How often do you need to clean your septic tank?

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How often do you need to empty your septic tank?

Firstly, what is a septic tank? A septic tank is buried underground and usually made of concrete or polythene. Its job is to hold wastewater so that any solids will settle to the bottom of the tank and will form a thicker sludge consistency. Any fat, oil or grease will float to the top. 

A septic tank is used to treat domestic sewage and wastewater. The pipes from your property will be connected to your septic tank and it will need emptying out periodically.

In this blog, we are going to discuss the advantages of a septic tank, how often they need emptying and cleaning.

What are the advantages of a septic tank?

Usually having a septic tank installed will be more cost effective for a homeowner as underground sewer lines tend to be costly to build and maintain. Whereas a septic tank is much more cost friendly as it doesn’t require monthly maintenance. You can go longer periods of time without maintenance or work carried out.

They are also extremely durable. It is very rare that you have to replace a septic tank. They are built to last and that is exactly what they do!

Are septic tanks environmentally friendly? Yes, they are! With climate change and eco-friendly solutions being key in the world, it is good to know that septic tanks are environmentally friendly. They do not contaminate any water supplies; in fact, they actually remove bacteria from the water before it is released into the soil.

How often do you need to empty your septic tank?

A good rule that we tell our customers to follow is once every three to five years your septic tank will need emptying. However, it is important to remember that this will depend on how many people are in your household. If you have a large household, it could be more frequently such as once every 18 months. For a home with one person or two, you may only need to have your septic tank empties once every 10 years.

If your septic tank is not in working order it can have a big impact on your home such as a sewage back up in your pipes or drains overflowing outside.

How do I know when my septic tank will need emptying?

There are a few common signs that you can look for which will tell you if your septic tank is in need of emptying. Such as…

• Your toilet and washing machine begin to run slow

• Your toilet is all of a sudden having problems flushing

• You can see overflow mess on the ground near the drain

Why does my septic tank need cleaning?

Having your septic tank cleaned by professionals is extremely important. Customers will usually have their tank cleaned at the same time it is emptied to make sure all the waste is removed from the tank. There’s not just cleaning your septic tank there is also maintaining it too. You need to ensure that your pipes are not leaking and you are not flushing wet wipes or sanitary towels as they will cause a backlog.

The Rapid Response Drain Care team have many years of experience in cleaning, emptying and maintaining septic tanks. If you are looking for a team of experts to help you, please get in touch with our team today.

We offer a number of other drainage services such as DrainUnblocking, CCTVDrainSurveys, DrainJetting, JetVac,CCTVSurveyReports and much more.

Contact our team today for our help, or call us on 07807 790832.