septic tank maintenance

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Backups in the waste system can arise from a number of causes, including obstructions in the venting, drain pipe and particularly at the inlet trash collector in some septic tanks. Even if the septic tank requires maintenance, the only thing that needs to be dug up are the access ports to allow a vacuum truck to remove the floating and settled solids.

If you have not recollection of when the septic system was last maintained, then it would be a good idea to located it, expose the maintenance ports on top and check the level of solids using a long dip stick. If floating or settled solids are greater than 6-inches in the primary chamber, or if there is anything solid in the secondary chamber, call for a cleanout. Septic tank pump-outs are a great deal less expensive than leach field replacement.