Unlike the carefree use of a city maintained sewer system, your septic system does require some occasional maintenance. A septic system is primarily a large tank on your property in which all of the water drainage from your home flows. It functions as a separator of solid and liquid waste, wherein the solid waste settles to the bottom of the tank, while the liquid waste is pumped back out of the tank into a prepared drainage field. Natural bacteria in the tank serves to break down much of the solid waste over time, however, eventually the tank does become full and in need of being pumped out by a certified septic tan pumper.
Most septic systems require septic tank pumping every three to five years, depending on the amount of water used by the household. For those homes that use a garbage disposal, it is recommended that your tank be pumped every year so as to ensure your drainage pipes remain free of unnecessary or problematic clogs which can be cause by the use of garbage disposals.
Before your local septic professional actually pumps out your tank, you may want to have the thickness of the layers of scum and sludge measured, in order to anticipate how often in the future your septic tank will need to be pumped. This is also a good time to have your septic system thoroughly inspected to ensure that everything is working properly. While this may cost an additional amount, it is well worth the expense, considering that replacing your system or the drainage field could cost thousands of dollars.
