Flowers are in full bloom, birds are chirping, and that means it’s once again that time of year for backyard cleaning. As you chip away at your household chores, pause and take a moment to consider an area that can sometimes get overlooked, but is equally as important as the rest: your septic system.
Like most home appliances, septics need routine maintenance to ensure everything is operating at peak performance. You may not think about your septic often, but by keeping it well-maintained, you won’t have to. So here are 3 preventative maintenance tips to check off.
Check for Potential Issues
While many of us here in New Hampshire haven’t seen our grass in quite a while, the temperature rises, and all the snow has (finally) melted, so you may uncover some surprises now that the spring thaw has arrived. Different kinds of issues can arise with your septic, which makes it important to know what to look for.
Strong smells, especially of sulfur, can indicate a clogging issue. Scan the area of your yard where your septic is located for puddles or settling. Any signs of sinking ground or still water can be an indicator of potential problems in the works.
While you’re at it, this is also a great time to inspect for any triggers of a backup. Removing debris and tidying up your yard are relatively simple tasks that’ll help avoid clogs later on.
Adjust the Downspouts
How often do you actually think about your gutters? Believe it or not, they can also make a difference in your septic’s performance. The shift to warmer weather means typical New England heavy rainfall, but be careful that rain isn’t flooding any areas near your septic tank. Redirecting gutters away from the septic and/or drain field can help prevent a backup as well as avoid water pooling.
Schedule an Inspection or Tank Pumping
Visual reminders can help keep you on track with routine maintenance, so when the snow melts and the ground thaws, this is a great cue to remember to schedule a septic tank pumping. And when dealing with a septic, it’s best to leave it to the professionals. They can perform a proper inspection to make the right assessment and help prevent other issues you may have missed. Maybe your filter needs to be replaced or get cleaned out, or perhaps other parts of your system need to be replaced, which can happen with normal wear and tear after they get to a certain age.
If you’re worried about overlooking your septic (out of sight, out of mind, as they say), consider booking out inspection/pumping appointments for future dates so that you’ll have a secured spot before the “busy season” starts. You definitely don’t want to wait weeks to get serviced if your septic is overdue for care.
Luckily, the dedicated team at Felix Septic always has you covered, so give us a call at (603) 945-7355 or request a service visit anytime and we’ll “spring” into action!