5 Signs Your Drain Field May Need Professional Cleaning

Septic systems are built to last. However, improper care or wear can slowly damage these systems and cause a lot of issues. There’s not a lot you can do for a broken septic system, but you can try a few things and make repairs easier for professionals if they need to come. Here are the basic steps to take in repairing a septic system.

Check for Clogs

Septic systems run on pipes just like any home sewage system—which means they can get clogged. If you have problems where water drains from inside the home to the septic system, try unclogging the drain. Pouring Hot water or baking soda and vinegar down the clogged pipe can clean up most clogs.

Check Drain Field

If the problem doesn’t come from the drain, then the next step is to check the drain field where your septic system lets out. Sometimes things block the exit of the drain field. Clearing the obstructions is usually an easy process. Be careful when attempting anything near the drain field, though, as it’s not safe if you’re unprepared or don’t know what to do.

Find the Tank

If you’ve tried both the previous steps, the next thing you can do is find the main tank of your septic system. If you don’t know where it’s located immediately, use blueprints from the city to find it. Check around the area to see if you find any obvious reasons for your issues, such as leakage or pipe damage.

Check Maintenance Schedule

Once you locate the system and you can’t figure out the problem, check for your system’s maintenance schedule. All septic tanks need routine maintenance every few years to prevent buildup and clogging. If it’s past time for some routine maintenance, that’s the most likely culprit behind your issues.

Call for Septic Repair

If you still can’t identify the problem or need some routine maintenance, call some septic contractors to come out and fix it. Finding the tank and check your maintenance schedule beforehand will be helpful since the contractors will need that information before they can help you.

These are the basic steps to take in repairing a septic system. Be careful when performing any of them! The drain field can be dangerous and using unapproved chemicals for unclogging can cause a lot of damage to your system. So, take precautions if you plan on trying anything yourself and call professionals for anything too dangerous.

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