{"id":12849,"date":"2018-05-02T12:24:43","date_gmt":"2018-05-02T12:24:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/louisvillehomesblog.com\/?p=12849"},"modified":"2023-08-14T19:18:45","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T19:18:45","slug":"symptoms-of-a-failing-septic-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/symptoms-of-a-failing-septic-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Symptoms of a Failing Septic System"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you have a failing septic system, there are usually a few indications of this happening that you may or may not pick up on. Sometimes things are obvious like backed-up drains and a foul smell. Other times these things are not so obvious to the uninitiated. Notice especially lush grass growth near the site of your septic tank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/grass-3166474_640.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a home's yard where the septic system lives\" class=\"wp-image-12851\" srcset=\"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/grass-3166474_640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/grass-3166474_640-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>This article looks at a few of the symptoms you may notice if you have a failing septic system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Indoor Drain Issues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If the septic problem is particularly serious, you\u2019ll notice signs of it in your home. This can manifest as decreased flushing in your toilets, decreased drain flow, and unpleasant odors in your home. If the drains in your house are taking <em>forever<\/em> to drain, that\u2019s a good sign that you have an issue with your septic system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In really severe cases you will notice a backup of sewage in your drains or toilet which is often black and smells pretty unpleasant. You may also notice gurgling sounds in your plumbing system, which are another tell-tale sign of <strong>septic issues<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A great way to try and prevent these issues, beyond flushing only appropriate items down drains, is to use a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apgsensors.com\/about-us\/blog\/level-sensors-for-liquids-with-foam-and-vapor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pressure transducer<\/a> to monitor the level of fluid in your tank. This way you will be notified <em>before<\/em> the problem becomes larger and inevitably more expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Near the Tank Itself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if everything in your house is fine, you might still have a problem with the <strong>septic system. <\/strong>Is there&nbsp;an odor around your septic tank or drain fields? We could be looking at a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another obvious sign is standing water around your septic tank or the drain fields. This can manifest itself as a lush, bright green, and a spongy patch of grass over the septic tank or drain fields, which thrives even in dry weather. This is an <em>obvious sign<\/em> that sewage is leaking and effectively fertilizing this patch of lawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Not as Easy to Notice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to these signs, there are a few less obvious ones that you may not directly link to a problem with your septic system. If there\u2019s a presence of contamination with either nitrates or bacteria in your well water, it&#8217;s a clear sign of something wrong with your septic system. This should be rectified quickly because it is a <strong>major health hazard<\/strong> to you and your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another potential sign of a failing septic system is <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Algal_bloom\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">algal blooms<\/a> and an abundance of aquatic weeds in nearby ponds. This results in these areas because they are being fertilized by sewage as a result of a septic leak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prevention<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a few common reasons why septic systems fail. Some of these can be easily rectified whilst others may need significant intervention and investment to deal with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your drains are draining very slowly, this is a sign that the sewage pipe coming from the house and leading to the septic tank is <strong>clogged<\/strong>. That\u2019s generally simple to fix. Simply call a septic cleaning service and have them \u201csnake\u201d the line to remove the blockage. This can be prevented by making sure that you <em>only<\/em> flush sewage down the commode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A similar problem can arise when the tank\u2019s inlet baffle is clogged. It\u2019s theoretically possible to unclog it yourself if you have access to the piping. Otherwise, call a professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If there\u2019s sewage backing up into your home or surfacing near your septic tank, then the issue could be either the <a href=\"https:\/\/inspectapedia.com\/septic\/Septic_Tank_Tees.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">outlet baffle<\/a> or the effluent filter being clogged. This problem is a sign that the tank is receiving too much water, perhaps too much too fast. The effluent filter may need to be cleaned or replaced. You may even need to have your septic tank pumped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your drain fields fail\u00a0or become\u00a0saturated with water, sewage may back up into your home and soggy areas may appear over the drain fields themselves. There might also be odors around the drain fields or tank in this case. This is often a sign that your drain fields have reached the end of their usable life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes though, it\u2019s simply an issue of too much water saturating the drain fields, which can often be drained and <strong>rehabilitated<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re experiencing any issues with your septic system, it\u2019s vital to call in a professional to evaluate the situation. There\u2019s simply no way you will be able to figure out what\u2019s wrong with your septic system until they snake the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Serious issues aren\u2019t a DIY job. You could search <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mrrooter.com\/residential-services\/sump-pumps\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">septic tank service near me<\/a> to find an expert who can properly evaluate and rectify the situation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you have a failing septic system, there are usually a few indications of this happening that you may or may not pick up on. Sometimes things are obvious like backed-up drains and a foul smell. Other times these things are not so obvious to the uninitiated. Notice especially lush grass growth near the site [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12851,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"off","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[673,680],"tags":[1492],"class_list":["post-12849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-improvement","category-residential","tag-failing-septic-system","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12849","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12849"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12849\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20008,"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12849\/revisions\/20008"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trepryor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}