Septic Systems: What They Are & How They Work

My husband and I recently moved into a home that is on a septic system and I have always wondered how these things work. It is interesting to me how something could keep human waste underground and dispose of it all on its own. I talked to my uncle who owns a Septic System cleaning service & this is how he explained it to me and now I have a much better understanding of just how septic systems & tanks actually work.

A septic system is an underground disposal system of wastewater and they are used in homes that are not close to the city limit areas where regular city sewage disposal is not available. Sewage systems that are inside of the city limits are cared for & maintained by the employees of the city and all of the waste materials flow down underground and go to the city’s waste water treatment plants but for individuals who have a septic tank system on their property they are the ones that are responsible for the care, maintenance and cleaning of their septic tank systems.

Many of the septic systems have a pipe that leads out from the home, a septic tank, a drain field & the soil. The pipe from the home carries all waste that comes from the house down into the septic tank which is buried underground. The wastes sits there in the septic tank and then as it separates it then floats down to the bottom of the septic tank and once the waste has reached the bottom of the tank oils & grease begin to form the sludge on top. At this stage the water has been halfway treated and then the water is sent out of the septic tank through a drain which leads to a draining field.

The partially treated water is then flushed out of the septic tank and into the drain field where further decomposition of the waste material is done by the soil which naturally removes all of the bacteria before the water reconnects with the ground water and then each time additional wastewater is put in the tank, it forces out the already partially treated water and the cycle starts all over again.

Even though you do maintain your septic system there can be a problem with flooding and this causes the waste to back up and flood into your yard and even inside of your home. This is why you should have your septic system flushed out at least every 2 or 3 years by a professional. It is also a great idea not to flush any toilet paper down the toilet even though the package says that the toilet paper is septic tank safe. Toilet paper seems to clog up the drain and you will begin to notice that you will have a lot less backup problems when you do not dispose of toilet paper in the toilet.

My uncle also suggests to do regular maintenance of your septic system because this will be a much cheaper way than to have to replace the whole septic system & tank. Keeping regular maintenance done on a septic system will not only keep it working at peak performance but it will also help you to avoid potential health risks and problems not only in your home and your yard but will also help to keep the health department away and the stiff fines that go along with that. Keeping your septic system maintained regularly and working at it’s peak performance will ensure continuing working of the septic system for years to come.

To keep my septic system and tank working at their peak performances, my uncle suggested that I pour a box of Rid-X down into my toilet bowl once a month. Rid -X comes in a blue cardboard box and costs only $6.00 a box at Wal-Mart which is a lot less expensive than to need to replace the whole entire septic tank system. Rid-X is a once a month septic system treatment that contains enzymes & bacteria that remove & digest household wastes. Rid-X also helps to prevent backups and removes odors from the septic system.