How to Prepare Your Septic Tank for Rainfall

How to Prepare Your Septic Tank for Rainfall

It's that time of year again — hurricane/tropical storm season. While these kinds of extreme weather events are common, they can cause issues with your septic tank and the surrounding soil areas because of their strong winds and heavy rainfall, which can send surface water into your drains much faster than normal. This can cause flooding if you don't inspect your septic system before the storm hits. Metro Septic Pumping knows how to prepare for storms with septic tank pumping. Our septic company will be there for you!

Protect your home and your family by ensuring that your septic tank is working properly before making any big changes to your landscaping or adding anything new to the property. Use the following four steps to prepare your septic tank now properly.

Inspect Before The Storm

Before any storm, it is essential to inspect your septic system. This can be done by opening the lid of your tank and looking down into it. You will want to ensure no clogs or blockages in the pipes leading from the house to the tank or in the tank itself. Any clogs or blockages need to be cleared as soon as possible because they could cause serious damage if not taken care of immediately.

Suppose you find clogs or blockages in your pipes. In that case, there are many ways to unclog them yourself, including using a snake-like device that can be inserted into pipes under pressure to push debris out of them but when time is of the essence, contact Metro Septic Pumping immediately.

It's not just rain that can cause problems with your septic system; flooding from other sources, like runoff from streets or streams, can also cause damage if it gets into your tank and mixes with wastewater inside. Ensure all valves leading into your home are closed so that no water can enter these areas while it rains outside. If there are any leaks or cracks in the pipes leading into your home, have them repaired immediately, so water doesn't get inside when it rains.

Your float valve keeps sewage from flowing out of the tank when it's full, but if debris gets caught in this device or if there's corrosion on its interior surfaces, then it may fail during periods of heavy rain. Inspect this valve regularly and ensure it operates smoothly without sticking or becoming stuck open or closed.

Improve Your Drainage

If water pools around your septic tank, it may overflow into the tank and cause backups into your home. This can also cause damage to your lawn and landscaping. One way to improve drainage is by grading the surface around your tank so that water flows away from it naturally. You also need an adequate slope away from your house so that runoff moves offsite quickly. If you have an uphill slope behind or beside your home, consider adding a retaining wall that will direct runoff away from the structure instead of letting it flow downhill toward it.

Get High-Efficiency Toilets

Having a septic system that works properly is important, but it's also important to use it efficiently. That's why many states are changing their laws about how much water an individual household can use and mandating more efficient toilets. Septic tanks have a limited capacity and cannot quickly handle high volumes of water. The best way to avoid overflowing your tank is to use high-efficiency toilets with less water per flush. This not only reduces how often you have to flush, but it also helps avoid the clogs that happen when too much debris enters the system at once.

Keep Vegetation Short

The roots of trees and shrubs may infiltrate your drain field lines and clog them with debris. Shrubs should be kept no higher than 12 inches above the ground surface, while trees should not hang over or touch any part of the drain field or lateral lines. Trim back any overhanging branches or foliage that could block water flow into or out of the drain field.

Metro Septic Pumping

Homeowners must prepare their septic systems for the onslaught of seasonal rains every fall and spring. While many homeowners go through this process without problems, others experience common issues. Drain fields get overwhelmed, septic pumps fail from chemical changes in the system, and anaerobic conditions occur within sepsis tanks. To avoid such occurrences, you should take preventative measures to prepare your septic tank for rainfall with septic tank pumping and partnering with a septic company such as Metro Septic Pumping.