Septic Tank Backup Causes

Blocked drain or drain backup diagnosis.

Septic tank backup causes.

The holding tank that acts as a bacterial chamber that breaks down solids. Older clay pipes connecting the house to the septic tank may experience root intrusion at the connection points or at a pipe joint. The damage may be a result of a slight shift in the earth for instance during an earthquake. Damage can come from a natural shift of the earth but a much more likely instigator would be heavy equipment such as a car moving across the ground on top of the septic system.

Caused by drain blockage versus caused by septic system failure. There s the disposal field that distributes liquids to be absorbed into the ground. Tree roots in pipes tree roots can infiltrate cracks in your tank or around the risers or covers of your septic tank causing major damage. A septic system uses anaerobic species of bacteria to break down solid waste inside of the tank.

This article outlines three potential causes of a septic system backup. Pump the septic tank tank right before the event or the day before. As the condition worsens water backs up into the tank and if you have a transfer pump the pump may start running continuously. The roots grow inside the pipe causing obstructions that debris gets caught on.

This will give some extra capacity to absorbing this high use resulting in a sudden surge in wastewater volume. You may yourself unintentionally damage the lines if you drive your vehicle across the areas where the tank is buried. Tree roots tree roots can penetrate septic tanks and septic tank drain field pipes. Septic tank systems back up also occur due to a damage caused in the underground lines that connect to the tank.

Unfortunately a wide variety of underlying issues may lead to a backup. Types of septic tanks. Eventually because the water has nowhere else to go it ends up in your plumbing. Here we explain how to determine if a blocked or slow drain is due to a problem inside the building or outside in a sewer line or failing septic system.

As the soil in the drain field becomes saturated septic water can t soak in and it may rise to the surface and create an odor. Another frequent cause of backup is damage to the septic tank itself. When the tank is not working as it should due to backups caused by tree roots it can cause the system to work slowly or to stop completely. Very high water usage over a short time can flood a drainfield or septic mound which in turn could cause a septic backup.

Below are the top six causes of septic tank blockages. If you would like to learn more about troubleshooting septic system problems keep reading.