A septic tank collects all the wastewater coming from your home. Usually made of fiberglass or concrete, this is where all wastes flowing through your pipes go. The idea here is that when the wastewater is held long enough inside the tank, the solids and liquids eventually separate. Through time, the bacteria that are naturally found in the water will break down the solids.
Of course, there will come a time when too much sludge develops and your septic tank becomes clogged. In this case, you have a number of options that you can take, depending on how big the problem has become.How do you unclog a septic tank? Here are a few options:
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Use bacteria.
Although the kind of bacteria that breaks down all the sludge can be found naturally in the wastewater, the dynamics may differ and the existing bacteria may not be enough to effectively break down all the sludge down there. In this case, you would have to add more aggressive bacteria that would break all the sludge down more effectively.
Just keep in mind that once the bacteria has been introduced into the septic system, it could take a couple of weeks for the bacteria to fully work.
Use chemicals.
Evidently, this is not a great idea, considering the possible ill effects that any kind of chemical can have. This is a faster option than bacteria though, as it immediately loosens up any sludge that might be blocking your sewage pipes.
Once the chemicals loosen up the sludge though, another problem arises. Because chemicals don’t really break down the sludge the same way bacteria does, it only causes the sludge to flow elsewhere. So there’s still a possibility that they would cause a blockage somewhere else.
Have it dug up.
This is a very expensive option, but especially when your septic tank expert sees bigger problems in your tank, there is a possibility that your septic tank would have to be dug up so that all damages would be assessed and dealt with and all the blockage taken out. This could take some time, and you would have to deal with the mess longer than necessary.
Of course, it will not only be up to you to decide which option is best. This is why you really need a trusted plumber you can call to help you figure out what the problem is and what solutions are best.
The moment you start smelling some sewage odor around your property or see any other signs of problems coming from your septic tank, call your plumber right away. Remember that the longer you wait, the bigger the problem becomes as well. Not only could this cost you a lot of money in terms of damage to your home and to the septic system, it could also affect the health of your entire family.
So how do you unclog a septic tank? The answer is, you don’t. Well, not on your own. Let your trusted plumber do that for you the most efficient and effective way possible.
