We may not have had an overly cold winter but it’s certainly been a wet one and as we all know, this can wreak havoc on our septic systems. With spring in full flow and the colder ground having thawed out completely after the sparse frosts, we’ll certainly continue to see a few problems arising for our septic tank. The reason for this? Well, our septic systems work by something called absorption and evaporation so when the ground finds itself saturated already (due to rain), the effluent has absolutely no where to go.
Typically speaking, the water table will rise during wet periods i.e. winter and spring. This will of course influence the wastewater flow as well as the treatment process. To then continually add to this with showers, toilets and washing will obviously begin to cause problems. A great way to think about it is to imagine a sponge that’s filled entirely with water…now try adding more water to it. In order to add more water, you must wring out the sponge. By definition, we must therefore try out best to somehow “wring” out the septic tank. The question however is whether this is possible. The answer to that is a rather confusing yes and no. While technically, you may not be able to remove the water yourself, you can prevent a large amount from entering. You can begin by monitoring your water usage especially during periods of heavy rain or even if heavy rain is expected. This will help you avoid overburdening your septic tank by simply controlling the amount of water that’s washed through the drains. In this case, we suggest you leave the washing to a much drier day.
On top of this, regular pump outs are hugely important in order help maintain the healthy bacteria in your septic tank. To keep on top it, we advise you plan ahead for what we like to refer to as “preventative maintenance”. Stop waiting for major problems to occur before you do something. When it comes to timing, unless you’re having an emergency or find yourself needing the septic tank to be pumped for a property sale, then it’s best to wait for slightly warmer weather as the real winter doesn’t allow much time for decomposition to occur before the super cold temperatures set in.
You may also want to try rerouting all of your water flow away from your septic tank. As the spring thaw and April showers set in, the last thing you’ll want is for the extra water to work its way toward your tank. Luckily for us this year, we’ve had no snow however if we had of done, we would advise plowing the snow away from your septic system. There should only be grass on top of your septic tank and subsequent components.
Now of course, these aren’t the only considerations you’ll need to make this spring. There are many more areas you’ll need to consider. To find out more however, just give us a call here at euroloo on 0800 61 22 515. Why not inquire about our annual septic tank empties to ensure your septic remains in tiptop shape, all year round, whatever the weather?
