If you live in a relatively rural area of North Las Vegas, NV, your home likely has a septic system. The septic system is an underground wastewater treatment structure. When the water goes down the drains, and your toilet is flushed, it empties into the septic tank. The septic tank will then digest organic matter and separate it from floatable batter like oil and grease and solids. There are a series of pipes extending from the septic tank that lead to a leach field, where the wastewater is sent. The rest remains in the septic tank.
If the septic tank at your home is going to functioning correctly, regular septic tank pumping is necessary. On average, you should have your tank pumped every three to five years. If you don’t keep up with the septic tank pumping, it can result in a messy, smelly overflow.
While it is essential that you have your septic tank pumped every three to five years, there are certain circumstances where more frequent septic tank pumping is necessary.
If You Have a Garbage Disposal
If you have a garbage disposal in your North Las Vegas, NV home, you will need to have your septic tank pumped more frequently. Garbage disposals can be very convenient. When you do your dishes, you won’t need to scrape the excess food into the trash can. Rather than leaving food to spoil in the trash until you take it out, it can go right down the drain. When the food goes down the drain, it will sit in the septic tank. The fat, grease, and other food waste won’t break down quickly because it is sitting in a wet environment. This will cause your septic tank to fill up faster. If you don’t have your septic tank pumped every 1 ½ to 2 ½ years, you could experience a septic tank overflow. More frequent septic tank pumping is essential in protecting your home and your property.
Torrential Downpours
If there have been torrential downpours recently, you may need to have your septic tank pumped, even if you aren’t due for one yet. Flood conditions can cause your septic tank to fill with mud or excess water. If you don’t call for pumping right after the storm passes, you are at risk for a septic tank overflow. Not only is this damaging to your property; if the overflow is severe, it can cause damage to the structure of the home. The sooner you call for septic tank pumping, the better. This is especially true because you won’t be the only resident in North Las Vegas, NV, who needs emergency pumping.
If Your Family Uses a Water Softener
There is always healthy bacteria in your septic tank that helps eat away the things that have gone down the drain or has been flushed down the toilet. It is this bacteria that break down solids, which is why you only need to call for septic tank pumping every three to five years. If your family has hard water, and you use a water softening chemical or a water conditioner that empties into the septic tank, you will need to call for pumping more frequently. Water softeners contain sodium chloride, which can lower the balance of healthy bacteria in the septic tank. This will increase the water volume inside the septic tank. If you don’t call to schedule a pumping more frequently, you will experience an overflow in the tank. Something like this could even flood the drain field.
Your Family Has Grown
The more people there are living in your North Las Vegas, NV home; the more waste will be going into your septic tank. If you have recently increased the number of people who live in your home, you are going to need to have your septic tank pumped more frequently. One additional person may not take up much space in the house. Still, their presence in the home will increase the number of showers taken in the house, the amount of laundry that needs to be done, the number of dishes that need to be washed, and the number of times that the toilet is flushed every day. Over time, this can add up. If you don’t change the schedule for your septic tank pumping to have it done more frequently, you can expect a septic tank overflow.
You Have Increased the Size of Your Home
If you have recently put an addition on your North Las Vegas, NV home, you will need to have your septic tank pumped more frequently. Any additions to your home can impact your septic system. In cases like this, it is best to adjust the size of your septic tank. If something like this isn’t in your budget, you will need to call for a septic tank pumping more frequently until you can have the size of the tank adjusted.
Planning an Event at Your Home
If you are planning to host a big event at your home, you should call for septic tank pumping before the big day. Any major event where you will be hosting many guests means that your toilet will get flushed hundreds of times that day. You will also be using a lot more water. Since you cannot calculate the exact amount of waste and water that will go down the toilet and the drain, it is best to be proactive. If you call to have your tank pumped before the event, you can be sure that it isn’t going to overflow. If your event is held outdoors, the last thing you want is for the septic tank to overflow in the middle of the festivities.
Anytime you need to have your septic tank pumped, whether on schedule or in an emergency, you should call Craig’s Plumbing. We will send a truck to your home on schedule and empty your septic tank. This is the only way to avoid a septic tank overflow.
