Although your septic system is designed to handle the wastewater from your home, excess water from the sky can cause damage to your system. While you have no control over the weather, you do have control of where rain and melted snow end up accumulating on your property. Poorly designed run-off can destroy your drainfield and cause issues for your septic tank. There are a few steps you can take to ensure wet weather does not interfere with your septic system’s delicate balance.
Roof Run-Off
You need to ensure the water coming out of your gutters from your roof is being diverted away from your septic system. A heavy rainstorm or snow melt can flood your drainfield, and excess water pooling near your septic tank can prevent wastewater from draining correctly. Make sure the water from your gutters drains downhill from both the tank and drainfield.
Sump Pump Graywater
Another source of excess water during wet weather which can can interfere with your septic system is the drain off graywater from your sump pump. This water does not need to be pumped into your septic system, as it is essentially only groundwater. However, it does need to be drained away from your septic system just like gutter runoff.
Since too much water can cause major and expensive issues with your septic system, it’s important to keep an eye out for flooding during wet weather. If you notice any pooling of surface water near your tank or drainfield, check to ensure both the sump and gutter water are draining away from the system. If this is not the issue, you may have other serious problems in the system. Call your local septic service company to have your system inspected as soon as possible.
Posted on behalf of Septic Service Pro
