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Ever wondered what happens to wastewater after you brush your teeth or flush the toilet; especially if you live in an area which does not have access to the public sewerage system. Household sewage in such cases is treated and disposed of via a system of a underground tank and pipes called the Septic System.

The underground tank is called a Septic Tank; it holds onto the solid waste, decomposes it into sludge and passes the liquid waste onto the drain field.

The drain field has an underground network of pipes. The liquid effluent from these pipes gets filtered via the surrounding gravel and soil and eventually ends up as ground or surface water.

For the system described above to function properly, care and attention needs to be maintained by homeowners. Negligence in this regard could damage the system and not only be expensive, but could also be a cause of serious health and environmental concerns.

To help you mitigate such issues and be proactive in the care dished out for the maintenance of septic systems, we share three of the most common types of damage that occur in these systems.

Clogged Pipes

The septic tanks at any point in time can only hold only a limited amount of wastewater. When households go overboard with the amount of water they use, septic tanks overflow, pushing the water either back towards the house or into the pipes of the drainfield. And since wastewater is slimy in texture, it can clog up pipes and block their drainage pores.

To avoid damaging pipes through clogging, households need to conserve their use of water. Making use of water-efficient toilets and faucets in bathrooms can help in this regard.

Damaged Tanks

Putting weight on septic tanks is harmful as it can damage their structure. Pipes that are connected to the tank can also shift or be crushed under the weight, and the soil can be compacted. This can make accessing and cleaning the underground pipes difficult. Therefore it is important to make sure that you do not park your vehicle, or construct a building on top of your septic tank and the drain field.

Similarly, trees and shrubs around the septic system can also be harmful. Tree roots can penetrate into the tank and cause creases on its walls. Planting trees close to the septic system should also be avoided

Dying Bacteria

Bacteria functions as an important element of the septic system. It breaks down the solid waste present in septic tanks and decomposes the sludge. But these bacteria need oxygen and plenty of organic matter to stay alive.

If you use strong chemicals or flush other cleaning solutions down the drain, you could end up killing them and rendering the system useless. Therefore, you should steer away from draining chemicals into the system.

Without the bacterial work, septic tanks fill up quickly causing damage to the pipes and requiring frequent maintenance and pumping.