Did you know septic tanks can last as long as thirty years? How long septic tanks last of course, all depends on if they are being properly maintained. Septic tanks of course are for use in properties that are not connected to a sewer system of any kind. These properties are usually in rural areas. We aim to cover all sorts of topics related to plumbing in our Metro-Flow Plumbing blog so let’s get started with septic tanks!
Septic tanks come in all different sizes depending where they are being installed and are usually rectangular in shape. They are used for both residential and commercial buildings mostly in rural areas. We will be looking into the residential side of course. According to the EPA (the Environmental Protection Agency), a septic system is an underground wastewater treatment structure.
So basically, it is an underground container or tank that can be made out of a number of materials. This underground chamber can be made out of concrete, fiberglass or plastic and is always water tight. A septic tank receives a household’s waste and holds it long enough for the waste itself to separate by pushing solids to the bottom of it and having the rest of the sludge-like material float to the top. The wastewater between these two then exits out another pipe and into what we call a drain field. It is the remaining waste and scum that needs to be pumped out through one of the septic tanks service pipes.
The problem of deterioration and how long septic tanks can actually last often has to do with when they were installed. Household septic tanks should be properly maintained, inspected and pumped out every three to five years. When moving into a new home which relies on a septic tank make sure to get said septic tank properly inspected. You do not want to be caught down the line with a septic tank that needs repair, or worse, replacement.
Signs of a faulty septic tanks can include but are not limited to the following:
- The area where your septic tank is installed is constantly wet and covered in small puddles from all the water pouring out, this can also lead to grass being a healthier green than the rest of your lawn.
- The smell, if the above is happening then you can almost always know something is wrong because of the smell of sewage.
- Sewage backup, the absolute worst of the worst. Sewages will literally come back up through your various sinks, toilets and even your shower.
Make sure to contact a licensed septic tank technician that can come out and service your septic tank if any of the above is happening. Metro-Flow Plumbing is happy to refer you to a specialist. You do not want this problem to get worse. More often than not when something has gotten that bad already the septic tank would most likely need replacement. You want to get it replaced sooner than later to allow proper sewage flow from your place of residence.
If you’re moving from a place of residence connected to a sewer system to a place relying on a septic tank do not be intimidated by it. Septic tanks have been a reliable alternate sewage system since the year they were invented in 1860 by the French inventor Jean-Louis Mouras. Just think of a septic tank as an extension of your home. Like all things around your home it periodically needs to be serviced by a professional. Jean-Louis Mouras wanted to invent a way, or a system of waste disposal where you did not need to go outside your home. Up to that point outhouses were the main way of taking care of our business throughout the day. Jean-Louis Mouras ran clay pipes from his home which extended out to a concrete tank outside. This was the very first septic tank. When this became full it was emptied out into a bigger area or cesspool which was then taken care of by the city. After some more trial and error trying to perfect his design, Jean-Louis Mouras finally received a patent for his invention in 1881. Two years later in 1883, the septic tank made its debut in the United States.
We hope you learned something today and this blog was informative. Now that we know how long septic tanks last it can give us a better understanding of what to expect from them when buying a home that uses one. Though Metro-Flow Plumbing does not install or fix septic tank systems, we would be glad to refer you to someone that could help you in Dallas and surrounding areas.
We also want to take this moment to invite you to check out the rest of our website as well as all the services provided by our in-house, certified plumbing technicians. We are proud to serve the community of Dallas, if you have any questions do not hesitate to call us at 214-328-7371 or email us at metroflow@metroflowplumbing.com
See you next time!
