I want you to understand that a septic tank is a living system. Just as live enzymes and bacteria digest our food in our bodies, these same enzymes and bacteria (“life”) continue to live and eat, while emitting gas (a byproduct of the digestion). This digestion takes place on the way to the tank, inside the tank, and even after the tank as the effluent flows into the leach field. However, adding excessive amounts of bleach, anti-bacterial soap, or caustic drain cleaners can kill these organisms. Harsh chemicals do not belong in septic systems. If the natural “life” is reduced, the digestion will decrease and sludge will fill the septic tank, along with Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG). This will need pumping out!
A septic tank does not need to be pumped because it gets full. Once a septic tank reaches its capacity – which doesn’t take long (about 1100 gallons on average), it is normally full all the time! Solids fall to the bottom of the tank, where the organisms in the tank continue to digest it (and emit methane gas - which is vented to the atmosphere). Once at capacity, spillage then flows out pipes into the leach field, where it percolates down into the ground.
I know of Septic Systems that are 40 years old and never been Pumped! These are healthy self-sustaining systems. The reason that tanks are pumped when a house sells, is not to get rid of the contents, but to allow an inspection of the tank for decay or damage (this is required in California).
To maintain system health, I strongly recommend adding liquid and fresh live enzymes into septic systems regularly. Enzymes will also keep the FOG from collecting in drain pipes in the building, saving you a blocked drain. Powered or dry Enzymes have a shorter shelf life, so be sure to check for freshness to ensure they will actually work.
Just as water flows out of the tank system into the leach field, if the leach field is saturated (such as during heavy rains), the water can actually flow back into the system – obviously causing trouble when you try to add more waste to it. Rain water Infiltration is a product of poor grading, design, and installation. Septic pumpers work around the clock when rains are heavy. But the pumping only provides temporary relief until the leach field can be functional again.
Please don’t flush pharmaceuticals down the drain (whether you have a septic tank or are hooked up to a sewer system), they end up in our drinking water! Nature doesn’t digest this stuff. Point of use responsibility is only way this world is going to stay clean. The stories of frogs changing sex is not “Earth people paranoia.” This is very real, but - another story.
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How to take apart and put back together the P-trap under your sink.