Having your nephews over for that weekend was very special because it you were going to help them choose their first dog. In the back of your mind you always knew the odors coming from toilet can mean trouble. Before you left that day, your younger nephew wanted to use the bathroom. A few seconds after he went in, he immediately came out. He said that he didn’t make a poo because the toilet made a poo already. You wondered why he said that. You were very sure that you cleaned the toilet very well. You even turned on your bathroom deodorizer before you closed the bathroom door that morning. When you went inside the bathroom to check, the toilet was emitting a terrible septic odor. It even backed up with septic water. The drains and sinks did the same thing. You knew you had to call the septic expert immediately because odors coming from toilet can mean trouble.
It was a good thing that your next door neighbors were already awake that morning so your nephews were able to use their bathroom. When the septic expert arrived, you told your nephews to watch TV for a while. The expert worked on the septic trouble as fast as he could. He said that even if you adhered to the pumping schedule, there were still other reasons why this:
1. Fat dumping
If you have the habit of dumping fat and grease into your drains, sinks, and toilets, then you would be greatly contributing to its slow death. Even if you use a garbage disposal unit, fats are still fats and they cannot be broken down by the resident bacteria very easily. They just stay in the tank until they enter the drain field where they clog the area. This will then lead to malfunction and failure.
2. Non-biodegradables
Dumping non-biodegradable materials like paint, disinfectants, plastic materials, tampons, and napkins will definitely clog the system. These items will not be degraded by the resident bacteria and will just stay in the system and clog up the tank and the drain field until the entire system fails.
3. Using antibacterial cleaners
Homeowners usually opt for antibacterial solutions to make sure that their homes stay germ-free and disease-free. But these antibacterial cleansers kill off the resident bacteria that breakdown the solid waste materials that come in with the wastewater. As you know, anaerobic and aerobic bacteria are the ones that really enable the septic system to function. If they are killed off, the entire wastewater treatment facility in your home will fail.
4. High water load
High water load or a drastic increase in water load could also cause the system to fail. This may be caused by heavy rains, heavy laundry loads, and an increase in the number of household members. Your septic system is designed to accommodate your household. If the wastewater that comes in is beyond its capacity, it is bound to fail. You should talk to your septic expert about the necessary adjustments that should be made to normalize the water load. A dry well could be installed, the rain gutter could be diverted away from the septic area, and the larger septic tank could be installed to allow a better septic system flow.
5. Pumping out when it’s raining heavily
It’s better not to pump out when it is raining heavily. Just wait for the rains to stop before you have your system pumped out. If you pump out during heavy rains, then the mud and silt will enter the system and clog it.
6. Hardwood plants, vehicles, or construction over the system
There should not be any hardwood plants, construction, or vehicles over the system because these damage the septic components. Just place them away from the system’s area.
7. Not following pump out schedules
You should follow the pump out schedules so that you can be sure that the sludge level is maintained at a normal level and will not be dispersed in to the drain field.
The septic expert corrected the septic failure at an amazing pace. You were able to leave just before lunch. Even if the septic expert repaired the septic malfunction, you knew that you had to do your part to prevent the incident from happening again. I want to tell all readers to remember that odors coming from toilet can mean trouble.