. A septic tank is typically a large, underground container, made from concrete, where bacteria break down waste and wastewater. Heavier objects, such as solids and toilet paper, will sink to the bottom of your tank, where bacteria will reduce them to sludge. Lighter and more organic items, such as oils and fats, will float at the top creating a layer of scum. Any solids that do not decompose will remain in your tank.
You should always be careful of the things that end up in your tank. An excess of grease, oily-products and fats can require a more regular septic pumping. Your specific pumping schedule, all depends on the size of your tank, as well as the level of use it receives. A common rule of thumb when it comes to septic pumping, is once every three to five years.
Drain Field
Once waste has passed through the septic tank, a waste-product flows out into your drain field. Drain fields, sometimes known as leach fields, are a system that help disposes of wastewater. Furthermore, they help treat and disperse any waste liquid from your septic tank. When it comes to drain fields, an effective design, will help remove any dangerous, disease-causing organisms from the wastewater.
Drain fields are vital to the success and longevity of a septic tank. They are typically the most expensive component of your drainage system. Generally speaking, they consist of a number of pierced pipes, placed in long, yet shallow trenches, and then buried below the surface of your garden. The trenches are then filled with loose gravel. The loose gravel helps distribute the waste over a larger area, in order for it to seep into the layers of soil below.
Wastewater Treatment
As the wastewater flows through the various layers of soil, a plethora of complex biological, chemical and physical processes combine to allow true purification and treatment. The various particles present in the soil, react with any organic matter present in the wastewater. As a drain field gets older, the organisms living in the soil will effectively break down any solids and bacteria found in the wastewater. Some of this process does take place in the gravel; however the majority of the cleaning and purification takes place below the ground, amongst the soil. The soil in your drain field provides the final step of treatment, when it comes to a septic tank!
Efficient Maintenance & Tender Loving Care
The working life of a septic system depends on a real number of factors. These factors include, professional and proper, design, sizing and installation, the appropriate soil composition, the water table, usage, but most importantly, care and respect. A lack of maintenance is a very common cause of septic system failures.
If you fail to pump your tank of a regular basis, solids will form, whilst layers of sludge and scum can become thick and impenetrable. If these layers become too dense, an overflow of waste and wastewater can end up in your drain field. This is terrible news, as an overflow will cause horrific smells, extensive internal damage whilst also creating a health hazard.
In Conclusion
Ensuring you and your family are considerate to your septic system, can help extend its life. When it comes to septic tanks, it doesn’t take much to upset the chemical balance present. For more information on how is the best way to look after your tank, contact Jones Septic today. They understand what makes a healthy septic tank and can help you achieve the same levels of tender loving care.
In addition, Jones Septic are an expert team when it comes to Poughkeepsie NY septic tank repairs, so should you require any assistance, get in touch with them now.
You can call Jones Septic on (845)452-1123 or (800)696-6878.
