The septic tank is one of the indispensable parts of the household. Although seemingly easy to maintain, its role is very important. As with any part of the household, it’s necessary to dedicate time to it, every 2-5 years, but perhaps a little more often. You will find out in this article how you will do it and what the septic tank actually serves for.
What is a septic tank?
Septic systems are underground structures for wastewater treatment,which are used in ritual areas without centralised sewage systems.They use a combination of nature and proven technology to treat wastewater from household plumbing that produces bathrooms and kitchen drains.
The septic tank digests organic matter and separates floating matter such as oils and fats and solids from wastewater.
What is a septic tank for?
As we heard from septic tank maintenance Miami, septic systems are designed to deposit and retain waste solids produced from property. This is usually achieved by using several chambers in the tank and by using T-pipes or baffles and they are designed to be used by more than 10 people. The septic tank should be emptied only when the level of solids has accumulated in it. The accumulated liquid is then drained through an inflatable or drainage field.
How does a septic tank work?
The tank is connected to two inlet and outlet pipes. The inlet pipe collects wastewater in a septic tank, long enough for solid and liquid waste to separate from each other. The outlet pipe, also called the drainage field, squeezes the pre-treated wastewater from the septic tank and spreads it evenly in the soil. The water is then separated into 3 layers. The top layer is oil and grease and floats above all the debris because it’s the lightest and least dense. The middle layer is wastewater along with waste particles. The lower layer consists of heavier particles that are heavier than water and form a layer of sludge that accumulates at the bottom and sediments for months, or even years.
When you use water from your kitchen to wash dishes, or from the bathroom to wash laundry, or for other purposes, they come to one main drainage pipe that leads to your septic tank. An underground septic tank begins the process of retaining wastewater. This process lasts until the solids(sludge) settle to the bottom and the oil and fat float to the top. After this process, the liquid wastewater(effluent)will then be able to exit the tank into the drainage field.
This wastewater is discharged through pipes to porous surfaces. They allow wastewater to filter the soil. The earth receives,treats and disperses wastewater as it penetrates the land, eventually discharging into groundwater.
Septic tank clean out
On average, home septic tanks should be pumped out every 2-5 years. A tank that is near capacity should be pumped during the spring to avoid flooding. Depending on the use and number of people living in your household, your septic tank will need more, or less frequent emptying. The inside parts of the septic tank system which will need to be checked are:
- The sludge (as it may have accumulated so that it fills most of the tank)
- The scum blanket
- The inlet and outlet pipes
