The septic system in your home may appear rather simple, but it is a delicate system that requires proper maintenance.
That’s why we wanted to provide this brief article to help you understand how a septic tank works.
The following information will help you learn a great deal about your septic tank in Kelowna, what can go wrong, and when to call for a professional septic tank service.
Septic Tank: The Vital Parts
Although a septic tank is a stand-alone unit, it is a part of your home’s septic system.
The vital components of these systems include your drainage pipe, septic tank and drainage field.
Each one of these parts plays a vital role in keeping the system running. If anything goes wrong with any component of the septic system, you will have a problem on your hands.
Now that you know the essentials of what makes a septic tank system, let’s see how it works.
The Intricate Design of a Septic Tank
To help you understand how a septic tank works, we’ve broken down the process into several steps.
Step 1
The wastewater and sewage from your house go through the main drainage pipe, which is connected to your septic tank.
Step 2
Once the water exits the drainpipe, it ends up in a septic tank. Septic tanks can be made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene. The primary role of the septic tank is to hold the water so that solid particles can settle down while grease and oil remain floating to the top.
The solid particles at the bottom form sludge while oil and grease form scum. The special compartments built in a septic tank prevent sludge and scum from leaving the tank.
Step 3
The captured water between sludge and scum exits the septic tank and ends up in a drainfield.
Step 4
Drainfield consists of several pipes that take the water from the septic tank and pipe it into the ground.
Step 5
The soil works as a final natural filter that breaks down harmful bacteria, viruses, and nutrients in the water.
When You Need Septic Service in Kelowna
As a leading Kelowna septic tank service provider, D & L Environmental is fully equipped to meet your septic system & servicing needs.
While every septic tank should be serviced at least once in a couple of years, the following signs indicate that you need a septic tank service:
- Muddy soil and/or pooling water around your septic tank
- Wastewater backing up into your household
- The grass around drainfield appears spongy and bright green
- You can sense the characteristic odor around the drainfield and septic tank
Hopefully, this information will help you understand how your septic tank works and when to get a septic tank service.
For Okanagan septic cleaning & service, get in touch today. For septic emergencies in Kelowna or the Okanagan call 250-765-0999.