If you have your septic tank pumped out regularly and take care of your drains and drainfield, then you might not have many problems with your septic system. However, your tank and even the drainfield can deteriorate due to age, tree roots, or soil movement.

When you notice problems with your toilet or drains, call a septic professional for help so repairs can be done if needed before your tank backs up in your yard or home. Here are some things that might go wrong with your septic system, the repairs that might be needed, and how to know when your septic system isn't working properly.

Things That Can Go Wrong With Your Septic System

Your septic system has several drains in it, including the main sewer drain from your home, and these drains can clog or crack. If you have a tree root problem that's serious enough, your entire tank could become clogged with roots. If you have a concrete septic tank, the concrete might corrode or crack. The concrete baffles can also corrode away due to age.

The far side of your septic tank contains drains, a distribution box, and the drainfield. The distribution box and drains can get clogged. The drainfield can also stop soaking up and filtering wastewater if the soil becomes compacted.

How To Know If Your Septic System Has Problems

You should suspect problems with your septic system if you smell sewer odors inside your house or in your yard. You might even see sewage in your yard. If your tank is full or clogged, sewage might even back up in your bathtub. Another, more subtle, sign that something is wrong is when your drains or toilets are slow to empty.

Septic Repairs That Might Be Needed

If any of the drains are clogged, they can be cleared using a hydro jet. The pressurized water can blast out all kinds of clogs in the drains and the hydro jet can also clear tree roots out of the septic tank. If the septic tank is cracked, the crack can often be repaired using concrete crack filler as long as the crack isn't too big or in the wrong place. Corroded baffles might be replaced with new PVC baffles.

Septic repair for the drainfield is more complicated. The contractor might have to break up the soil by forcing air through it so wastewater can drain properly. They might also need to clear out biofilm in the drainfield that's clogging the system. The contractor first has to figure out the nature of the problem and then determine the right way to make repairs. At some point, your tank and drainfield might need to be replaced, but septic repairs keep your system going for as long as possible.

Contact a company like DWR Waste Removal & Septic to learn more.