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Are All Septic Tanks the Same Size?

A combination of the standard wastewater system with soil sewage system is considered as the most effective way to treat residential wastewater. For this hybrid system to work, the right type of septic tank should be installed in your home. It also needs to have the right soil type and it has to be maintained periodically.
Are all septic tanks the same size? The answer is no. The size of the septic tank size for your household will depend on a number of factors. These include the number of bedrooms that you have, the number of family members, the size of the home, and the type of fixtures being used.

Here’s a basic guide on septic tank sizes:

  • for 1 or 2 bedroom homes with less than 1,500 square foot in floor area, the tank capacity should be 750.
  • for 3 bedroom homes with less than 2,500 square foot in floor area, the tank capacity should be 1000.
  • for 4 bedroom homes with less than 3,500 square foot in floor area, the tank capacity should be 1,250.
  • for 5 bedroom homes with less than 4,500 square foot in floor area, the tank capacity should be 1,250.
  • for 6 bedroom homes with less than 5,500 square foot in floor area, the tank capacity should be 1,315.
  • Table of Contents

    What are the different septic tank types?

    There are three main types of septic tanks: concrete, fiberglass and polyethylene. The most commonly used are concrete ones. Fiberglass and polyethylene tanks are used for “hard to reach” locations.

    How often should your septic tank be pumped?

    For your septic system to work properly, the tank should be pumped at regular periods. A septic tank with the right size can accumulate sludge for around three years.
    Too much sludge in your tank will leave no space for sewage to settle in the tank and is no longer treated properly. Although the soil absorption field will not weaken immediately if the tank is not pumped, the septic tank will not be able to do its job of filtering solids before going to the soil absorption field. If you don’t pump your tank soon, you will have to replace the soil absorption field.

    You also need to protect the soil absorption field from rainfall. To prevent the field from filling with water, rainfall should be properly drained through drain pipes around the soil absorption field. This is important because water-soaked fields won’t be able to absorb wastewater.

    What are other maintenance practices?

    Another thing that you need to include in your periodic maintenance is cleaning of the effluent filter. This is needed to prevent the system from backing up and it provides additional filtering of the wastewater. The filter removes more solids from the wastewater, preventing blockage of the absorption field. Blockages cause the absorption field to weaken and fail. The filter is located at the tank’s outlet tee and you can clean it by spraying it with a pressure hose. You can also request the cleaning from your maintenance provider.

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