Your septic tank is the first stop in your on-site wastewater treatment system. Through a simple mechanical process, a tank acts like a pre-filter – mechanically separating the solids and liquids. The septic tank gives us a window into the overall health of your septic system. This is the reason that our pumping services include a three-point tank inspection.
Septic tank repairs are relatively inexpensive. And, considerably less than replacing a failed system or cleaning up from sewage backup in the house!
These are the mechanical components in a septic tank that occasionally need repairing:
Septic tank risers. Excessive groundwater entering your tank can overload the leach field. If your tank cover is cracked, or is more than a foot below the grass surface, we often recommend adding a watertight riser to the access port. Risers also create an easy access for septic tank maintenance any time of year.
Septic tank baffles. A baffle in a septic tank is either a concrete partition in the tank or a 4” PVC pipe that prevents the scum layer from migrating into the leach field. Broken baffles can lead to a much more expensive repair if enough solids enter the leach field and plug the bio mat. This is why we inspect the baffles in the septic tank every time we pump.
Effluent pumps. Depending on the design of your system, your septic tank may also have other functioning parts. If you have a raised leach field, you have an effluent pump. The pump regularly cycles the graywater in your tank up to the leach field for dispersement. With regular maintenance, septic pumps and are designed to last a long time. If they have been neglected, however, they can fail early. At Maznek Septic Service, we clean the pump chamber and inspect the pump whenever we pump out your tank.
Leaking Tank. A low effluent level in a septic tank can indicate there is a fissure or crack that is causing a leak. Occasionally a bad concrete pour or settling can cause a small crack in the tank. Although it’s rare, it’s a fairly easy fix because the water level will drop to the area of the leak. A leaking septic tank is problematic because the only time effluent makes it to the drain field is when a lot of water is used, which raises the scum layer in the tank to the exit pipe of the outlet baffle. This can lead to a plugged leach field.