Septic Tank Cleaning Wichita KS

There are homes within Wichita and Sedgwick County that have septic systems. As with most things out of sight out of mind is the attitude most homeowners take when it comes to their septic tank. Service is usually performed only when an emergency plumbing situation arises. As with most other household systems, proper maintenance and inspections are needed to ensure that everything is performing as efficiently and effectively as possible. This can only be done by a company in the business of professionally performing tank cleanings. It’s not a job for the faint of heart but something that must be done.

A septic system has the very specific of storing all the water from all the toilets, showers, and sinks in the home. The correct term for this wastewater is septage. Over time the tank accumulates all of this septage and the tank then needs to be cleaned for the system to operate properly. Some companies suggest this be done every other year while others say a time frame of 3-5 years is adequate. Other factors such as the number of people living in the home as well as the size of the house also need to be taken into consideration.

Ways Your Septic System Lets You Know It Is Not Working Properly:

• Standing water or a bad smell near or around the septic tank.
• Slow draining of sinks, showers, and bathtubs in the home.
• Sewage or water backing up into the home.
• A gurgling noise in the plumbing system

A Septic System Failure Is A Serious Issue:

Raw sewage transports dangerous contaminants and pathogens. These can be very dangerous to people and animals having the potential to make them very sick or result in death. A septic system that has failed also has the potential to contaminate sources of water used for drinking, swimming, and agricultural uses. Not only is a backup of a  sewer a health concern it is also very unsightly and an odor irritant.

So Why Did My Septic System Fail?

One of the more common reasons for a failure is a clogged pipe. If you experience slow drainage or a complete lack of drainage there is a very good chance that the pipe leading from the house to the tank is blocked. This can usually be remedied by having a plumbing company snake the line and remove the blockage. Usually, the blockage occurs in the first place because something was flushed or placed in the drain the shouldn’t have been. Remember that only toilet paper and human waste should be flushed. Another possible reason for a blockage is a pipe that is damaged or crushed. Tree roots can sometimes block a pipe, especially in older systems. Vehicle traffic can also pinch or break a pipe rendering it useless for draining.

Other possible causes for a system failure are a blocked inlet baffle or a clogged effluent filter or outlet baffle. A professional sewage removal company can take care of these issues for you. A blocked inlet baffle usually doesn’t cost much to have remedied. An outlet baffle that is clogged might require the pumping out of the tank if there is no effluent filter present. Another common reason for a septic system failure is a failed drainfield. If this is the case a professional will need to be consulted to see if it can be repaired or if it must be replaced.

If you would like to learn more about how your septic system works and how to properly maintain it here is a good video to watch.