It’s easy to flush your toilet without thinking twice about where the waste goes until it starts backing up on your bathroom floor. Homes in Houston, TX often have septic tanks. These large units separate the solid waste from the liquid waste. As the units come in different sizes, you should make sure you have one that’s appropriate for your family. Check out some of the signs you need to upgrade to a bigger tank.
Flooding
Modern septic tanks have reinforcements inside that contain the waste and keep it from spilling out. If you have an older tank, it may lack this feature. When the tank is too full, it releases some of the liquid inside to make room for more waste. You might notice that a particular patch of grass looks greener than other areas or that plants seem to thrive near the tank. The tank can flood your yard with waste, too.
Sewage Odors
One of the best things about using a septic tank is that you don’t even know it’s there. Most Houston tanks are in out-of-the-way areas. When you start smelling sewage odors, it might be time to change your tank. This is especially true if you pick up the scent of raw sewage. Septic tanks should not release so much gas that you detect it in the air. If you walk through your yard and smell raw sewage or pick up the same odor when your windows are open, you need a bigger tank.
Slow Drains
All of the drains in your Houston home move water and debris into your pipes. A common sign that you need help from Brown Aerobic to replace your tank is if one or more of your drains begin moving slowly. It can take 30 minutes or longer for your shower to finish draining and take just as long to empty your kitchen sink. Slow drains let you know that the tank doesn’t have enough room for everything that comes through the pipes.
Toilet Spills
You’ll also want to keep an eye on your toilet and see if water backs up inside the bowl. While you might get lucky and see just enough water come through that it rises to the top, you also risk the water coming over the sides and flooding your bathroom. A toilet will often overflow when the septic tank is too small to keep up with the demands of the residence.
One of the best ways to learn more about your system is with a septic tank inspection. You can find out if the tank is adequate for your home and determine whether you need to upgrade it. Contact Brown Aerobic to schedule your inspection or to learn about tank sizes for Houston homes.