No More Stinky Septic Problems

If you live in an area that experiences seasonal flooding, your septic tank could be in danger. Floods can inundate your septic system, leading to backups, clogs, and even system failure. If any of those things happen, you're looking at costly repairs. You might even be looking at some downtime for your septic, which means you'll need to bring in portable toilets until your system is back up and running. To prevent septic problems, here are four steps you should take as soon as you experience a flood in your yard.

Divert the Water

If you've got flood waters in your yard, you need to get them away from your septic field as quickly as possible. Water can soak through the soil to your septic system where it can flood your tanks and compromise your seepage field. To prevent septic flooding, you need to divert the water. Begin by digging shallow drainage lines leading away from the septic field. Once the flood waters have subsided, you should install a permanent drainage system, such as a French drain, around your septic field. This will allow water to drain away from the field each time it rains.

Avoid Flushing Your Toilets

If your yard is flooded, you should assume that your septic system has been compromised. Until the water subsides, it's important that you avoid flushing the toilets, especially if you smell septic odors coming up through the drains. Those odors are a sure sign that your septic tank is flooded and raw sewage is backing up through the drains.

Service Your Tank

Once the rains have stopped, and the flood waters have dried up in your yard, you'll need to have your septic system serviced. Contact a septic company and have them come out to drain your septic tank. It's also a good idea to have them inspect the seepage field at the same time. This will allow them to identify problems that might need to be repaired before the next rains arrive.

Clean Your Drains

As stated earlier, if you smelled raw sewage odors coming up through the drains, you probably experienced a backup during the floods. Once that sewage dries, it could cause stubborn clogs. It could also cause a continuation of foul odors through your drains. To get rid of the problem, you should have your drains professionally cleaned. This is particularly true if you noticed brown water backing up into your tubs during the floods. Brown water signifies a septic backup.

Don't let floods damage your septic system. Use the tips provided here to protect your septic the next time your yard floods. For more information, contact a company like Gotta Go Green.