Your septic tank’s function is essential for processing human waste from your home. Waste flows from the drain pipes in your home into your septic tank. There, the liquid and solid waste are separated. A baffle prevents debris from flowing beyond the septic tank so that the passage of waste to the drain field or “leach” field is uninterrupted.
A septic tank’s size depends on the size of the home and how many people are expected to live in a home of that size. The tank needs to be large enough so that the solid waste has time to separate and sink to the bottom and the liquid has time to drain out into the field.
The most important aspect of septic tank maintenance for the homeowner is to not overfill the septic tank with excess waste. Limiting the number of laundry loads per day and the amount of wastewater going down the drain helps prevent overfilling. It is also better not to pour grease down any household drain, and not to let water runoff from rain pool on the drain field, as that will also slow down the tank’s ability to drain.
Your septic tank loses capacity as the amount of solid waste accumulates on the bottom. That’s why septic tank cleaning is necessary. Anywhere in BC, septic tank cleaning can be performed by a pump truck service such as Edenflo. Pump truck services typically include baffle inspections and an evaluation of the performance of your system.
The company that provides your pump truck service should be able to advise you on septic tank preventative maintenance. Companies such as Edenflo also provide hydro flushing of clogged drains in your house as well as hydro excavation of catch basins if you have them and are responsible for them.
