Where Does Your Garbage Go?

Is It A Clogged Drain Or A Septic Failure?

Diagnosing plumbing issues becomes even trickier when you have a septic tank rather than a municipal sewage system. Here are some steps to take when your drain isn't working right but you're not sure of the cause yet.

Indoor Sewage Odors or Wet Spots

The first clue you have is whether you smell any sewage odors indoors. Or, if you see some wet spots on the carpet that smell like sewage. That probably indicates that something is broken within the property. It could be that a plumbing pipe has busted. Check with your plumber to help you locate the source of the breach.

Outdoor Sewage Smells and Spots

On the contrary, if you are experiencing odors outside your property, there may be something wrong with your tank and drain field. It could be clogged, leading to more waste sticking around at a time. There could also be a leak caused by a septic tank that's too full. Look under the septic tank itself for drips, smells, and ground that's a different color than the area around the tank; these are all signs that you need a septic tank checkup, badly.

Multiple Slow Drains

If you have a single drain that appears to be clogged, then it makes sense to focus on that drain first and try to troubleshoot issues with it. But if multiple drains are slow to clear, then it sounds like you have a septic backup. The septic tank may be overloaded or clogged, which means that it can't push wastewater through the tank at such a rapid pace. This usually leads to the water backing up into your home's drains, and your drains are slow to clear. This can be a plumbing emergency since the septic tank could fail completely if it's not cleared. Call in a septic tank cleaning team right away.

Of course, this can all be a lot to process when you have a sewage emergency. You may want to simply hire a septic tank professional like Mr Bob who knows a little about plumbing as well. They will start by inspecting the septic tank, paying close attention for leaks and checking the sewage levels. If the drain field is wet or smelly, they can check the health of the biomat and see if there are any clogs. Next, they may troubleshoot which drains and fixtures aren't working so that they can isolate plumbing and sewage problems to one area of the home for an easier fix.


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