Many people are unfamiliar with septic tanks and how they work, despite the fact that nearly 1/3 of American homes operate with one. Septic tanks are most common in rural areas where a complex sewage and draining system is improbable due to cost and distance between homes.Septic tanks are basically the holding cell for all the waste water that comes from your home. All of the pipes, including those from the toilet, shower, washing machine, dishwasher and sink, for example, meet together in one central line. This central line then pumps the waste water in to one end of the septic tank, which helps to filter it out the other end.The waste water is a combination of everything that ever enters your tank, so once the waste water enters the septic tank, gravity plays its part in separating it. Solids sink to the bottom, and waters and greases float to the top. When new waste water enters the septic tank, it basically forces the separated water out and into the drain field. The drain field then acts as an additional filter that sends the water and nutrients back into the ground, actually benefitting the area that absorbs the nutrient-rich water.If you are new to your home and are unaware of where your septic tank is located, contact us at Brandon Septic. Sam, or one of our other professionals, can help walk you through the ins and outs of your septic tank, helping you to familiarize yourself with its normal functions, sounds and smells, so you know when to be concerned and when to call us back for additional help. While it may be a foreign concept to you now, with a little help, you can develop an understanding of your septic tank that will help you feel confident in your septic system as a whole.

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