The average home needs septic tank pumping every 3 years, but it depends on your tank size and household size. A small septic tank with many users may need cleaning more than once a year, and a large tank with few users may go 20 years without cleaning (although we wouldn’t recommend this as other potential issues like grease, tree roots, or septic filter failure can be prevented by routine maintenance.)

Signs that your sewage line may need to be replaced include:

• Gurgling from toilets
• Low water levels Does Your Sewer Line Need to Be Replaced?
• Signs that your sewage line may need to be replaced include:
• Gurgling from toilets
• Low water levels
• Slow-draining tubs or toilets
• Noticeable sewage backup in toilets or bathtubs
• Soggy or raised patches in the yard
• Unusually lush patches — fast-growing or vibrant
• Sewage smell around your property

It is not uncommon to have septic issues when it rains. Significant precipitation can flood the soil surrounding your drain field and saturate it, making water unable to flow out of your septic tank. Because the water has nowhere to go, eventually it will flow backward through the system and up through the drains and toilets of your home. A flooded drain field can lead to other problems, such as untreated sewage seeping into the groundwater and nearby streams, which can cause severe contamination.

Various septic tank components can freeze, with the most vulnerable parts being the pipes traveling from your home to the tank. Some other components that are susceptible to freezing include your tank, the drain field, and the pipes leading into it. The more often your septic system is used, the less likely you are to encounter freezing issues.

When you have a sewer system backup, you’ll typically know it fairly quickly. You’ll probably see water backing up from the toilet, but you might also notice it coming up from your shower. A home sewer backup can even affect your bathroom sink drain.

A home sewer backup can also result in strong odors coming from your drains or areas outside the home. Gurgling sounds from the toilet or drains are also common signs, as are pools of water near the floor drain of your residential basement.

A septic drain field can be repaired, but those repairs can be costly and inconvenient. The best way to minimize the disruption to your home is to catch minor problems before they become serious. Knowing the signs of a failing drain field can mean the difference between a minor repair and a significant overhaul of your septic system.

Contact GA HUNT if you notice any of the following:

• Backed-up drains or sewage pipes anywhere in your plumbing system, especially when accompanied by a foul-smelling, dark-colored liquid
• Strong smells, standing water, or sewage in your lawn above the drain field area
• Patches of discolored grass above the drain field area
• Frequent need to pump your septic tank/system (more than once every three years)

Drain field problems can be more accurately diagnosed with a septic inspection. Any of the following signs may indicate that a septic problem is specific to the drainage field and not caused by any other issue:

• Floating scum or liquid rising above the baffles of the septic tank
• Liquid effluent rising above the distribution box outlet
• Discharge of any effluent to the surface of the septic system