A well-maintained septic system makes your home and premises trouble-free. Choosing the right septic plumbing is essential to keep the system functional. It may not be a glamourous topic, but septic plumbing is vital for maintaining a clean, functional, and odour-free home. Septic plumbing deals with a clogged system, planning regular maintenance, or installing a new septic tank, understanding how it works and how you can maintain it for a smooth septic system. Let’s go into the nitty-gritty of septic system plumbing and ensure you’re well-equipped to handle any problems.
What is a Septic System
It is an underground network of pipes that deals with the waste from your home’s sinks, toilets and drains if not connected to a municipal sewer line.
Elements of the Septic System
It includes three basic elements that operate in conjunction to eliminate and treat wastewater. These parts are the basis for the overall function of a system and include the following:
Distribution box
The distribution box functions and receives waste and evenly divides it between the drain field and pipes.
Drainfield
It is also referred to as a leach field or absorption field, which combines a network of pipes in gravel-filled trenches. The drain field allocates treated waste into the surrounding soil to purify it.
Septic tank
The septic tank is the last one that keeps all waste from your home after exiting and splits solids and liquids as part of a decomposition process. It is a large, watertight plastic or concrete container.
How to do Septic Tanks Work?
After flushing your toilet or water drains from your sink, the wastewater moves through your home’s main drainage pipe. It goes to the septic tanks separated into two chambers. From there, the following steps follow:
- Wastewater goes to a large chamber where solids form sludge at the bottom, oils and grease remain at the top, and a middle layer forms containing clear liquid called effluent.
- Bacterial decomposition starts.
- The effluent enters the second chamber, while sludge remains left in the first chamber.
- The system effectively cleans the effluent.
- The effluent gradually exits the system and begins the distribution box, which symmetrically disperses it into the drain field and the soil.
Role of Bacteria in Septic Systems
The unsung heroes of septic systems are bacteria. In addition to eliminating and neutralising contaminants, they decompose organic materials and produce carbon dioxide, water, and a tiny quantity of indigestible material.
Septic Tank Types
Concrete tanks: They are strong and long-lasting, these are brittle.
Fibreglass tanks: Fibreglass tanks are more costly than concrete tanks, they are more resistant to corrosion and break less frequently.
Plastic tanks: They are lightweight and resistant to cracking, they could move when the soil gets wet.
Steel tanks: Steel tanks are less common since they rust over time.
Maintaining the Health of Your Septic System
Keeping your septic system healthy needs good septic plumbing services that facilitate your septic system’s smoothness and function, preventing expensive repairs. Here are a few tips for the proper function of septic systems for years:
- Proper waste disposal
Your waste of home affects the septic system’s functionality. Don’t flush non-biodegradable items, harsh chemicals, or excessive amounts of household cleaners.
- Regular pumping and inspections
A septic service professional can pump your tank every two to three years. Ensure that you ask them to check the system for damage or wear too. It is important to inspect and clean the septic system with professional plumbing to avoid functional issues.
Cooking oil, non-flushable wipes (such as baby or makeup remover wipes), nappies, feminine hygiene products, cat litter, cigarettes, medications, paint, and paint thinners are generally not to be flushed down the drain.
