Septic System Maintenance: Tips for Property Managers

Septic systems are indispensable when it comes to the efficient management of wastewater. However, they are usually quite costly to repair or replace. For this reason, regular maintenance is essential to ensure your septic tank system functions correctly. If you are a property manager, the maintenance of plumbing systems such as the septic tank is your responsibility. And here's what you can do to when it comes to the maintenance of your property's septic tank.

Pump the Septic Tank When Required

Your septic tank will become full after some time. And when this happens, the tank needs to be cleaned: a process generally referred to as pumping. This is done to clear the tank of the wastewater and clean any sediments, creating room for more wastewater from the tenant houses.

Usually, septic tank contractors will provide a schedule for when pumping needs to be done. However, depending on how much wastewater ends up in the drains and into your septic tank (based on the usage by the tenants), you may need to pump the septic tank sooner than expected.

Fortunately, even without the schedule, it's usually easy to tell when your septic tank needs pumping. Some of the signs to watch out for include odours from the septic tank area, tenants complaining of slow drains or sewage backup in their homes, pools of water around the septic tank area and an overly green or lush lawn, particularly around the septic area.

Schedule Regular Inspections

Regular inspections of your septic tank can reveal issues such as leakages. Don't only wait to pump out the septic tank because this could be after a few years. Therefore, whether it's monthly, quarterly or semi-annually, plan for regular inspections of the tank. Also, please keep all the inspection records, as this will come in handy when it comes to monitoring recurrent issues and planning for a permanent solution.

Take Care of the Drain Field

The drain field is an essential part of your septic tank system, whose role is to remove contaminants from the wastewater coming from the septic tank. To maintain the drain field, start by keeping any form of traffic, including cars, heavy equipment, and even livestock away from it. Too much traffic on the drain field will add pressure to it, which can compact the soil and strain the underlying drainpipes.

Also, do not plant trees next to your drain field to prevent roots from growing into the septic system. And last, excess water can interfere with the process of wastewater treatment. For this reason, keep drainage systems, roof drains, sump pumps, etc. away from your drain field.

Talk to a company that specialises in plumbing maintenance for property managers to learn more.


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