Key Takeaways from Woodford Recycling:
- Regular septic tank emptying is essential to prevent blockages, overflows, and environmental damage.
- Proper maintenance, including annual cleaning, extends the lifespan of septic tanks and avoids costly repairs.
- Avoid disposing of cooking oils, non-biodegradable items, and harmful chemicals in septic systems to maintain their functionality.
- Emergency de-sludging is an option, but proactive, scheduled maintenance is more effective.
The importance of proper cleaning and maintenance of any drainage system should be obvious to most, especially those that have had to deal with a blocked drain or backed-up system. Spiralling costs and potentially hazardous overflow are not things that are easily dealt with, so ensuring that your drains don’t get to this point in the first place is the best way to avoid the hassle.
Why Regular Septic Tank Emptying is Crucial
Septic tanks are no exception, and making sure they are regularly emptied is crucial to their longevity and health.
Those who aren’t connected to the main sewage system rely on septic tanks or cesspools to collect and breakdown waste, which, over time, can lead to a build-up of sludge and irreducible deposits. This can cause the tank to suffer a blockage or, even worse, overflow issues, causing problems that extend outside of the obvious. For example, the chemicals used in cesspools and septic tanks can be highly damaging to the environment if they were to leak, and a badly maintained tank can also generate excess carbon dioxide and methane.
The Process of Septic Tank Cleaning
In most cases, emergency de-sludging is an option, but prevention is always better than cure, and regularly scheduled septic tank emptying and cleaning is the best way to ensure no further problems.
Septic tank cleaning is usually performed with a high power water jet system, with special attention paid to the floor of the tank where most solids form. However, it is important not to completely remove all sludge from the tank, as this is where the bacteria that are essential for processing waste breeds. Regular cleaning on at least an annual basis also has the added benefit of increasing the lifespan of a septic tank, reducing the chances of damage and saving you money on costly repairs or replacements.
Preventive Measures to Avoid Septic Tank Blockages
As well as cleaning and emptying, there are steps you can take to ensure that your septic tank doesn’t become backed up or faulty. For example, cooking oils and fats don’t breakdown easily, and where possible should not be flushed into a cesspool or septic tank to avoid blockages. Similarly, items such as cigarettes, sanitary items and other non-biodegradable objects will cause major blockages.
The Dangers of Adding Chemicals to Your Septic Tank
Avoiding adding chemicals to your tank, intentionally or otherwise, is also vital, as these can cause an imbalance within the pre-existing septic bacteria. This includes pesticides or herbicides, as well as bleach-based products, and especially silver nitrate that kills whole cultures of bacteria.
Woodford Recycling Can Help!
As one of the leading waste disposal experts in the country, Woodford Recycling operate a specialised septic tank and cesspool cleaning service for domestic and commercial customers throughout Cambridgeshire, Huntingdon, Peterborough and the surrounding areas. Our expert, fully trained team are on hand to provide full emptying and jet washing facilities, removing all waste for external processing in a swift and efficient manner and at highly competitive prices.
We can provide regularly scheduled or emergency, one-off emptying and cleaning, ensuring that your tank remains fully operational and doesn’t become blocked or faulty.
For more information on our septic tank services, don’t hesitate to contact us today, we’ll be happy to help!
