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Writer's pictureGina Norris

What Happens If My Septic Tank Fails?

Updated: May 10

Why Septic Systems Fail and How to Fix Them

If you have a septic system in Georgia or South Carolina, this article is for you. We will share helpful insight on septic systems failure and how to fix them.

Estimates indicate that more than a third of US homes depend on septic systems to treat wastewater. They are common in rural areas where many homes are not connected to a public sewer line.

Every house has its own onsite sewage system, and it is every homeowner’s responsibility to regularly maintain their septic tank so that it lives longer and avoids them any possible expensive repairs.

But sometimes lack of repair or maintenance leads to failure and that is a lot of challenges for homeowners: health risks like pollution of water, or horrible and strong odors from any release of methane gas.

4 reasons why septic systems fail

There are many reasons why your Georgia or South Carolina septic system can fail:

Physical damage:

It is one of the common issues relating to septic system failure. Physical damage includes tree roots interfering with your drain field pipes, building or parking over the absorption field area.

This can lead to pipes getting clogged or crushed and negatively impacting the regular functioning of your septic system.

Too much water

Too much water comes from using the washing machine many times a day, taking many showers or using a lot the dish washer. It can also result from surface water finding its way to your drain field. Your septic system has a capacity and can only handle the right amount of water and nothing more.

Improper design

Improper design is a main contributor to why septic systems fail. It refers to faulty installation and improper design. Pipes could be laid incorrectly, and site conditions might be inappropriate, like soil type, tank installation.

Septic Works have an experienced team of professional hands that will assess properly your house yard before designing and installing the septic system. We run a soil test to ensure that the soil layer is thick enough for wastewater to get treated before it reaches groundwater.

Lack of maintenance

Regular septic inspection and pumping are essential to avoiding any septic issues. Departments of public health advise homeowners to pump their septic tank at least once every three years.

Your septic system is made up of many components. You must check them regularly to lessen the number of repairs or replacements.

How to fix a failing septic system

-Build drainage to divert any surface water from your absorption field.

-Plant trees and shrubs away from your drain field.

-Reduce the volume of water that gets into your septic system.

Now that you know why septic systems fail, always remember prevention is your best course of action to avoid any septic issues. Be aware of what you throw down your house drains, sinks and toilets. Avoid flushing any plastic objects down your toilets and don’t overuse water.

In case you need any septic help or have any queries, don’t hesitate to talk to Septic Works customer support at 843-962-6363.

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