Septic systems usually fail in a gradual manner. Few times is there one dramatic moment when everything suddenly stops working. What typically happens is that a lot of little signs accumulate, and each one can be easily dismissed, but when the time comes when the system is in serious trouble, the problem is no longer subtle.
The problem is that the early symptoms are indeed minor inconveniences. Slow draining of the drain. In the garden, there is a smell that comes and goes. A section of grass that is slightly different than the rest. No one ever feels these are emergencies. However, each one is a message from the septic system, and it is the homeowners who listen to these messages early who are avoiding the costly and disruptive consequences of ignoring them.
From the early warning signs to the ones that you need to take immediate action, here is what a failing septic system looks like.
Slow Drains That Do Not Respond to Normal Fixes
If there is only one slow drain, it’s most likely a blocked pipe. Hair in the shower trap, grease under the kitchen sink or something stuck in a U-bend. These are easy to clear and not worth worrying about.
Things are different when several drains in the home slow at the same time and the typical remedies don’t help. If the kitchen sink, the bathroom basin, and the shower are slow together, it is not the pipes that are the issue. It’s in the system that they all connect to.
When the septic tank is full or the inlet or outlet is clogged, the tank can no longer process wastewater as it was designed to do. Water backs up the system and you sense it at the point where you are trying to drain the water. The farther the fixture from the tank, the sooner you notice it.
If there are multiple slow drains that cannot be cleared by standard methods, it is one of the most obvious signs that the septic system is in need of professional attention.
Gurgling Sounds From Plumbing
This one is a surprise; it’s not something that people would immediately think of as related to a septic issue. A healthy system doesn’t make a sound at all! Water flows through, and nothing goes back; nothing makes a sound. If a septic system is overloaded, air will be displaced and will back up into the pipe as wastewater attempts to travel through a septic system that is no longer capable of accepting it. This displaced air will escape through the closest opening, commonly a toilet or a drain.
The gurgling is most obvious after flushing or running water down a sink. Can be a bubbling or sucking sound, either from the toilet bowl or from floor drains. It’s easy to believe that it may be a venting issue, or a small plumbing error. Sometimes it is. If it appears in conjunction with any of the other symptoms listed, it is the septic system telling you of a problem with pressure in the pipes.
Sewage Smells Inside or Outside the Property
A well-functioning septic system should not produce odours. The gases that are created naturally within the tank as the organic material decomposes are supposed to exit the tank through the stack above the roofline, harmlessly. If you do find sewage odours in the house or garden, something in that process has failed.
If there is a sewage smell in the house, it is usually from the drains or toilets and is indicative that gases are being forced up through the plumbing since there is no room for them to go forward. This occurs when the tank is full, when there is a blockage in the outlet, or when the drain field is saturated and effluent cannot be dispersed.
Outside the house, if the tank smells, it generally indicates that the tank is under pressure and the gases are leaking around the seal. An odor from over the drain field is more serious and usually indicates effluent is coming up or that the field is failing. Neither situation resolves on its own. Both need investigation.
Unusually Green or Lush Grass Over the Drain Field
This is a surprising one, because it seems like a good thing. If you see a patch of grass that is greener, thicker, and growing faster than the surrounding grass, directly above the drain field is not an indication that your lawn is thriving. This is an indicator of drain field leakage.
Effluent is nutrient-rich. Grass above it responds if it begins showing up or spreading into the soil near the surface instead of at the proper depth. The roots absorb the nitrogen and the phosphorus from the effluent, and the grass improves its appearance significantly.
If you have an idea of where your drain field is, and you notice a distinct difference in the grass growing quality over the area, especially if the soil is spongy to walk on, your drain field is stressed. It’s much better to have an inspection performed at this point than when it’s actually seen at the surface.
Standing Water or Wet Ground Near the Drain Field
This is the progression of the last sign and shows that the situation has gone past the early warning level. If effluent actually emerges, if you can see standing water or soggy ground over the drain field area during dry weather, the effluent is exceeding what the system can handle, and the system is no longer properly functioning.
The drain field effectively functions by slowly dispersing treated effluent into surrounding soils. If the tank is full and the excess or untreated effluent is being pumped out to the field, the soil is not able to absorb it as fast as it is being pumped out. The effluent gets backed up and eventually comes to the surface.
Ponds of standing water near a drain field pose a health risk. It is a source of pathogens which can lead to disease in humans and animals that come in contact with it. It’s also an environmental issue and, in certain areas, a compliance issue. If you notice this, have it professionally treated the same day.
Sewage Backing Up Into the House
This is one condition no one can ignore and it is what you have got from ignoring the earlier signs for too long. When the septic system is completely overwhelmed, the only direction the wastewater could travel is in the reverse direction towards the house. Toilets overflow. Backs up in floor drains. The first place that will be impacted is usually the lowest space in the home, usually the ground floor toilet or shower.
At this stage, it’s not just an inconvenience. This is a health emergency. Raw sewage in the home poses serious pathogens, and cleanup must be handled by a professional. The cost of repairs will be significantly more at this point in the process, encompassing the determination and resolution of the underlying system issue, as well as any damages caused to the property.
The Common Thread
All signs on this list have one thing in common. It was preceded by earlier, less pronounced signals, which could have led to action at an earlier stage. Septic systems never go out of order without warning. They have failed following a string of warnings that were ignored.
Slow drains and gurgling sounds lead to smells. Field failure is caused by smells and surface water. The failure in the field results in sewage in the house. Every stage is more disruptive and more costly than the one before it.
If any of these sounds familiar, the next step is booking a professional inspection, as it’s the best way to avoid the next step. From septic inspections and regular pumping to emergency call-outs when things are already out of control, OK Eco Pump is the name you can rely on for all your septic needs. The sooner, the better.